INSIDE THE LION’S FURY: THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) and the components of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) deployed within its Area of Responsibility launched a large-scale coordinated military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran, marking the opening of a massive air campaign and long-range targeting effort. The campaign, the result of long-term planning conducted in close coordination between the two military establishments, was structured around two distinct but convergent initiatives: Operation Roaring Lion, conducted by the IAF, and Operation Epic Fury, coordinated by USCENTCOM. Although formally separate, the two operations formed a strategically unified whole, the product of tactical and doctrinal synchronization that established their operational complementarity at every stage of execution. From the outset, the two operations were also characterized by a strong multi-domain dimension, revealing unprecedented complexity both logistically and conceptually. The close integration between USCENTCOM and the IAF outlined a new paradigm of power projection, based on the construction of a common and fully interoperable operational environment.

This Focus Report examines the main operational dynamics and strategic implications of the conflict, with particular attention to the lessons learned and the concrete evolution of modern multi-domain warfare, as well as its impact on regional balances and the broader Middle Eastern security landscape.