The United States and Israel launched a unilateral war on Iran last week, and it upended the global economy in an unprecedented manner. US President Donald Trump called it a large operation to destroy Iran's military capabilities and stop its nuclear ambitions.
The strikes, which began on Feb. 28, resulted in the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
These developments pushed the US‑Iran conflict to the top of Google Trends since last week, with searches spiking around the start of the war, Iran's supreme leader's death, and Tehran's counterattacks on Gulf states. In just a week, the conflict has spiralled even beyond, involving countries like Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.
Here's A Timeline Of How US-Iran War Escalated
Feb. 28: On Saturday, Israel launched attacks on Iran, with one of the first strikes near Khamenei's offices. Initially, Iranian officials said Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were alive, but Trump later announced that the Ayatollah had died. This unprecedented development shocked global geopolitical circles and triggered a surge in Google searches about the circumstances surrounding Khamenei's death.
Later on Saturday, Iran launched strikes targeting Israel and US bases in the region, leading to further spiralling of the conflict. As a result, explosions were reported in Kuwait and Qatar. Iraq, the UAE, Israel, and Jordan closed their airspace.
March 1: The UK granted the US permission to use RAF bases in Cyprus for limited defensive purposes amid rising tensions with Iran. Two Iranian missiles targeted the region, and a drone struck RAF Akrotiri.
March 2: The war widened as Iran fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, including the US embassy in Kuwait. US and Israeli airstrikes hit back at Iran, killing over 500 people. Blasts were also reported in Jerusalem, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. This prompted massive Google search trends around the situation in the Gulf nations, which are otherwise known for their luxurious lifestyle and safe environment.
On March 3: the Middle East conflict further intensified. Iranian attacks hit the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. On the same day, President Trump warned that the worst is yet to come, and oil prices surged globally. This resulted in massive search trends about a potential oil price surge in the coming weeks. The same day, Iran struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, triggering search trends about the incident.
On March 4: The war spread beyond the Middle East after a ballistic missile entered Turkey's airspace. Iran denied launching it, while US-Israeli strikes continued on Tehran and Lebanon. A US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 people. This marked an unseen development in global geopolitics as it was the first such action by a US submarine since World War Two.
March 5: On Thursday, Azerbaijan was drawn into the conflict after Iran fired drones into its territory. Two drones landed near an airport and school, triggering massive civil unrest. In Iran, at least 1,230 people have been reported dead since the conflict, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
On March 6: Israel intensified airstrikes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah in Beirut's southern suburbs. The Lebanese health ministry reported 123 deaths and 683 injuries from Israeli attacks this week.
Also Read: Cost Of Iran War: US Bearing Cost Of $900 Million A Day, Study Estimates
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
