The war began on Feb. 28, 2026, when U.S. forces, alongside Israel, carried out large-scale strikes on Iranian targets in cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah following weeks of failed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran responded with retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and neighbouring countries, widening the conflict beyond its borders and drawing multiple states into the confrontation.

Iran’s counterattacks have hit several countries hosting U.S. military assets or aligned with Washington.

In Bahrain, a missile and drone barrage targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and nearby infrastructure , killing at least one civilian and injuring two others, according to reports of the incident.

Qatar has also been struck during the conflict. Missile debris injured 16 civilians in Doha after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on targets linked to the U.S. military presence in the country.

Meanwhile, in Kuwait, Iranian strikes targeting U.S. and allied assets killed six people and wounded at least 18 others, with dozens of missiles and drones intercepted by regional defence systems.

The confrontation has also intensified hostilities involving Iran’s regional allies and rivals. Israel has reported deaths and hundreds of injuries from missile strikes and drone attacks linked to Iran or Iran-aligned forces, while clashes involving Iranian-backed militias have affected countries including Syria, Iraq and Jordan.

Analysts say the conflict illustrates how quickly tensions between Washington and Tehran can spill across borders, drawing in neighbouring states and threatening key energy and trade routes.

The escalation followed the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war, with aircraft carriers, fighter jets and missile defence systems deployed to the region in the weeks leading up to the strikes.

U.S. officials said the operation aimed to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and halt its nuclear ambitions, while critics warned the move could ignite a wider regional war.

To prevent stolen notes from entering circulation, the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) invalidated banknotes from the affected “Series B” batch and later published the serial number ranges linked to the crash. The BCB also set up an online serial-number verifier so the public can confirm whether a Bs10, Bs20 or Bs50 note has been invalidated.

The response, however, has also fuelled disruption in daily trade . Reports say some businesses and transport operators have refused to accept even legitimate “Series B” notes, forcing many Bolivians to queue at banks and the central bank to check and exchange cash.

Central bank chief David Espinoza has urged the public to cooperate and accept legal tender, warning that the crash-linked bills were identifiable and unauthorised. “The banknotes are not authorised for circulation… Anyone who holds these banknotes is committing a crime and must return them to financial institutions,” he said.

Investigators are still examining what caused the crash. The pilot told investigators the runway was icy and the brakes failed after landing, according to his lawyer.

While troop levels fluctuate depending on operational needs, Pentagon briefings and Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports confirm that the United States maintains a substantial and strategically positioned presence across the Gulf and Levant.

According to U.S. Department of Defence data, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia host some of the largest concentrations of American personnel in the region.

Kuwait has historically served as a logistics and staging hub for operations in Iraq and Syria. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, U.S. troop levels there surged, and while numbers have fluctuated, thousands remain stationed at bases such as Camp Arifjan.

Saudi Arabia also hosts significant U.S. forces, particularly since Washington redeployed troops there in 2019 after heightened tensions with Iran . Reuters reported at the time that the move aimed to strengthen regional deterrence.

Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. The base serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command’s air operations. According to the Pentagon and reporting by Reuters , Al Udeid plays a central role in air operations spanning Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan during the height of those conflicts.

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. The naval presence underpins maritime security operations across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Arabian Sea. The U.S. Navy states that the Fifth Fleet oversees operations covering roughly 2.5 million square miles of water.

Despite the formal end of major combat operations in Iraq in 2011 and the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, U.S. forces remain in Iraq and Syria under a mission focused on preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State.

Pentagon statements and Reuters reporting confirm that approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq in an advisory and counterterrorism role. In Syria, around 900 to 2,000 personnel are reported to be operating in support of local partner forces in the northeast.

These deployments have occasionally drawn scrutiny following attacks by Iran-aligned militias, prompting periodic U.S. retaliatory airstrikes, according to Reuters coverage.

Jordan hosts several thousand U.S. troops at facilities used for training, logistics and regional response operations. The United Arab Emirates also hosts U.S. forces at Al Dhafra Air Base, supporting air operations and missile defence coordination.

The U.S. military presence in the Middle East is rooted in decades of security agreements, counterterrorism operations and energy security concerns. The Congressional Research Service notes that U.S. basing arrangements are designed to provide rapid response capability, reassure allies and deter regional adversaries.

According to figures from Programs and discussions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, there are now 10,867 active data centres worldwide. The United States alone accounts for roughly 4,030 facilities, approximately 37% of the global total.

Major hubs such as Northern Virginia, Texas and California continue to attract hyperscale investment from leading cloud and AI providers in the U.S.

America’s dominance is a combination of capital access, strong fibre connectivity, reliable power infrastructure and the presence of the world’s largest technology companies like Google, Meta and Amazon.

The United Kingdom (511) and Germany (479) rank second and third globally, followed by France (343). Europe’s data centre expansion is increasingly influenced by environmental regulations and energy efficiency requirements, particularly under EU sustainability frameworks.

The Netherlands (186), Italy (207) and Spain (192) also remain important connectivity hubs within the region.

China operates 368 data centres, placing it fourth globally. Notably, the country is home to the largest single data centre in the world , located in Hohhot, spanning approximately 10.7 million square feet, according to infrastructure reports referenced by GBC Engineers.

China ’s strategy includes redistributing computing capacity to energy-rich inland regions to support long-term digital expansion.

India now hosts approximately 277 data centres, reflecting rapid digital growth and government-backed initiatives to strengthen domestic AI and cloud infrastructure. At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 , experts highlighted rising demand from fintech, e-commerce, and AI model development as key growth drivers.

Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region are Australia (268), Japan (255), and Indonesia (185), which are expanding capacity to support 5G networks, enterprise cloud adoption and regional data localisation requirements.

Canada has 288 facilities, benefiting from stable energy systems and climate advantages that lower cooling costs.

Brazil leads Latin America with 199 data centres, driven by digital banking, retail platforms and cloud service expansion.