EMMA PIRHALA / MANAGING EDITOR

CADEN HAYNOR / NEWS EDITOR

Conflict in the Middle East is intensifying after joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began on Saturday, Feb. 28. Early Saturday morning, American and Israeli strikes hit Tehran, among other Iranian cities. One attack destroyed a government compound in Tehran, killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other high-ranking officials. In retaliation, Iran launched strikes against Israel, as well as American installments and allies in the Middle East. 

In a video posted to Truth Social on Feb. 28, President Trump outlined the objectives of the military operation, known as “Epic Fury.”

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump said. “We are going to annihilate their navy. We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their [improvised explosive devices] or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans.”

The   strikes  follow  “Operation Midnight Hammer” which the U.S. military conducted in June 2025. The operation aimed to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program. During the campaign, White House officials claimed that American bombers and fighter jets hit three nuclear plants — effectively diminishing the country’s nuclear capabilities.

Despite   the   ongoing    conflict, the U.S. has  not officially waged  war on  Iran.  According to the Constitution, a    declaration  of  war  requires congressional approval. As of March 3, Congress has not provided approval.

Trump’s actions have faced backlash from figures across the political spectrum. Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized Trump and the military intervention in Iran. 

“We said ‘No More Foreign Wars, No More Regime Change,’” Greene posted on X on Feb. 28. “We said it on rally stage after rally stage, speech after speech. Trump, Vance, basically the entire admin campaigned on it and promised to put America FIRST and Make America Great Again.”

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are attempting to rally Congressmembers to oppose the war. Senator Chuck Schumer spoke out on March 2 against the war. 

      “As        soon       as            our resolution comes to the    floor,  senators need to pick a side,” Schumer said. “Stand   with  Americans who don’t  want war, or stand with   Donald   Trump   as  he single-handedly starts another war.”

    A  strike  on a girls’ school in Southern  Iran  killed  at  least  153 people,   according  to  Iranian state media. It is currently unclear who is responsible for the strike. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classified the action as a violation of humanitarian law.

   The U.S. State Department issued urgent    “Depart  Now”  notices to  U.S.  citizens  in   14  Middle  Eastern countries due to severe safety risks. 

 On campus, students and faculty have discussed the eruption of violence. 

 USD senior Elle Kaveh, whose grandparents live in Iran, described her thoughts on the conflict.

    “I  think  that, for  the   people of Iran, this was really helpful for them because their human rights  were  all   at  stake and they were getting killed and tortured and imprisoned and executed just for doing things that we do every day,” Kaveh explained. “I don’t think war is good, but coming  from  that perspective, I think that taking out the leader could end up really well for the people of Iran, depending on what happens in the next few weeks. And for other countries too in terms of terrorism threats and all that going away. But it also could turn the wrong way.”

USD first-year Sofia Rubio explained her perspective on the missile attacks.

“I don’t understand why we are going to war,” Rubio said. “Why are we starting war to bring peace? It won’t get us anywhere.”

Domestically, the ongoing conflict is impacting daily life for San Diegans and Toreros. 

The   San   Diego  Union Tribune reported   that   the   Department of Defense’s  Northern Command informed the San Diego Navy and Marine bases to remain vigilant  for potential attacks on  U.S.  military  locations. 

The   U.S.S.  Abraham   Lincoln,  an    aircraft  carrier based out of San Diego, is involved in the  operation  against Iran. The vessel  holds thousands of  sailors and is acting as  an  airfield for Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)  denied claims from the Iranian military that missiles struck the ship.

“The Lincoln was not hit,” CENTCOM posted on X. “The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats  from the Iranian regime.”

On March 1, Naval Base Coronado released a statement on X notifying civilians to expect traffic delays around all entrance   gates  due  to increased base  security.  Coronado is home to one of the largest military complexes in the country, with three aircraft carriers, four Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) teams and multiple squadrons, which consist of warships, submarines or aircrafts   under  one  commander. 

Department of Public Safety Captain Quinton Kawahara explained how USD is responding to the violence in the Middle East.

“The safety  and   well-being of our students, faculty,  and staff  remain the  university’s   top   priority,”   Kawahara   stated. “Our  Public  Safety  Personnel  work closely with local  and  state officials in   situations   like   this,    and   although   San   Diego  and our  campus  are   home  to  a    large  military  community,  at   this  time, we are not aware of any  specific  threats that would impact our campus. As a  standard  practice, Public Safety continuously evaluates security protocols and adjusts staffing and patrol patterns as appropriate.”

On campus, the hostilities are impacting the operations of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs. March 4 was the 100th anniversary of Navy ROTC (NROTC), which was supposed to be celebrated by the six NROTC units in San Diego. Midshipmen were ordered to wear uniforms on the anniversary. However, The USD Vista  reviewed a message from  an NROTC captain that announced to the USD battalion that no uniforms will be worn on March 4. Their physical training will be done in civilian clothes as well.

Members of the NROTC program who did not wish to speak on the record because they were not given permission to speak to media explained that the change  in  uniform procedure could be related to reducing conflict between midshipmen and any potential agitators.

The Army ROTC battalion has not received a notice to not wear uniforms during the week as of The USD Vista’s production date of March 3.

Multiple American universities  have    increased their  presence   in  the Middle  East in recent years. Georgetown, New York University (NYU),  Northwestern, Texas A&M and other universities currently maintain a presence in the region. Students in NYU’s Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv campuses are currently sheltering in their dorms after Iranian missiles struck miles away from their campuses. As a result, classes were canceled and placed online indefinitely. No American students have been pronounced injured or dead as a result of the attacks. 

It is unclear how long the conflict will last. At a White House  Medal  of Honor ceremony honoring killed service members, President Trump explained the timeline for “Epic Fury.” 

“Whatever it takes,” Trump said at the ceremony on March 2. “Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that.”

In  the  Truth  Social  video    released on Feb. 28, Trump acknowledged that death is a possibility  for armed  forces members. 

“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties,” Trump explained. “That often happens in war… We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives.”

As of The  USD  Vista’s production date of  March 3,  American   death    tolls    have risen  to six casualties, while   Iran’s total is estimated to be over 780 deaths.  The world watches as war ensues and  death tolls rise.

Missile attacks destroyed multiple buildings in Tehran, Iran. Photo courtesy of @ap/X