Hegseth says on Iran: ‘This is not Iraq. This is not endless.
Army Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation against Iran is not “open-ended” like it is in Iraq.
The war between the United States and Iran continues to escalate, drawing other Middle Eastern countries and other countries into the conflict. The conflict began when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in the early morning hours of February 28th. The operation killed the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and dozens of government officials, and attacked more than 1,250 targets across the country.
The war started specifically between the United States, Israel, and Iran, but other countries are entering the conflict as geopolitics become more complex. Some U.S. military bases in the Middle East have been targeted, but other countries and U.S. allies, including France, Britain and Greece, are defending themselves from drone attacks.
Here’s what we know about which countries are involved in the conflict.
Which countries are participating in the war?
After the first attack on February 28, more countries rapidly became involved in the war. Multiple regions in the Middle East have been targeted or intercepted by drones, missiles, and bombers, including Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
As USA TODAY previously reported, Air Force Gen. Dan Cain, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that while America’s allies in the Middle East have been shooting down missiles and drones with precision, Iran has fired more than 500 missiles indiscriminately and launched 2,000 drones.
Kain said Jordanian air defense forces intercepted a group of attack drones heading one way toward Oman. Bahrain’s air defense forces shot down a drone that was flying towards the center of Manama’s maritime infrastructure to protect shipping lanes. Saudi Arabia’s Patriot batteries intercepted a salvo of ballistic missiles aimed at an energy facility. The United Arab Emirates has neutralized multiple drones that targeted Abu Dhabi’s industrial areas. Qatari fighter jets shot down two Iranian bombers.
“Together, these countries are helping to protect their countries and project force, if necessary, against their adversaries,” Cain said.
Attacks have also hit cities and some U.S. military bases in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait, including Iraq, and on March 1, a drone strike in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, killed four U.S. soldiers. All four were members of the Des Moines Army Reserve. U.S. military authorities are investigating the attack.
Several European countries, including the UK, France, Germany and Greece, have also joined the fray following a drone attack on the Royal Air Force Akrotiri base in Cyprus in the Mediterranean. Britain, France and Greece have pledged to deploy anti-missile and anti-drone systems, air defense systems and warships in response to the attacks.
Following the attack, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed on March 3 that its military had shot down several drones in the airspace of Iraq, Jordan and Qatar.
Why is the US at war with Iran?
President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Israeli strikes were aimed at eliminating an “immediate threat” from Iran and preventing the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.
President Trump has previously said the military action was aimed at giving Iranians a chance to overthrow their rulers. “Most of the people we had in mind have passed away,” he told reporters on March 3, referring to Iranian leaders who could take over the country after Khamenei’s death.
President Trump warned Americans that the war could last for weeks and promised that more firepower was planned beyond the initial actions. The United States stepped up its efforts Wednesday after reports that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship, killing at least 80 people, officials said.
Contributors: Bart Jansen and Michael Loria, USA TODAY; Reuters
Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@usatodayco.com or X @katecperez_.
