2026 US-Iran Conflict Map

Interactive map of the ongoing US-Iran conflict showing struck nuclear sites, US military positions, proxy fronts, strategic chokepoints, and retaliation targets. Toggle categories to focus on specific aspects of the multi-theater conflict.

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Nuclear Facility Strikes

Operation Epic Fury's opening wave targeted Iran's four primary nuclear installations in the most significant counterproliferation military action since Israel destroyed Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981. The underground enrichment plant at Fordow — buried beneath approximately 80 meters of rock near Qom — was struck by GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, the largest non-nuclear bombs in the US arsenal, delivered by B-2 Spirit stealth bombers flying from Diego Garcia. Whether the bombs penetrated to the centrifuge halls remains unconfirmed.

The Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, which houses Iran's uranium conversion facility and co-located ballistic missile production sites, sustained significant above-ground damage confirmed by satellite imagery. The Natanz enrichment facility — target of the 2010 Stuxnet cyberattack — was hit with precision munitions targeting both surface infrastructure and underground access points. Parchin, the weapons research complex linked to explosive testing for warhead design, was struck as part of the counterproliferation package. The full extent of damage across all four sites cannot be determined because IAEA inspectors have been denied access since the strikes began.

US Military Positions

The United States has assembled approximately 50,000 military personnel across the Persian Gulf region — the largest American force concentration in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion. Two aircraft carrier strike groups operate in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, providing air superiority and cruise missile launch platforms. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar serves as the Combined Air Operations Center, coordinating F-35, F-15E, and drone sorties across the theater.

NSA Bahrain hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters, the command hub for mine-clearing operations and naval engagement in the Strait of Hormuz. Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE provides THAAD missile defense coverage for the Gulf states. Camp Arifjan in Kuwait — where four American service members were killed by an Iranian drone strike — is the primary US Army installation in the region. In Iraq, Al Asad Air Base in Anbar Province and facilities near Erbil face daily attacks from Iranian-backed Shia militias. Diego Garcia, the remote Indian Ocean base, provides the staging point for B-2 stealth bomber operations against Iran's most hardened targets.

Strategic Chokepoints

Two of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints are simultaneously disrupted — an unprecedented situation in modern history. The Strait of Hormuz, just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, was formally closed to commercial shipping by Iran's IRGC Navy on March 1, 2026. Approximately 17 to 21 million barrels of oil per day normally transit the strait — roughly 20% of global supply. Iran enforced the blockade with naval mines, fast attack boat patrols, anti-ship missile batteries along its coastline, and submarine deployments. Oil prices surged past $130 per barrel within hours.

Simultaneously, the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea faces intensified Houthi anti-ship attacks. Approximately 12% of global trade passes through this corridor, connecting Asian manufacturing to European markets. Houthi forces have demonstrated ballistic missile range exceeding 100 nautical miles and the ability to coordinate multi-axis attacks combining drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Major shipping lines have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding two weeks to transit times. The compound disruption of both chokepoints threatens energy supply to every major importing nation and risks triggering a global recession.

Proxy Conflict Fronts

Iran's proxy network — the Axis of Resistance — has activated across multiple theaters simultaneously, transforming a bilateral US-Iran confrontation into the broadest Middle Eastern military crisis since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. Hezbollah in Lebanon launched sustained rocket barrages into northern Israel from an arsenal estimated at over 130,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided munitions striking as far south as Haifa, Israel's third-largest city. Civilian evacuations across the Galilee have forced Israel into a two-front war that stretches its air defense systems to their limits.

In Yemen, Houthi forces intensified their anti-ship campaign in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea to levels exceeding the 2024-2025 disruption, targeting commercial vessels with Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones. In Iraq, Iranian-backed Shia militia groups — including Kata'ib Hezbollah and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq — launched sustained drone and rocket attacks against US installations at Al Asad and Erbil, creating force protection requirements that consume resources needed for offensive operations. Each proxy front operates with a different degree of autonomy from Tehran, making the overall escalation dynamics difficult to predict or control.

Iranian Retaliation Campaign

Iran responded to Operation Epic Fury with the most extensive retaliatory strike campaign in its history, launching approximately 174 ballistic missiles and 541 drones targeting American military installations and allied infrastructure across eight countries. Targets included the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf (missile defense systems successfully intercepted), the US Embassy in Riyadh (struck by two drones with limited damage), and military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan. The US Embassy in Amman was evacuated following a credible threat.

The retaliation extended to economic targets. Drones struck the Saudi Ras Tanura refinery — the world's largest oil processing facility — briefly halting production and compounding the economic impact of the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Commercial shipping in the Gulf faced direct targeting, and multiple Strait of Hormuz tanker transits were intercepted by IRGC patrol boats. Iran's outgoing President Pezeshkian — operating in the power vacuum left by Supreme Leader Khamenei's death — vowed Iran "will not remain silent" and promised continued proportional responses.

Strike Targets Across Iran

Operation Epic Fury struck targets across at least nine Iranian cities and 24 of Iran's 31 provinces in the first 48 hours, hitting over 1,250 targets according to US military officials. Tehran bore the heaviest concentration: IRGC headquarters, government ministries, intelligence facilities, state television buildings, and the compound of Supreme Leader Khamenei's office were all struck. Khamenei was killed on February 28 along with an estimated 49 or more senior regime officials — the most significant leadership decapitation in the Islamic Republic's history.

Beyond Tehran, strikes hit IRGC command infrastructure in Qom, regional military installations and Basij paramilitary bases in Kermanshah and Tabriz, and communications nodes across western and northwestern Iran. B-2 bombers, F-35 fighters, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and cruise missiles were employed throughout the campaign. Iran's navy was a primary target, with nine warships reportedly sunk and the naval headquarters "largely destroyed." The Iranian Red Crescent reported approximately 555 killed as of March 2, with the true toll believed to be significantly higher, including at least 201 confirmed civilian deaths.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Iranian nuclear facilities were struck in 2026?

US and Israeli forces struck four major Iranian nuclear sites during Operation Epic Fury: the Fordow underground enrichment plant near Qom, the Isfahan uranium conversion and ballistic missile complex, the Natanz centrifuge facility, and the Parchin weapons research complex. GBU-57 bunker busters were deployed by B-2 bombers against Fordow's deeply buried halls. The full extent of damage remains unknown because IAEA inspectors have been unable to access the facilities.

Where are US military forces positioned in the Middle East during the Iran conflict?

Approximately 50,000 US military personnel are deployed across the Persian Gulf region. Key positions include NSA Bahrain (5th Fleet headquarters), Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, Al Asad and Erbil air bases in Iraq, and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, from which B-2 stealth bombers operate. Two carrier strike groups are positioned in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.

What strategic chokepoints are affected by the US-Iran conflict?

Two critical maritime chokepoints are directly disrupted. The Strait of Hormuz — through which approximately 20% of global oil supply transits daily — was formally closed by Iran on March 1, 2026, the first full closure in history. The Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea is disrupted by Houthi anti-ship attacks, affecting approximately 12% of global trade. The simultaneous disruption of both chokepoints is unprecedented.

How has Iran retaliated against US strikes?

Iran launched a retaliatory campaign involving 174 ballistic missiles and 541 drones targeting US military installations across eight countries. Specific targets included the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier, US embassies in Riyadh and Amman, and the Saudi Ras Tanura refinery. Iran's proxy network also activated: Hezbollah launched sustained rocket barrages into northern Israel, Houthis intensified Red Sea anti-ship attacks, and Iraqi Shia militias struck US bases at Al Asad and Erbil.