US President
Donald Trump on Monday (local time) said the US war in Iran was "militarily, effectively over," signalling that Washington was unlikely to resume large-scale military action against Tehran for now.
Speaking at the White House after meeting Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed, Trump said Iran had been "decapitated" and that the US was maintaining the status quo. However, he warned that American forces remained "locked and loaded" if circumstances changed, reported Associated Press. He added that his administration was still seeking a long-term solution to dismantle Iran's nuclear programme.
His remarks come after eight months of military confrontation, retaliatory attacks, ceasefire attempts and diplomatic negotiations.
Here's a timeline of how the US-Iran war unfolded.
February 2026: US and Israel launch strikes on Iran
The war began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury, carrying out nearly 900 airstrikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, air defences and leadership. The strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of officials.
Trump said the military objectives were to destroy Iran's missile arsenal, eliminate its navy and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iran retaliated by targeting Israel and US military bases across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
March 2026: Conflict spreads across West Asia
Iranian drone and missile attacks targeted US and Gulf installations, including a military base in Kuwait, where the first American service members were killed. Tehran also targeted commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting traffic and pushing oil prices higher.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, joined the fighting by launching rockets towards Israel. Iran appointed Khamenei's son Mojtaba as his successor.
Iranian attacks around the Strait of Hormuz intensified. The US bombed Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, following the deaths of six American crew members.
Israeli strikes killed two senior Iranian officials: Ali Larijani, head of the National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij militia.
On March 23, Trump said Washington and Tehran were discussing an end to the conflict. However, an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia injured 12 US troops.
April 2026: Ceasefire and peace talks fail
On April 7, Trump threatened on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran failed to meet the ceasefire deadline. Later that day, he announced a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The truce did not extend to Lebanon. On April 8, Israel launched more than 100 airstrikes against Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes.
On April 11, US Vice-President JD Vance travelled to Islamabad for Pakistan-brokered peace talks, accompanied by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iran's delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The talks ended without an agreement on April 12, with both sides failing to resolve differences over Iran's uranium stockpile and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The US subsequently blockaded vessel traffic to and from Iranian ports.
On April 16, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. The following day, Iran and the US declared the Strait of Hormuz open, but Iranian officials reversed the decision within 24 hours after two reported incidents involving ships being hit.
On April 21, Trump extended the ceasefire, giving Tehran more time to submit a proposal to end the war.
May 2026: Negotiations struggle to gain momentum
On May 1, Trump rejected Iran's proposal to end the conflict but informed Congress that hostilities had "terminated".
On May 3, the US announced an initiative to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but paused it within days. On May 18, Trump said he had authorised fresh attacks against Iran but was holding back to allow further negotiations.
June 2026: Renewed attacks threaten diplomatic progress
On June 3, Israel and Lebanon announced a new US-brokered ceasefire involving Hezbollah.
Iran attacked Israel on June 7 for the first time since the April ceasefire, retaliating for an Israeli strike on Hezbollah near Beirut. Israel struck Iran the following morning.
On June 9, the US struck Iran after accusing it of downing an American Army helicopter gunship near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian attacks subsequently targeted Bahrain and Kuwait.
On June 14, Trump announced an agreement to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade on Iranian ports. The memorandum extended the April ceasefire by 60 days, allowing negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions relief.
However, Israeli strikes in Lebanon on June 19 prompted Tehran to withdraw from planned negotiations with Washington. Israel and Hezbollah subsequently agreed to another ceasefire, while US and Iranian teams met in Switzerland.
July 2026: Ceasefire breaks down as attacks intensify
Negotiations paused on July 4 amid multiday funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On July 7, three American ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting US military action and further exchanges. At a Nato summit on July 8, Trump said he believed the ceasefire was over.
On July 13, he reinstated the naval blockade on Iranian ports and proposed charging ships a fee to transit the Strait, before backing away from the idea.
By July 28, the conflict had entered its sixth month, with about 1,700 Iranian civilians reported killed, reported New York Times. On July 29, US and Saudi fighter jets attacked Iran-backed militias in Iraq, while a drone attack set two tankers on fire at an Egyptian Mediterranean port.
On July 31, Trump warned that the US was prepared to hit Iran "very hard".
August-September 2026: Blockades and diplomatic uncertainty
On August 2, Trump said he had cancelled a planned military assault following requests from West Asian countries, adding that the broad terms of a possible agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had been reached.
Iran and Oman discussed temporarily reopening the waterway. However, the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran expired without a deal.
September saw continued restrictions on Strait of Hormuz shipping, regional skirmishes involving Hezbollah and armed groups in Iraq and Yemen, and fresh diplomatic ultimatums. No permanent settlement emerged.
October 2026: US tightens economic pressure on Iran
As the conflict entered its eighth month, direct fighting slowed while economic and political tensions intensified. In an interview to CNN, Trump warned Tehran about refusing a permanent nuclear and maritime settlement, saying the US had identified 38 bridges it could destroy within an hour.
On October 31, Iraq deployed four Army brigades to Basra province amid fears that Iran-backed militias could launch retaliatory rocket attacks against Kuwait and draw the country further into the conflict.
November 2026: Task Force Iron Gate and Trump's latest declaration
On November 2, Iranian forces attempted to target an American aircraft near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the US to strike an Iranian anti-aircraft system on the island.
The Republican Party suffered a major setback in the November 3 US midterm elections, losing control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Trump and Vice-President JD Vance acknowledged that public opposition to the prolonged Iran war and its impact on energy prices had contributed to the party's defeat, adding to pressure on the administration to reassess its military strategy.
On November 7, US Central Command established Task Force Iron Gate, a specialised unit of about 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida. It aims to strengthen the naval blockade by targeting Iranian smuggling networks operating through the Caspian Sea and overland trade routes.
The latest development came on November 9, when Trump declared US military action in Iran "militarily, effectively over," signalling a shift away from the threat of another large-scale offensive.
 "Trump says Iran war is 'effectively over': How the conflict unfolded")
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