Iran
Israel
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
OmanKey figures
Who is fighting
United States, Israel and Gulf partners
- United States Armed Forces (CENTCOM; carrier strike groups Abraham Lincoln and Gerald R. Ford)
- Israel Defense Forces
- Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar (air defence and bases)
- Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council forces (Bab al-Mandab front)
- United Kingdom (bases; reported)
- Pakistan (8,000 troops deployed to Saudi Arabia for defence)
- Egypt (defensive support to Saudi Arabia; parliamentary vote pending)
Iran and the 'Axis of Resistance'
- Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh)
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (incl. Aerospace Force, Navy, Quds Force)
- Basij
- Houthis / Ansar Allah (Yemen)
- Hezbollah (Lebanon)
- Popular Mobilization Forces and Islamic Resistance in Iraq
- Russia (political support, reported intelligence sharing)
- China (political support; oil purchases)
Force sizes are estimates of personnel or fighters, usually from IISS, government statements or specialist reporting; irregular forces are especially hard to count. "(reported)" marks external support that the backer disputes or has not confirmed.
Background
Hostility between Iran and the United States dates to the 1979 revolution, and Iran and Israel have fought a shadow war for decades over Iran's nuclear programme and its 'Axis of Resistance' proxies. After the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal (US withdrawal 2018) and direct Iranian missile attacks on Israel in April and October 2024, Israel launched the Twelve-Day War on 13 June 2025, killing senior commanders and nuclear scientists; US B-2 bombers struck the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites on 21–22 June. HRANA documented 1,190 people killed in Iran (436 civilians, 435 military, 319 unclassified) and Iranian missiles killed 28 civilians and one soldier in Israel before a ceasefire on 24 June 2025.
In January 2026 Iranian security forces crushed nationwide protests (estimates of several thousand killed) while the US built up forces in the region. On 28 February 2026 US and Israeli strikes killed Ali Khamenei and dozens of officials; the Assembly of Experts chose his son Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader on 8 March, and Ali Larijani was killed on 17 March. Iran's 'True Promise IV' response fired some 650 missile attacks at Israel in 40 days (24 civilians killed, 7,000+ injured in that period), struck US bases (six US soldiers killed in Kuwait on 1 March) and Gulf infrastructure, and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz; Hezbollah reopened the Lebanon front on 2 March and the Houthis joined on 28 March. US and Israeli forces hit Kharg Island, South Pars, Natanz and thousands of military targets; a UN fact-finding panel later found 'reasonable grounds' that two US strikes on 28 February, including one on a school in Minab that killed more than 150 people, were war crimes. Up to 3.2 million Iranians were displaced from Tehran and other cities within two weeks (UNHCR).
Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire from 7–8 April; the Islamabad talks led by Vice President Vance (11–12 April) failed over Iran's nuclear programme and the US imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports on 13 April. Iran fired missiles at Israel again on 7 June, but on 17 June the two presidents signed the Islamabad Memorandum, a 60-day suspension that lifted the dual blockades. It collapsed on 7–8 July after Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels; CENTCOM struck 80 targets, the IRGC answered with 85 attacks and the blockade was reinstated. Washington paused strikes at the end of July and again in early August at the request of Gulf states, with Qatar and Pakistan mediating, but the memorandum expired in August and attacks resumed in early September alongside a Houthi offensive that captured the Bab al-Mandab coast. Trump rejected an Iranian seven-day Hormuz-reopening plan on 26 September and on 8 October said no strikes would resume before the US midterms; about 9,000 additional US troops began deploying on 1 October.
The toll is contested. Iran's Health Ministry reports 3,528 killed and 33,000 injured; HRANA 3,684 killed (1,721 civilians); the Kurdish rights group Hengaw 7,650; Israel and the US claim more than 6,000 Iranian military dead. The Pentagon revised US losses in October 2026 to 21 killed and 865 injured; Israel counts 72–73 dead (41 soldiers, mostly on the Lebanon front, and about 31 civilians) and 7,841 injured; Gulf states report about 70 dead. The US Defense Department put the war's cost at US$43.6 billion by September 2026, Iran claims US$270 billion in damage, oil has traded above US$100 a barrel and Hormuz traffic is a fraction of pre-war levels.
