5 Crucial Moments in the Iran War: From Khamenei's Death to Ceasefire
The war between the United States (US)-Israel and Iran has finally entered a ceasefire phase after a prolonged conflict that not only exhausted both nations but also shook the world through surges in energy prices, shipping disruptions, and global economic uncertainty.
Over more than a month of warfare, several key moments marked how the conflict progressed from open military strikes to a diplomatic pause.
Here are some crucial events since the US-Israel war against Iran erupted on 28 February 2026.
- The Death of Ali Khamenei, Followed by Mojtaba Khamenei’s Ascension
The most shocking moment at the start of the war occurred when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026. In that attack, Ali Khamenei was killed, and Iranian state media announced his death early on Sunday, 1 March 2026. The strikes also killed several top Iranian military officials and immediately shook the country’s command centre.
Iran then moved quickly to fill the leadership vacuum. The Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s son, as the new Supreme Leader, and Reuters reported that the decision was announced on Sunday, 8 March 2026, after a contentious process strongly pushed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
This event was highly significant because the first-day strikes of the war not only opened a major military conflict but also directly altered Iran’s leadership landscape. The regime did not collapse but instead produced a new leader seen as remaining on a hardline path.
- Iran Closes the Strait of Hormuz, Civilian Ships Become Casualties
The next crucial moment occurred when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following the initial US and Israel strikes.
This move immediately rocked markets, as the strait is a vital route for global energy trade. Around one-fifth of the world’s oil trade passes through it, so disruptions there directly triggered major concerns.
Iran’s pressure then intensified. In the following week, senior Revolutionary Guard officials confirmed that Hormuz had been closed and that ships passing without permission could be attacked.
Iran also stated that only ships deemed non-hostile and coordinated with Iranian authorities would be allowed through.
The threat proved real. Several civilian ships truly became casualties, including:
The Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD VYOM was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman. One crew member was killed.
The Gibraltar-flagged bunker tanker Hercules Star was struck by a projectile near Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
The Malta-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was damaged after being hit by a projectile in the upper Strait of Hormuz. The attack caused a fire in the engine room and forced the crew to abandon ship.
The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire and crew evacuation.
The ships One Majesty, Star Gwyneth, Safesea Vishnu, and Zefyros were also reported to have been hit.
This series of attacks showed that the Hormuz closure not only threatened global oil trade but also civilian shipping safety. From that point, the US-Iran war was no longer just a military conflict but transformed into a crisis shaking the global energy and transportation supply chain.
- Oil Prices Surge, Briefly Reaching US$119 per Barrel
The next crucial moment was evident in the surge of global oil prices after the war broke out. According to Refinitiv data, Brent crude was around US$72 per barrel on Friday (27/2/2026), or before the US-Israel strikes on Iran began.
However, on the first trading day after the war erupted, Brent crude closed up 7.26% at US$77.74 per barrel. This rise showed that markets immediately recognised the conflict as more than an ordinary war, but one risking disruption to global energy supplies.
After that, the pressure continued. Brent prices kept climbing, briefly touching US$119 per barrel intraday on 9 March 2026.
Compared to pre-war levels, this meant Brent had surged around 65.3%. This spike confirmed that markets viewed the US-Iran war as a serious threat to global oil supply stability, especially given the conflict’s proximity to the Strait of Hormuz.
However, now, with the ceasefire announcement by Trump, Brent crude prices have fallen and are currently below US$100 per barrel.
- F-15 Crashes in Iran, US Rescue Mission Turns Bloody
On 3 April 2026, a US F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down in Iran. One crew member was found first, while the other went missing for a time, triggering a massive search operation.
In that operation, two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by gunfire, and Iran also claimed to have destroyed several other US air assets.
Reuters reported that the second crew member was finally rescued on 5 April 2026, but the rescue operation demonstrated that even evacuation missions could turn into major battles, adding to US losses.
- Trump Threatens Iran, But It Leads to Ceasefire Instead
Trump first threatened Iran via Truth Social on Sunday (5/4/2026). In the post, he issued an ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by no later than Tuesday (7/4/2026) at 8 pm Eastern US time. If not, Iran was said to face major strikes on power infrastructure to bridges.
However, what happened was the opposite. Just around 90 minutes to two hours before the deadline, Trump instead announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. From threats of major strikes that sounded final, the direction of US policy suddenly shifted to a diplomatic pause.