Nine months after 12-day war, US, Israel seek to topple Iran’s leaders

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 28, 2026 at 06:44 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In February 2026, the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, aiming for regime change and potentially destabilizing the Middle East. This escalation occurred nine months after a previous 12-day conflict with Iran. The attacks targeted Iranian officials, missile sites, and nuclear facilities, including the Ministry of Intelligence and the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region. These actions took place amidst ongoing negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program, where progress had been reported towards Iran limiting its enriched material stockpile and allowing IAEA verification. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has long advocated for military action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Qatar 30% Bahrain 30% Geneva 30% International Atomic Energy Agency 40% Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi ×250% Tehran ×360% Middle East ×270% Donald Trump ×270% Benjamin Netanyahu ×380% United States ×790% Israel ×590% Iran ×12100%

Keywords

iran 100% israel 90% united states 80% attacks 80% nuclear programme 70% middle east 60% regime change 60% military action 50% nuclear negotiations 50% destabilising 40%