Trump Iran Strategy: War Escalation, Secret Flight, and Stalled Negotiations

The United States and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran on February 28, 2026, which has since expanded into a monthslong war affecting neighboring countries and global markets. Recent developments show continued U.S. airstrikes in southern Iran, particularly on Qeshm island, where near-constant bombing has disrupted civilian life and livelihoods, even as fighting has abated elsewhere. The conflict has also drawn in regional proxies, with Houthi forces reportedly killing six people in the first deadly attack on a ship carrying Saudi military equipment in the Red Sea since the war began.