Iran Fires Missiles at US Warships, but America Strikes Back with a Different Strategy
A coordinated campaign launched by American and Israeli forces on February 28, 2026, marked the beginning of an ongoing war. The operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the Pentagon and Roaring Lion by Israel, killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other senior officials.
An initial ceasefire took hold in April, but fighting resumed in July after Iran struck commercial vessels that had bypassed its preapproved route through the Strait of Hormuz. The President declared the memorandum of understanding between the two countries over on June 17.
On September 5, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force fired several ballistic missiles at a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. Central Command confirmed the launches, which missed their targets, resulting in no casualties. In response, the United States struck three Iranian oil tankers.