The United States and Israel are now at war with Iran, this direct conflict has grown out of decades of simmering hostility but is now erupting, reshaping the Middle East and rattling the global economy.
The current fighting began Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran. Since then, Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel, U.S. positions and targets around the Gulf, while the conflict has spread into Lebanon and Iraq. Reuters reports that more than 2,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in Iran and Lebanon as the war enters its third week.
For Israel, the stated goal is to weaken what it sees as the central threat posed by Iran: its missile arsenal, military leadership and regional network of allied militias. Israeli leaders have long argued that Iran’s reach, through Hezbollah in Lebanon and other proxy forces, makes it the most dangerous strategic adversary Israel faces.
For the United States, the war is being framed by the Trump administration as both a defense of Israel and a broader effort to counter Iran’s military power and secure stability in the Gulf. But the conflict has also exposed American troops, diplomats and regional partners to retaliation, while drawing the U.S. deeper into another major Middle East war. President Trump is now pressing allies to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, though few have made firm commitments so far.
Iran says it is the victim of an unprovoked assault and insists it is defending its sovereignty. Tehran has rejected ceasefire efforts on terms set by Washington, while signaling it believes it can outlast its enemies.
The stakes of this war are enormous. The most immediate global concern is energy. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has already driven a sharp spike in oil prices, triggered an emergency release of more than 400 million barrels from strategic reserves and raised fears of a prolonged supply shock.
There is also the risk of a wider regional war. Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Iraq are already involved, and AP reports that Gulf states remain on edge as missile and drone attacks continue.
FRONTLINE has produced and is streaming an updated presentation of Remaking the Middle East. From award-winning FRONTLINE filmmakers James Jacoby and Anya Bourg.
The deeply reported two-hour documentary traces the road to war with Iran, and the Israeli and U.S. roles. “Remaking the Middle East” examines Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long campaign to defeat Iran, his relations with the U.S. over peace and the regime’s nuclear ambitions.
The documentary originally premiered in July 2025. This updated version includes timely new interviews, exploring what led to the current war.
"Remaking the Middle East: The U.S., Israel & Iran" premiered March 10, 2026, on PBS and online. Watch the documentary in full anytime at pbs.org/frontline, in the PBS App, on YouTube and on PBS Documentaries on Prime.
Guest:
James Jacoby is an award-winning director, producer and correspondent for FRONTLINE. His films have investigated a range of topics from police reform in urban America to the lives of former prisoners at Guantanamo to the rollback of environmental protections.
Jacoby’s recent films have focused on the Middle East. In the summer of 2025, “Remaking the Middle East” debuted one month after the US joined Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran and its nuclear program. The two-hour film examined the decades-long conflict between Israel, Iran and its regional proxies – Hamas and Hezbollah – and told the inside story of how successive US Presidents have tried to manage the conflict and contain Iran’s nuclear program.
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This interview will be recorded live Monday, March 16, 2026, at 12:30.