Recent developments
- 18 October 2026Vice President Vance says Iran must significantly reduce its uranium-enrichment capacity before the US will end the war; Iran says it will soon block 'illegal routes' through Hormuz, where daily traffic has fallen from about 125 ships to about 10; Brent crude is above US$100. source ↗
- 16 October 2026CENTCOM says the blockade has stopped US$25 billion of Iranian crude exports; Iran targeted at least 12 commercial ships between 11 and 16 October, and two container ships sank after missile strikes on 14 October. source ↗
- 17 October 2026Houthi missiles hit Aden's presidential palace area, killing five, as Houthi forces attack Saudi airports in Riyadh, Abha and Khamis Mushait and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces counterattack around Bab al-Mandab. source ↗
- 8 October 2026Trump says no strikes on Iran will resume before the US midterms on 3 November; the Pentagon revises US losses to 21 killed and 865 injured. source ↗
- 19 September 2026Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei says Iran conveyed three conditions via Qatar: an end to the war on all fronts, release of frozen assets and lifting of the naval blockade; the US House votes for a third time to end the war. source ↗
- 2 August 2026Trump says he called off planned strikes at the request of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iran; Tehran denies talks have resumed; the 60-day memorandum lapses in August. source ↗
- 8 July 2026Ceasefire collapses after Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in Hormuz; US strikes 80 targets and reinstates its blockade; oil rises above US$100 after a Houthi blockade of Saudi shipping. source ↗
Timeline
- 13 June 2025Israel launches the Twelve-Day War on Iran; the US bombs Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan on 21–22 June; ceasefire on 24 June 2025 after about 1,190 deaths in Iran and 29 in Israel.
- 28 February 2026US and Israel launch Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion; Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is killed. Iran retaliates against Israel, US bases and Gulf states and closes the Strait of Hormuz.
- 8 March 2026Assembly of Experts selects Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader; US strikes Kharg Island on 14 March; Ali Larijani killed on 17 March; UNHCR reports up to 3.2 million displaced in Iran.
- 28 March 2026Houthis enter the war with strikes on Israel; Hezbollah had reopened the Lebanon front on 2 March.
- 8 April 2026Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire begins; Islamabad talks led by Vice President Vance fail on 11–12 April and the US blockades Iranian ports from 13 April.
- 17 June 2026US and Iranian presidents sign the Islamabad Memorandum, a 60-day suspension of hostilities; CENTCOM lifts the blockade on 18 June.
- 8 July 2026Ceasefire collapses after Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels; CENTCOM strikes 80 targets, the IRGC mounts 85 counterattacks, three US personnel are killed in Jordan and the blockade is reinstated.
- 27 July 2026US halts new strikes at Iran's request and pauses again in early August after appeals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar; the memorandum expires in August.
- 5 September 2026US and Iran resume attacks in early September; the Houthis launch an offensive seizing the Bab al-Mandab area including Perim island and Mokha.
- 26 September 2026Trump rejects Iran's seven-day Strait of Hormuz reopening proposal; a UN fact-finding panel finds reasonable grounds that US strikes on 28 February were war crimes.
- 8 October 2026Trump says no strikes on Iran will resume before the 3 November midterm elections; ~9,000 additional US troops began deploying on 1 October.
Casualties and displacement in detail
| Measure | Low | High | What the figure covers · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total killed (cumulative) | 8,000 | 10,600 | Compiled range across all theatres (Iran, Israel, Gulf states, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen) from Wikipedia's casualties page, which notes figures 'have not been finalized/verified'. Iran alone: 3,528 (Health Ministry) to 7,650 (Hengaw). The Lebanon theatre (4,386 killed by 17 Sept) is listed separately in this tracker under Israel–Hezbollah; Yemen under Yemen. Excludes the June 2025 Twelve-Day War (about 1,190 killed in Iran, 29 in Israel). en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Combatants killed | 2,412 | 9,288 | Iranian military: 1,221–1,249 (HRANA, which says military deaths are under-reported) to 6,000+ (IDF/US claims) or 6,620 (Hengaw). US: 21 service members plus contractors (Pentagon, Oct 2026) to 26 (independent estimates). Israel: 41 soldiers. Hezbollah: 1,000+ to 2,500. Iraqi PMF/IRI: 101+. Gulf militaries: about 8. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Civilians killed | 1,800 | 3,500 | Iran: 1,701–1,721 civilians (HRANA) to 3,375+ (WHO/OCHA, which counts most deaths as civilian); Israel: about 31 (24 killed by Iranian missiles to 8 April plus later deaths and 5 by Hezbollah); Gulf states: Saudi Arabia 24–26, UAE 13, Oman 14, Kuwait 8, Bahrain 2, Qatar 1. Lebanese civilians excluded (see Israel–Hezbollah entry). UNICEF counted 300 children killed in Iran by 12 March. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Wounded | 42,700 | 54,805 | Low = Iran 33,000 (Health Ministry) + Israel 7,841 + US 865 + Gulf states ~1,000; high = compiled all-theatre figure including Lebanon (12,407) and Yemen. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Deaths in the last 12 months | 8,000 | 10,600 | The war began on 28 Feb 2026, so the all-theatre compiled total equals the last-12-months figure; no UCDP/ACLED annual figure yet exists. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Internally displaced | – | 3,200,000 | UNHCR (12 March 2026): up to 3.2 million people temporarily displaced inside Iran, based on government estimates of 600,000–1,000,000 households leaving Tehran and other cities; many have since returned and no updated figure was found. Lebanon's displacement is listed under Israel–Hezbollah. unhcr.ca ↗ |
| Refugees abroad | 60,600 | – | UNHCR one-month report (late March 2026): over 60,600 Iranians had crossed into neighbouring countries; more than 70,000 Afghan refugees left Iran for Afghanistan in the first two weeks of March, often under duress. unhcr.org ↗ |
Intensity classification: Iran theatre: 3,528 killed (Iranian Health Ministry) to 7,650 (Hengaw) since 28 February 2026; HRANA 3,684. Across all theatres including Lebanon, the Gulf, Iraq and Yemen, compiled estimates give roughly 8,000–10,600 killed. Hostilities resumed on 8 July 2026 after a two-month ceasefire and continue at lower intensity..
