Dr Rob Johnson , Director of the Oxford Strategy, Statecraft, and Technology (Changing Character of War) Centre and Senior Research Fellow of Pembroke College , University of Oxford, analyses the strategic implications of the US–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, assessing the risks of regional escalation alongside the potential for longer-term shifts in Gulf security and global energy stability. Dr Robert Johnson The US‑Israeli airstrikes, which commenced on 28 February 2026, targeted Iranian