On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran, triggered by airstrikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei amid ongoing nuclear negotiations. Washington justified the attack as a response to Iran's crackdown on protests, a bid to prevent nuclear weapons, and a push for regime change, though critics condemned it as a war of aggression. Lacking long-range strike capabilities, Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases, blocked the Strait of Hormuz, and drew in Gulf states like the UAE and Saudi Arabia against it. The conflict caused thousands of casualties and the largest-ever disruption to the global oil market, costing the US an estimated $113.3 billion by June 2026. Despite multiple ceasefire attempts—including a two-week truce in April and a memorandum signed on 17 June—the deal collapsed on 8 July when Iran attacked commercial vessels to assert sovereignty over the Strait. Known variously as the "Iran war," "Third Gulf War," or "Ramadan War," the conflict has also been marked by record US military spending requests.