The comprehensive confrontation in the Middle East has entered its third week, amid international reports confirming that the scale of military and economic destruction has exceeded all expectations since the launch of attacks on 28 February 2026.
This report reviews the figures and field developments recorded by strategic research centres monitoring the war and its progression.
The American Israeli offensive against Iran began on 28 February, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, including Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the beginning of the war, along with several security officials, most notably Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani.
Estimates indicate that more than 1,800 people have been killed since the start of the conflict, including 13 Americans. In comparison, over one million people have been displaced in Lebanon as the scope of the confrontation has expanded.
Scale of Joint Strikes (United States and Israel)
The alliance carried out the largest aerial campaign in modern history, with more than 6,500 combat sorties targeting over 7,000 military sites across 26 Iranian provinces.
These strikes focused on destroying the “nerves” of the state, including command and control centres in Tehran, nuclear facilities, and air defence bases. Nearly 190 ballistic missile launch platforms were destroyed, representing the neutralisation of around 60 percent of Iran’s missile capability, according to American and Israeli sources.
The attacks also extended to the maritime domain, where more than 100 vessels and boats belonging to the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian navy were destroyed or disabled, according to American statements.
Outcome of the Strikes
Satellite imagery and field reports revealed a strategy aimed at “drying out” Iran’s missile and leadership capabilities, including:
- Neutralising 80 per cent of offensive capability: Western estimates indicate that joint strikes destroyed 80 per cent of Iran’s total offensive capacity within the first 12 days of the war, according to the Institute for the Study of War and Bloomberg.
- Dismantling missile capabilities: US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a “functional defeat” of Iran’s ability to produce ballistic missiles following the destruction of production lines and key components, alongside the neutralisation of between 160 and 190 active launch platforms.
- Cost of the war: The cost of US military operations, known as “Operation Epic Rage,” reached approximately 16.5 billion dollars by the twelfth day of fighting, including 11.3 billion dollars allocated to platforms and munitions used in the first six days, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
- US equipment losses: US Central Command confirmed the loss of three F 15 fighter jets and one KC 135 refuelling aircraft during the early phases of the war.
The Iranian Response
Tehran adopted a strategy of “missile saturation,” deploying hundreds of ballistic missiles and suicide drones. Sources recorded 257 Iranian offensive waves directed toward Israel since the outbreak of the war.
These attacks included the launch of more than 300 ballistic missiles, nearly half of which carried cluster munitions, primarily targeting the greater Tel Aviv area at 38.5 percent, followed by southern and northern regions and Jerusalem.
At the same time, Hezbollah in Lebanon carried out 522 cumulative offensive waves, using a mix of rockets and artillery at 78.4 per cent and drones at 13.5 percent, according to a report issued by the Israeli Alma Research Centre.
Iranian Attacks on Neighbouring States
Iran expanded the scope of the conflict to include 14 countries in the region, stating that its attacks were primarily targeting American military bases. However, the strikes resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, including airports and ports.
The number of Iranian attacks on Gulf countries rose to no fewer than 3,700 missiles and drones.
Reports indicated that 17 US military sites in the Middle East were affected, including direct strikes on advanced radar systems such as the THAAD system in Jordan and bases in Al Dhafra and Al Minhad in the United Arab Emirates.
Iran also launched thousands of drones, particularly of the “Shahed 136” type, alongside missiles targeting Gulf states.
Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Threats involving naval mines and missile strikes led to a near-complete halt in commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of global oil supplies had passed before the conflict.
