WASHINGTON (March 16, 2026) – Since February 28th, military operations and retaliatory strikes have unfolded across Iran as tensions escalated between Iran, the United States, and Israel. According to Armed Conflict and Location and Event Data (ACLED), nearly 2,000 events have occurred across at least 29 of Iran’s 31 provinces, since the start of the last escalation. Tehran, Iran’s capital, has endured the most activity.
So far, U.S. and Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s energy facilities, including oil depots in Tehran, and Kharg Island, a vital hub for oil exports. Iran’s retaliatory attacks have targeted several sites across Israel including oil refineries, U.S. military bases, airports and commercial shipping across the six Gulf states. Data from the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), shows that the U.S. has utilized more than 20 distinct weapons systems across air, sea, land, and missile defense forces.
Experts at George Washington University are available for further analysis on these developments. To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] payne
gwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Sina Azodi is the Director of the Middle East Studies (MES) and Assistant Professor of Middle East Politics, at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. Azodi is an expert in international relations of the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Policy, U.S.-Iranian Relations, Nuclear non-proliferation, Iran’s nuclear program and Iranian politics. Azodi can discuss the threats of rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
Alexander Downes is a professor of political science and international affairs, and co-director of the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies at GW. Downes's book Targeting Civilians in War was published by Cornell University Press in 2008 and won the Joseph Lepgold Prize awarded by Georgetown University for the best book in international relations published in that year. Downes has written on a variety of subjects in international security, including civilian victimization, foreign-imposed regime change, military effectiveness, democracy, coercion, alliances, and solutions to civil wars.
To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] paynegwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-