US-Iran war, then and now: How the landscape has changed since February

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the balance between Washington and Tehran has shifted sharply since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began the war in late February. The article says the conflict, which was not yet focused on the Strait of Hormuz at the time, has since spread across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, the Gulf’s shipping lanes, energy infrastructure and renewed fighting in Yemen. Analysts quoted by the outlet say the waterways and oil-and-gas facilities have become central to the confrontation, creating wider risks for global trade and energy supplies.

The report says Iran has used its position near the Strait of Hormuz to threaten and disrupt shipping, while the US has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports. It also notes that attacks linked to the broader regional war have affected Lebanon, where Israel has targeted areas it views as Hezbollah positions, and Yemen, where Houthi activity has added pressure around the Bab al-Mandeb trade route. Al Jazeera says these developments mean the war now extends beyond the original exchanges between the US and Iran.

Politically, the article says both governments face different pressures than they did in February. In Iran, hardliners have gained strength after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while public anger has not translated into open protests during wartime. In the US, President Donald Trump faces declining approval and criticism over fuel prices and the war’s cost. Al Jazeera says the economic burden has grown on both sides, with Iran hit by sanctions, losses and a contracting economy, and the US defense bill for the conflict rising into the tens of billions of dollars.