The US-Iranian conflict entered its second week on Saturday, March 7. The attacks, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the US and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel, were launched by both countries on February 28.
Although the conflict is now in its second week, the US has not officially declared war on Iran, as only Congress has the power to do so under the Constitution. Various senior Trump administration officials have also been careful not to use the word “war” when referring to the attacks, even though that’s practically what it is.
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Regardless of whether the US has formally declared war on Iran, the ongoing conflict is shaping up to be one of the most serious in the region in many decades. And its effects are no longer felt by these three countries, but by the wider Middle East and beyond.
These are the countries that are directly involved in the war
United States
Israel
Iran
Countries that were affected by the US-Iran war
Throughout the Middle East, with the exception of Egypt, all of the Gulf states have been attacked in one way or another.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE has probably paid the highest price for a war in which it is not directly involved. Emirates across the UAE, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, have been and continue to be targeted by Iranian retaliatory drone and missile strikes.
Saudi Arabia
Iran has fired dozens of missiles and drones into Saudi Arabia, including the Prince Sultan Air Base, which is the center of the Royal Saudi Air Force and hosts significant US military forces as of 2019.
Kuwait
Iran has attacked US bases in Kuwait, including Port Shuaiba, where six army reservists were killed on March 1 after a drone breached air defenses there. Ali Al-Salem Air Force Base, Camp Buehring and the US Embassy in Kuwait City have all come under attack in recent days. Kuwait was also the scene of another major incident in the war, when three US F-15 fighter jets were shot down by “friendly fire”.
Bahrain
Iranian drones and missiles targeted NSA Bahrain, which is the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Juffair, Manama.
Catarrh
Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, was one of the key targets of Iran’s retaliatory strikes. The barrage of ballistic missiles and drones caused significant damage to the facility, including the reported destruction of the AN/FPS-132 radar system.
Qatar’s largest natural gas power plant also suffered damage in the Iranian strike.
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Oman
Oman was largely spared by Iran, which described the country as a “friend and neighbor”. There were isolated incidents where two vessels were hit off the coast of Oman.
Iraq
Iraq came under attack from both the US-Israeli coalition and Iran. While the US and Israel targeted facilities in southern Iraq that house the pro-Iranian Popular Mobilization Forces, Iran attacked US facilities in Erbil and Baghdad and Kurdish separatists in the country.
Syria
Iranian-backed militias have launched attacks on US military installations in eastern Syria, such as the Al-Omar oil field and the Rumalyn airstrip.
Jordan
Jordan has been hit by several Iranian missiles and drones over the past week. Most notable was the destruction of the $300 million AN/TPY-2 radar system used for the U.S. THAAD missile defense system at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.
Cyprus
The British Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri was attacked by a drone on Monday. While the attack was carried out using a Shahed kamikaze drone, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed that it was not launched from Iran.
Lebanon
Lebanon has come under intense Israeli airstrikes and ground invasions since the outbreak of war. The Israeli strikes were in response to a wave of attacks launched by the pro-Iranian Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. More than 200 people were killed and over 800 injured in the Israeli attacks.
Read also | Israel attacks Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, Lebanon; hear loud explosions
Countries not directly involved
Several European countries have pledged military aid following the attack on the Akrotiri base in Cyprus. Britain, France, Greece and Turkey have also pledged anti-missile and anti-drone systems, as well as air defenses and warships.
The UK also allowed the US to use a joint military base for US “defensive” action against Iran’s missile sites.
Non-state actors
Over the past few decades, Iran has built the Axis of Resistance, a group of armed groups in the region that fight against Israel. However, during the ongoing conflict, only Hezbollah and the Popular Mobilization Forces have made their presence felt in the conflict by launching attacks against Israel. Two of the Axis of Resistance’s most prominent names, Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis, have so far remained on the sidelines.
Key things
- The conflict affects not only the US and Iran, but also many countries in the Middle East.
- European states are providing military support, indicating wider international interest.
- The situation highlights the complexity of modern warfare, where direct declarations of war are avoided.
