BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 days after the conflict between the United States and Iran erupted on Feb. 28, the two countries have reached a peace memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The conflict, which also involved Israel, Hezbollah and other regional actors, triggered one of the most serious crises in the Middle East in years. Key flashpoints included Iran's nuclear program, attacks on nuclear and energy facilities, and the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments.
The following is a timeline of the conflict:
Feb. 28:
--- The United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.
-- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched retaliatory attacks, firing missiles and drones at U.S. military bases in the Middle East and targets in Israel.
March 1:
-- Iran confirmed Khamenei's death and declared national mourning. As one of the longest-serving leaders in the Middle East, his death marked a major turning point for Iran and the broader region.
March 2:
-- Iranian media reported that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz and would target vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway.
-- Lebanon's Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei, prompting Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.
March 3:
-- The Israeli army officially declared a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, with the aim of establishing a "security zone."
March 8:
-- Iran's Assembly of Experts announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, was selected as Iran's new supreme leader.
March 13:
-- U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military carried out bombing raids against military targets on Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil export hub.
March 18:
-- Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the death of its secretary, Ali Larijani. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also confirmed that Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in a recent attack.
March 21:
-- Trump threatened to hit Iran's energy infrastructure unless Tehran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. He then twice postponed the attacks, first by five days and then by ten days, on March 23 and 26, respectively.
-- The United States and Israel attacked Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility, while Iranian missiles struck targets in southern Israel.
April 3:
Iranian forces shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle over southwestern Iran, triggering a large-scale U.S. combat search-and-rescue operation involving special forces and aircraft. One crew member was rescued quickly, while the second was recovered after an extended search, with additional U.S. aircraft lost during the operation.
April 8:
-- Iran and the United States agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said the arrangement did not include Lebanon, where hostilities continued.
Israel launched its heaviest bombardment of Lebanon since the start of the war, with more than 100 airstrikes targeting Hezbollah in just 10 minutes.
April 11:
-- Senior U.S. and Iranian officials held talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. The U.S. negotiating team was led by Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian team by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Despite three rounds of intensive talks, the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
April 12:
-- Trump said that the U.S. Navy would start to blockade ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz, and it would "eliminate" any Iranian ship if it comes close to the Strait.
April 16:
-- Lebanon and Israel reached a 10-day ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The deal marked the first pause in more than a month of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that had killed over 2,000 people.
April 23:
-- Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to destroy any Iranian boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
May 3:
-- The United States launched "Project Freedom" to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was later suspended by Trump, citing progress in negotiations with Iran.
May 15:
-- Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire by 45 days.
June 3:
Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire. The two sides also agreed to advance the creation of "pilot zones" in Lebanon where Hezbollah will be excluded.
June 7:
-- Israel launched airstrikes on the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon's capital. Iran responded by firing multiple waves of missiles at Israeli targets.
June 11:
-- Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced the full closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
-- Iran launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, in retaliation for the U.S. attacks.
June 14:
-- Pakistan announced that the United States and Iran had reached a peace agreement following intensive negotiations, with both sides later confirming the deal.
-- Iran said it would enter a 60-day negotiation period with the United States on its nuclear program and sanctions relief, contingent on Washington fulfilling its initial commitments.
June 18:
-- A 60-day countdown toward a permanent agreement to end the war between the United States and Iran begun after the signing of the MoU, said the White House. ■
