The United States and Israel on Saturday (local time) launched strikes targeting Iran’s military and naval forces, prompting Tehran to retaliate and attack US bases in the Middle East, including Israel. America’s Operation Epic Fury and Israel’s Operation Rising Lion came despite ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran over the country’s nuclear program.
The development comes days after US President Donald Trump warned Iran of “bad things” if a deal is not reached in the next 10-15 days.
Israeli officials said they targeted military and nuclear infrastructure in Tehran. Trump said the US had launched a “major combat operation” in Iran, saying the aim was to neutralize threats posed by the regime.
Here’s a complete timeline of how the renewed military confrontation in the Middle East happened despite the talks:
After Trump returned to the White House for his second term in January 2025, tensions with Iran escalated.
March 5: Trump sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing new talks on a potential nuclear deal within a 60-day time frame. Khamenei rejected his offer, saying that Washington was not seeking negotiations but was instead imposing its demands on Tehran.
Read also | US Attacks Iran LIVE: Tehran Defense Minister, IRGC Commander Killed
June 13: Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran, targeting the country’s nuclear facilities and provoking counterstrikes from Tehran. The attacks from Tel Aviv came despite negotiations taking place between Tehran and Washington.
June 22: The US military struck Iran’s nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan, with Trump claiming the strikes had deterred Tehran’s nuclear program, a claim the Islamic Republic dismissed as false, adding that it only suffered a setback and the facilities were not destroyed.
June 23rd: In retaliation, Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where US troops are based. The missiles were intercepted and no casualties were reported, Al Jazeera reported.
Read also | US Attacks Iran LIVE Update: ‘High Risk, High Reward’ – Trump informed
June 24th: After 12 days of fighting, Trump brokered a truce between Israel and Iran, ending hostilities.
July 2nd: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has approved legislation that suspends cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and restricts inspectors’ access to nuclear facilities unless authorized by the Supreme National Security Council.
July 22: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the country will not give up its “uranium enrichment program” despite the damage halt.
August 22: Iran said it would return to nuclear talks with the UK, France and Germany later in the month, even as sanctions loomed.
Read also | US-Iran talks: Diplomatic efforts to avert potential war Feb. 6 in Turkiye
August 28: Three European nations activated the mechanism that renewed United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran for the first time in a decade.
November 1st: Oman called on both Washington and Tehran to resume talks, while Iran said it would continue to enrich uranium.
November 7th: Trump said Iran had requested an exemption from US sanctions and said he was open to discussions on the matter.
December 28: Demonstrations broke out in several major cities, including Tehran, after the national currency fell sharply against the US dollar, pushing up prices.
January 8, 2026: Iran experienced a nationwide internet shutdown as anti-government protests spread beyond urban centers. The outage lasted more than two weeks.
January 13th: Trump encouraged Iranians to continue protesting, hinted that support could be forthcoming and hinted at possible US military action. Around the same time, the US increased its military presence near Iran.
February 6: Washington and Tehran began indirect nuclear discussions in Geneva, with Oman acting as a mediator, to reach an agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear activities.
February 17th: Senior officials from both sides reconvene in Geneva for another round of nuclear talks, again with the support of Oman.
February 20: Trump warned of consequences if no deal is reached and gave Iran a 10- to 15-day deadline.
February 22: Oman announced another round of talks in Geneva, noting some constructive movement while acknowledging significant differences remain.
February 27th: The US and Israel launched a joint operation targeting Iranian military and naval forces.
