In May 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. Throughout 2019, economic sanctions were imposed as part of President Trump’s “maximum pressure campaign,” further escalating tensions in the region.
JUNE 13, 2019
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
Jordan
Strait of
Hormuz
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Baghdad
Iran
Damascus
Jordan
Strait of
Hormuz
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Ankara
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Mosul
Tehran
Kirkuk
Syria
Iraq
Leb.
Qaim
Med.
Sea
Afghan.
Iran
Baghdad
Damascus
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Strait of
Hormuz
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Two oil tankers, one Japanese-owned and one Norwegian-owned, are attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil shipments. The United States blames Iran for the “blatant assault” on the vessels.
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20 MILES
Persian
Gulf
IRAN
Oman
Smoke from burning
Norwegian-owned tanker
united
arab
emirAtes
Gulf of Oman
—Oman
20 MILES
Persian
Gulf
IRAN
Oman
Smoke from burning
Norwegian-owned tanker
united
arab
emirAtes
Gulf of Oman
—Oman
20 MILES
Persian
Gulf
IRAN
Oman
Smoke from burning
Norwegian-owned tanker
united
arab
emirAtes
Gulf of Oman
—Oman
20 MILES
Persian
Gulf
IRAN
Oman
Smoke from
burning
Norwegian-owned
tanker
united
arab
emirAtes
Gulf of Oman
—Oman
JUNE 20
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps downs an American surveillance drone with a surface-to-air missile over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian and U.S. officials offer contradictory accounts of where it happened. In response, Trump orders a strike on Iranian sites but reverses his orders when told that 150 people could be killed. “We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die,” he tweets.
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Location
provided
by Iranian
military
IRAN
IRAN
OMAN
UAE
OMAN
Location
provided
by Pentagon
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
International
airspace
UAE
20 MILES
IRAN
Location
provided
by Iranian
military
IRAN
OMAN
UAE
OMAN
Location
provided
by Pentagon
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
International
airspace
UAE
20 MILES
SOVEREIGN TERRITORY
OF IRAN
IRAN
OMAN
Location
provided
by Iranian
military
UAE
OMAN
Location
provided
by Pentagon
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
International
airspace
UAE
20 MILES
SOVEREIGN TERRITORY
OF IRAN
IRAN
OMAN
Location
provided
by Iranian
military
UAE
OMAN
Location
provided
by Pentagon
UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
International
airspace
UAE
20 MILES
JULY 19
Iranian naval authorities capture a British-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that it had “violated maritime law.” The move comes after officials in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar seized an Iranian supertanker they said was suspected of transporting oil to Syria, a violation of European Union sanctions. Both ships are released months later.
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An Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat moves around a British-flagged oil tanker, seized in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. (Hasan Shirvani/Mizan News Agency/AP)
AUG. 21
Iraq
Jordan
Iran
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
Oman
YEMEN
300 MILES
Iraq
Jordan
Iran
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
OMAN
Sudan
YEMEN
300 MILES
An American military drone is shot down in Yemen, according to U.S. officials and Yemeni rebels. A military spokesman for the Iran-aligned rebels, known as the Houthis, claims they are responsible for bringing down the MQ-9 Reaper drone.
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SEPT. 14
Two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia are targeted in a drone and cruise missile attack, which the Yemeni rebels claim credit for. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper claims Iran was involved, which the country denies, and that it is clear the weapons used in the attack “were Iranian-produced and were not launched from Yemen.” Six days after the attack, Trump approves the deployment of additional U.S. troops and air defense assets to Saudi Arabia.
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TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Khurais
Qatar
U.A.E.
Riyadh
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Baghdad
Iran
Damascus
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Khurais
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Sept. 13
Sept. 14
SAUDI
ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Abqaiq:
Site of the
kingdom’s largest
oil processing
facility
Satellite
detections
of fire
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
100 MILES
Sept. 13
Sept. 14
SAUDI
ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Abqaiq:
Site of the
kingdom’s largest
oil processing
facility
Satellite
detections
of fire
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
100 MILES
Sept. 13
Sept. 14
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
SAUDI
ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Abqaiq:
Site of the
kingdom’s largest
oil processing
facility
Satellite
detections
of fire
100 MILES
Sept. 13
Sept. 14
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
SAUDI
ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Abqaiq:
Site of the
kingdom’s largest
oil processing
facility
Satellite
detections
of fire
100 MILES
Sept. 13
Sept. 14
Sept. 15
Sept. 16
SAUDI
ARABIA
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Abqaiq:
Site of the
kingdom’s
largest oil
processing
facility
Satellite
detections
of fire
100 MILES
DEC. 27
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Kirkuk
Tehran
Syria
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Kirkuk
Syria
Afghan.
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Baghdad
Iran
Damascus
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Ankara
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Mosul
Tehran
Kirkuk
Syria
Iraq
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Afghan.
Qaim
Iran
Baghdad
Damascus
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
A barrage of missile fire hits the joint U.S.-Iraqi K-1 base near Kirkuk, killing a U.S. defense contractor and wounding three American soldiers and two Iraqi federal police officers.
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[Who buys Saudi Arabia’s oil?]
