5 Key Take Aways on the US, Israel Attack on Iran

On Saturday, Feb. 28, the United States, in conjunction with Israel, killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with seven top members of Iran’s security leadership in a joint military strike, after months of tensions between the U.S. and Iran over the country’s nuclear program.

Here are five key takeaways from this attack.

Why President Donald Trump Decided to Attack Iran

Thursday, Trump administration officials met with Iranian officials in Geneva to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. In this meeting, the U.S. held the position that Iran could not enrich uranium for the next 10 years.

Iran’s officials disagreed, claiming that Iran has the right to enrich uranium. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, President Trump decided to initiate the attacks on Iran and threaten its leadership.

Where Israel Comes in

Israel and the U.S. have been allies for 75 years. Israel and Iran have been in conflict with one another for years. After the Feb. 28 attack, Israel claimed that it had been working with the United States for months to plan this operation.

The Aftermath in Iran

After Khamenei was killed, the U.S. and Israel also targeted Iran’s navy headquarters, warships, and ballistic missile sites. Khamenei, who was the supreme leader for 37 years, did not have a chosen successor before his death.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that a new supreme leader will be chosen soon. Reactions have been mixed among the Iranian public, according to reports.

Iran has targeted several U.S. bases in the region, leaving six U.S. service members dead. Iran has also attacked the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

The Aftermath in the United States

The U.S. has continued strikes on Iran since Saturday. President Trump made a statement on Monday at the Medal of Honor ceremony that the war could last for weeks.

Oil prices have jumped since the attack, and will only go up, according to experts, as the conflict in the Middle East continues.

Lawmakers in the U.S. are split after the attacks on Iran were conducted without approval from Congress. Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. Democrats and Republicans have criticized the move from Trump.

The Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the U.S. decision to attack Iran. Federal counterterrorism agencies have been reported to be on high alert for concern of Iran committing an act of terrorism on U.S. soil.

The Aftermath in Israel

In retaliation, Iran has struck Israel, killing several. Iran has continued strikes throughout the weekend towards Israel, but most have been intercepted.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.