Informing U.S. engagement with the world

The U.S. Campaign in Iran Ignores the Lessons of the Iraq War
By Linda Robinson
![<p>Iranian flags hang next to a missile on display during the forty-seventh anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2026.</p>]()
![<p>A drone view of the aftermath of a U.S. strike on the Ras Isa fuel port, Al Jazirah, Yemen, April 18, 2025. </p>]()
Americans Are Skeptical About Operation Epic Fury
By James M. Lindsay
![<p>President Donald Trump announces that the United States has begun major combat operations in Iran, February 28, 2026.</p>]()
![Plumes of smoke rise over the residential areas of the Iranian capital following airstrikes amid ongoing U.S.–Israel attacks as multiple explosions are heard across the city in Tehran.]()
![An Iranian woman holding a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei walks under a large flag during the forty-seventh anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran on February 11, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters]()
Iran, Explained
The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, targeting nuclear facilities, military installations, and senior leadership—killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering Iranian retaliation across the region.
Use CFR’s timelines, explainers, and backgrounders to learn more about the country at the center of the attacks.
Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby
Watch Elbridge Colby, a senior Department of War official, speak at the Council on Foreign Relations on the U.S. National Defense Strategy under the Trump administration.
CFR President Michael Froman presides over the event.
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Artificial Intelligence
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The War in Ukraine
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