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US-Iran tensions escalate after Trump-ordered attack

Is war with Iran more likely than ever?

Contributors: Vox Staff

A Trump-ordered US airstrike in Iraq has killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s paramilitary forces, in what represents a major escalation in Washington’s conflict with Tehran. The blowback may be huge, and much depends on how well prepared the United States is for Iran’s response and that of its many proxies in the Middle East.

The attack is the latest flashpoint in a string of events this year pushing tensions between the two countries to new heights. The Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions has seen Iran respond with violent provocations — from attacking tankers in the Persian Gulf to striking Saudi oil facilities. But the surprising and aggressive move by the Trump administration has many asking whether the US is now destined for war with Iran, and what the shape of that conflict might look like.

87 Total Updates Since
Jul 17, 2017, 3:10pm EDT
  • March 13, 2020

    The US retaliatory strikes on an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, briefly explained

    By Alex Ward

    The US has set a red line: kill an American, be met with force.

  • March 5, 2020

    What Iran stockpiling uranium for a nuclear bomb is really about 

    By Alex Ward

    It’s scary, but nowhere near as scary as it could be.

  • February 13, 2020

    The Senate just voted to check Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran 

    By Li Zhou

    Eight Republicans joined with Democrats to send the president a message.

  • January 24, 2020

    Trump said no US troops were hurt in the Iran strike. The number is now up to 34.

    By Alex Ward

    First, it was "no casualties." Then, 11 military members injured. Now? It’s 34.

  • January 23, 2020

    Top US Iran envoy: We will kill Soleimani’s successor if another American is murdered

    By Alex Ward

    Brian Hook says the new Quds Force leader could "meet the same fate."

  • January 22, 2020

    Trump downplays US troop injuries from Iran’s attack, calling them “not very serious”

    By Alex Ward

    Trump’s remarks struck many as callous. But he may have had a reason for making them.

  • January 17, 2020

    11 US troops were injured in Iran’s attack. It shows how close we came to war.

    By Alex Ward

    "The more that comes out, the more it looks like we got incredibly lucky in avoiding a war," an expert told Vox.

  • January 16, 2020

    How thousands of Iranians went from mourning a general to protesting the regime, in a week

    By Jen Kirby

    "The positions are not mutually exclusive."

  • January 16, 2020

    Iran says it’s now enriching uranium at levels higher than before nuclear deal

    By Alex Ward

    The announcement is mainly a message to Western Europeans, an Iranian audience, and maybe Trump.

  • January 14, 2020

    Iran makes plane crash arrests, but continues to blame the US for the disaster

    By Sean Collins

    Iranian President Hassan Rouhani: "It was the US that caused such an incident to take place."

  • January 13, 2020

    Iran arrested the UK ambassador for attending a vigil for crash victims

    By Jen Kirby

    He was released, but the UK still wants answers.

  • January 13, 2020

    Trump has apparently wanted to kill Soleimani for quite a while — since as far back as 2017

    By Alex Ward

    Two new reports show Trump’s "imminent" attack claim may not be the whole story.

  • January 13, 2020

    9 questions about the US-Iran crisis you were too embarrassed to ask

    By Alex Ward and Zack Beauchamp

    Why did the US kill Qassem Soleimani? Why do the US and Iran hate each other?

  • January 12, 2020

    The Trump administration is still struggling to get its story straight on why it killed Soleimani

    By Katelyn Burns

    Trump said Soleimani was planning attacks on "four US embassies," but Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he "didn’t see" intelligence about such strikes.

  • January 12, 2020

    Trump demands Iran allow new anti-government protests to continue

    By Katelyn Burns

    Protesters lashed out at the Iranian government following its admission it accidentally shot down a passenger plane.

  • January 11, 2020

    The administration’s deceptions about the Soleimani strike are a big deal

    By Matthew Yglesias

    Lies about wars lead to more wars.

  • January 10, 2020

    Trump’s team insists Soleimani was an “imminent” threat. Just don’t ask for details.

    By Alex Ward

    "They really need to get their story straight," an expert said.

  • January 10, 2020

    Did impeachment weigh on Trump’s Soleimani decision? Maybe.

    By Alex Ward

    Trump reportedly spoke to associates about feeling pressure from Republican lawmakers ahead of his Senate impeachment trial.

  • January 10, 2020

    The US killed Soleimani. What will Iran do next?

    By Alex Ward

    Militia attacks? Cyberattacks? An attack on a high-level US official? Maybe.

  • January 9, 2020

    The House sent a major message about checking the president’s war powers on Iran

    By Li Zhou

    Democrats overwhelmingly want Trump to obtain congressional approval before further military action.

  • January 9, 2020

    Evidence is mounting that Iran accidentally shot down the Ukraine flight

    By Alex Ward

    If true, this significantly raises the death toll in the US-Iran conflict.

  • January 9, 2020

    What young Iranians think about the latest US-Iran conflict

    By Jen Kirby

    "This regime is the worst, but Donald Trump is the worst."

  • January 8, 2020

    “Probably the worst briefing I’ve seen”: Inside the disastrous congressional Iran meeting

    By Alex Ward

    At one point, the CIA director told lawmakers to read an intelligence report instead of just briefing them.

  • January 8, 2020

    The case for killing Qassem Soleimani

    By Alex Ward

    Why Trump’s decision to target the Iranian military commander was the right call, explained by an expert.

  • January 8, 2020

    The case against killing Qassem Soleimani

    By Sean Illing

    Why Trump’s decision to target the Iranian military commander was a mistake, explained by an expert.