Full Story Chaos and uncertainty as Trump unleashes war on Iran
Mar 1, 2026
Julian Borger, senior international correspondent specializing in global security and geopolitics, provides sharp analysis. He explains why the strikes happened now. He explores who is shaping US and regional decisions. He assesses Iran's resilience after Khamenei's death and possible trajectories. He outlines regional fallout, risks to global shipping and trade, and the legal questions around the attacks.
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Targeted Strike Enabled By Intelligence And Israeli Influence
- The US strike capitalised on CIA intelligence about Khamenei's whereabouts to carry out a targeted killing.
- Julian Borger says Israeli access to that intelligence and convincing the US made the timing possible, killing Khamenei and senior aides.
Leader Death Won’t Instantly Topple Iran’s Regime
- Killing Khamenei is hugely significant but doesn't equal automatic regime change because Iran's system and succession plans are already activated.
- Borger notes posts were pre-assigned and the regime's survival depends on control in provinces and towns.
Libya Shows Airstrikes Can Yield Anarchy Not Stability
- Airstrikes alone rarely produce stable, Western-friendly regime change; Libya is the cautionary example.
- Borger warns Libya's NATO-backed collapse led to anarchy, which may be the outcome Trump and Netanyahu accept.