How the West Asia war panned out: A timeline
After 39 days of hostilities, US and Iran have called for a two-week ceasefire
By Samidha Jain
Last Updated: Apr 08, 2026, 14:20 IST4 min
Prefer us on Google
Advertisement
In a Nutshell
After 39 days of US-Iran hostilities, including the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader and attacks on oil hubs, both sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing global oil prices and tensions but remaining on high alert.
Barely an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz expired, the two countries agreed to a two-week ceasefire in exchange for the opening of the waterway. With this, the hostilities that were started on February 28, and in which Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini was killed, have been put on hold for the time being.
Around 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG pass through the strait, now controlled by Tehran, and oil and gas prices around the world had gone through the roof after Iran had shut it in retaliation to a joint US-Israel attack.
However, the conflict between the US and Iran did not emerge all of a sudden, but is rooted in decades of geopolitical tension that first turned into a flashpoint in 1979, when the Islamic revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah and installed the exiled Khomeini in his seat. The latter has, since then, gone through political and economic turmoil, including disputes over nuclear weapons, and competing for influence in the Middle East.
In recent times, after failed nuclear negotiations, regional wars, and direct military confrontations, the situation escalated sharply leading to a largescale conflict that not only impacted the two countries but had repercussions globally.
Background
The foundation of this war was laid in 1953, when the US supported a coup that overthrew Iran’s elected government. The simmering resentment eventually led to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, which replaced the pro-Western monarchy with an Islamic Republic that strongly opposed US influence. It became worse in November, when American diplomats were held hostage in the embassy and the Washington imposed sanctions on Tehran for the first time, leading to a complete breakdown in diplomatic ties.
In the decades that followed, tensions persisted through indirect conflicts and strategic rivalry, particularly over Iran’s growing nuclear ambitions. A temporary easing occurred in 2015 with the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which aimed to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, this was reversed in 2018 when the US withdrew from the agreement and reimposed strict economic sanctions. By 2023–2024, the situation had escalated again, with Iran significantly expanding its nuclear capabilities and regional influence, while tensions across the Middle East intensified, setting the stage for eventual direct conflict. Here’s a timeline:
Feb 28: War breaks out US and Israel launch a massive, coordinated air campaign across Iran. A series of strikes were carried out within hours, targeting nuclear facilities, air defences, military bases, and key leadership sites. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several top officials were killed in the initial wave. They also caused significant civilian casualties, including one where a school was hit, killing 175 people, most of them girls. It was later reported as a possible targeting error.
Iran responded within hours by launching ballistic missiles and drone attacks on US bases, embassies, and allied targets across the Middle East, while also disrupting maritime traffic, especially around the Strait of Hormuz.
March 1: An Iranian drone strike targeted a US military operations centre at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait, killing six American soldiers, marking the first US fatalities of the war. At the same time, the Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rocket attacks from Lebanon towards Israel, signalling a widening regional escalation.
March 8: Iran’s clerical leadership formally appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader, as the country’s new leader.
March 11-12: Iran struck at least three ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz; Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first written statement and directed the military to continue choking off the strait; six US crew members died after a KC-135 military refuelling aircraft crashed in Iraq.
March 13: US bombed Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.
March 17: Israel struck down two senior Iranian figures—Ali Larijani, head of the National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, chief of the Basij militia—marking a major blow to Iran’s leadership structure.
March 18: Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field. In response, Qatar reported that Iran hit its Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest LNG export facility.
March 23: Trump announced that Washington and Tehran have initiated discussions aimed at ending the war.
April 3: Iran shot down a US Air Force F-15E fighter jet.
April 7: Trump issued a stark warning that “a whole civilisation” could be destroyed if Iran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, setting a final deadline of 8:00 PM (ET). This followed multiple earlier ultimatums on March 21, 23, 26, and April 4, each extended subsequently.
Despite the ceasefire announced on April 8, both sides remain on high alert. Post the ceasefire announcement, the Sensex in India jumped nearly 4 percent, while brent crude fell sharply to $95.068 per barrel (from $109.77). US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also fell by nearly $20 per barrel after the announcement.
First Published: Apr 08, 2026, 14:25
Subscribe NowLatest News
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement