From missiles to minerals: The strategic meaning behind the Iran strike

The death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes in late February 2026 marks one of the most consequential geopolitical moments of the decade. In the immediate aftermath, Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks across Israel and against U.S. and Gulf-linked infrastructure, while internet disruptions spread domestically and internal unrest intensified. Analysts, journalists and policymakers quickly filled the information space with competing interpretations ...