U.S. and Israel attack Iran; the 2026 Iran war begins

AP's timeline marks Feb. 28 as the point when the United States and Israel attacked Iran and the war began, setting up the ceasefire and escalation cycle now visible on the board.

Why this matters. This is the beginning of the current ordeal, not just background. It explains why U.S. posture, Iran's retaliation language, and energy-market disruption are inseparable from Israel's Lebanon campaign.