Countries affected
Frequently asked questions
Who is fighting in the Iran war (United States and Israel vs Iran and allied groups)?
United States, Israel and Gulf partners (United States Armed Forces (CENTCOM; carrier strike groups Abraham Lincoln and Gerald R. Ford), Israel Defense Forces, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar (air defence and bases), Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council forces (Bab al-Mandab front)), supported by United Kingdom (bases; reported), Pakistan (8,000 troops deployed to Saudi Arabia for defence), Egypt (defensive support to Saudi Arabia; parliamentary vote pending); against Iran and the 'Axis of Resistance' (Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh), Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (incl. Aerospace Force, Navy, Quds Force), Basij, Houthis / Ansar Allah (Yemen), …), supported by Russia (political support, reported intelligence sharing), China (political support; oil purchases).
How many people have been killed?
Estimates range from 8,000–10,600 killed as of 16 October 2026. Compiled range across all theatres (Iran, Israel, Gulf states, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen) from Wikipedia's casualties page, which notes figures 'have not been finalized/verified'. Iran alone: 3,528 (Health Ministry) to 7,650 (Hengaw). The Lebanon theatre (4,386 killed by 17 Sept) is listed separately in this tracker under Israel–Hezbollah; Yemen under Yemen. Excludes the June 2025 Twelve-Day War (about 1,190 killed in Iran, 29 in Israel). Civilian deaths are put at 1,800–3,500. Figures come from the sources listed on this page and differ in method; see the caveats above.
Is the Iran war (United States and Israel vs Iran and allied groups) still ongoing in 2026?
Status as of 19 October 2026: Active fighting — On 28 February 2026 the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran (Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion), killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and striking nuclear, military and energy sites; Iran retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel, US bases and Gulf states, closed the Strait of Hormuz and activated the Houthis, Hezbollah and Iraqi militias. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire (8 April) and the Islamabad Memorandum (17 June) collapsed on 8 July after Iranian attacks on shipping. As of October 2026 there is no ceasefire: a US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues, Iran attacks merchant ships in the Gulf, Houthi forces have seized the Bab al-Mandab area and are striking Saudi Arabia, and Washington has paused new strikes on Iran until after the 3 November US midterm elections while demanding deep cuts to uranium enrichment.
When did it start?
The current phase began on 28 February 2026, but the underlying conflict dates back to 1979 — 7 months ago.
Sources
- CFR Global Conflict Tracker — Conflict with Iran cfr.org
- Congressional Research Service — U.S. Conflict with Iran (R48887) congress.gov
- House of Commons Library — Israel/US–Iran conflict 2026 commonslibrary.parliament.uk
- Wikipedia — 2026 Iran war en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia — Casualties of the 2026 Iran war (index of HRANA, WHO, ministry and military figures) en.wikipedia.org
- UNHCR — Middle East emergency one-month impact report (March 2026) unhcr.org
- Wikipedia — Casualties of the Twelve-Day War (June 2025) en.wikipedia.org
- Just Security — Iran, Israel and the United States at War collection justsecurity.org
More conflicts
Israel–Hamas war (Gaza) and West Bank violence
Israel–Hezbollah conflict (Lebanon)
Syria post-Assad conflicts (transitional government vs Druze militias and ISIS remnants; Israeli strikes)
Yemen civil war (Houthis vs government and Saudi-led coalition)
Iraq: ISIS remnants and Iran-aligned militia conflict
Turkey-PKK conflict (Kurdistan Workers' Party insurgency)Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Iran war — Casualties, Forces & Timeline (2026). Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/conflicts/iran-israel-united-states-war/<a href="https://glostats.com/conflicts/iran-israel-united-states-war/">Iran war — Casualties, Forces & Timeline (2026)</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
This page summarises publicly available reporting and does not take sides. Casualty and force figures are estimates compiled on 19 October 2026; see each figure's source for its method and date. Page generated 2026-10-20. How this tracker works.