DEC. 29
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
Qaim
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Baghdad
Iran
Qaim
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Ankara
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Mosul
Tehran
Kirkuk
Syria
Iraq
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Afghan.
Qaim
Iran
Baghdad
Damascus
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
The United States blames the attack that killed a defense contractor on Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia, and responds with airstrikes that kill 25 militia fighters.
Read more
DEC. 31
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Leb.
Baghdad
Med.
Sea
Iran
Damascus
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Supporters of Kataib Hezbollah storm the entrances of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, chanting “Death to America!” The demonstrators smashed their way into one of the reception areas and set it on fire.
Read more
Tigris
Zoo
Green Zone
Protesters gathered
here (shown below)
U.S. Embassy
compound
Chancery
building
State Department
apartments
0.5 MILES
State Department
apartments
U.S. Embassy
compound
Tigris
Zoo
Green Zone
Protesters gathered
here (shown below)
U.S. Embassy
compound
Chancery
building
State Department
apartments
0.5 MILES
State Department
apartments
U.S. Embassy compound
Tigris
Zoo
Green Zone
Protesters gathered
here (shown below)
U.S. Embassy
compound
Chancery
building
State Department
apartments
0.5 MILES
State Department
apartments
U.S. Embassy compound
Tigris
Zoo
Green Zone
Protesters gathered
here (shown below)
U.S. Embassy
compound
Chancery
building
State Department
apartments
0.5 MILES
State Department
apartments
U.S. Embassy compound
JAN. 3
A U.S. drone strike in Baghdad kills Qasem Soleimani, a powerful Iranian commander with close links to a network of armed groups backed by Iran across the Middle East. “Gen. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” Esper says in a statement. “This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.” But U.S. officials give differing and incomplete accounts of the intelligence they say prompted Trump to act.
Read more
5 MILES
Detail
below
Tigris
Baghdad
Green
Zone
U.S. Embassy
compound
Sadr City
1 MILE
Passenger
terminals
Baghdad
International
Airport
Site of drone strike
Main road to Baghdad
AIRPORT ST.
5 MILES
Detail
below
Tigris
Baghdad
Green
Zone
U.S. Embassy
compound
Sadr City
1 MILE
Passenger
terminals
Baghdad
International
Airport
Site of drone strike
AIRPORT ST.
Main road to Baghdad
Tigris
Sadr City
Baghdad
Green
Zone
Abu Ghraib
U.S. Embassy
compound
Detail
below
5 MILES
AIRPORT ST.
Main road to Baghdad
2mi
2mi
maps4news.com/©HERE
Passenger terminals
Baghdad
International
Airport
Site of drone strike
1 MILE
Tigris
Sadr City
Baghdad
Green
Zone
Abu Ghraib
U.S. Embassy
compound
Detail
below
5 MILES
AIRPORT ST.
Main road to Baghdad
2mi
2mi
maps4news.com/©HERE
Passenger terminals
Baghdad
International
Airport
Site of drone strike
1 MILE
JAN. 7
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Baghdad
Iran
al-Asad
air base
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Tehran
Syria
Iraq
Afghan.
Leb.
Med.
Sea
Baghdad
Iran
Damascus
al-Asad
air base
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Georg.
Uzb.
Ankara
Arm.
Azerb.
TurkmenISTAN
Turkey
Caspian
Sea
Irbil
Mosul
Tehran
Kirkuk
Syria
Iraq
Leb.
Qaim
Med.
Sea
Afghan.
Iran
Baghdad
Damascus
Israel
al-Assad
air base
Jordan
Kuwait
Saudi
Arabia
Abqaiq
Qatar
Riyadh
U.A.E.
300 MILES
Iranian forces launch more than a dozen ballistic missiles against two military bases housing U.S. military personnel in Iraq in response to the killing of Soleimani. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweets that Tehran “took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense,” adding that Tehran did “not seek escalation” but would defend itself against further aggression.
Read more
3 MILES
ANBAR
PROVINCE
AL-ASAD
AIR BASE
Area of
missile
strikes
Runway
Runway
Runway
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
1/4 MILE
Locations of impact
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
1/4 MILE
Location of
impact
3 MILES
ANBAR
PROVINCE
Weapons
storage area
AL-ASAD
AIR BASE
Area of
missile
strikes
Runway
Runway
Runway
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
1/4 MILE
Locations of impact
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
1/4 MILE
Location
of impact
Euphrates
ANBAR
PROVINCE
Weapons storage area
AL-ASAD
AIR BASE
Area of missile strikes
Runway
Runway
Runway
3 MILES
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
See below right
See below left
1/4 MILE
Location of
impact
Locations of impact
Euphrates
ANBAR
PROVINCE
AL-ASAD
AIR BASE
Weapons storage area
Area of missile strikes
Runway
Runway
Runway
3 MILES
Airstrike
locations
al-Asad air base
See below right
See below left
1/4 MILE
Location of
impact
Locations of impact
JAN. 8
Trump says the Iranian strike caused no American or Iraqi deaths, despite the claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that dozens of U.S. troops were killed. He announces that new sanctions on Iran would be imposed, without offering further details.
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President Trump delivers his statement about Iran on Wednesday, joined by Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, left, Vice President Pence and military leaders. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
