Who is directly fighting?
Attacking Iran
- United States — Leading air strikes and naval operations
- Israel — Joint strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets
Fighting with Iran
- Hezbollah (Lebanon) — Launched missiles and drones at Israel after the war began
(CNN)
Which countries are providing military support?
- United Kingdom — Permitted US to use British military bases for defensive purposes
- Portugal — Permitted US to use Lajes Field air base
- France — Sent aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean; one French soldier killed in Iraq by drone attack
(Axios)
Which countries were hit by Iranian retaliation?
Iranian retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeted US embassies and military installations in 8 countries:
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Iraq
- Oman
- Jordan
Other military mobilizations
- China — Deployed naval assets from its Djibouti base to the Strait of Hormuz region
- Multiple NATO allies — Various levels of logistical and intelligence support
Countries that condemned the conflict
A large coalition of nations has condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes, including: Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Syria, Somalia, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, and the UK. (Atlantic Council)
What does this mean for ordinary people?
The sheer number of countries involved explains why the economic impact is so widespread:
- Airspace closures across the entire Middle East affect flights globally
- Shipping disruptions in the Gulf affect 20% of the world’s oil
- Military spending diverts government budgets from domestic programs
- Refugee flows are already straining neighboring countries
- Diplomatic tensions are complicating trade relationships worldwide