Military Glossary

A strategy that uses layered defenses (missiles, mines, submarines, drones) to prevent an adversary from entering or operating freely in a geographic area. Iran employs A2/AD in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

An integrated naval weapons system combining radar, computers, and SM-2/SM-3/SM-6 missiles. Installed on US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Provides fleet-wide air and ballistic missile defense.

The degree of control of the air by one force that permits the conduct of its operations without prohibitive interference from the opposing force. Achieving air superiority is typically the first objective of a modern air campaign.

A major US and Qatari military air base located southwest of Doha, Qatar. It serves as the forward headquarters for CENTCOM and hosts the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) that coordinates coalition air operations.

An Israeli anti-ballistic missile system. Arrow 2 intercepts ballistic missiles in the upper atmosphere; Arrow 3 intercepts outside the atmosphere (exo-atmospheric). Part of Israel's multi-layered missile defense architecture.

A ballistic missile designed to target naval vessels at sea. Iran's Khalij Fars and Fateh-110 variants are ASBMs that threaten shipping in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

Conflict between parties of significantly different military capability, where the weaker party uses unconventional tactics (terrorism, guerrilla warfare, drone swarms, cyber attacks) to offset the stronger party's advantages.

An airborne radar system mounted on a modified aircraft (E-3 Sentry or E-7 Wedgetail) that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications. Essential for coordinating complex air operations.

A port city in southern Iran on the Strait of Hormuz. It is the headquarters of the IRGC Navy and a major Iranian naval base. Its proximity to the Strait makes it strategically critical for Iran's ability to threaten maritime traffic.

The evaluation of the results of military strikes against targets. BDA uses intelligence (often satellite imagery) to determine whether a target was destroyed, damaged, or missed, and whether restrike is needed.

A category of weapons of mass destruction and the defensive measures against them. In the context of the Iran conflict, CBRN concerns center on Iran's nuclear program and potential escalation scenarios.

The unified combatant command of the US military responsible for operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia. CENTCOM directs US military operations in the 2026 Iran conflict from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, and forward headquarters in Qatar.

Unintended damage or casualties inflicted on non-combatants or civilian infrastructure during military operations. Minimizing collateral damage is both a legal obligation under international humanitarian law and a strategic concern.

A guided missile that flies at low altitude using aerodynamic lift, typically subsonic or supersonic. Unlike ballistic missiles, cruise missiles maintain a relatively flat trajectory. Examples include the US Tomahawk and Iranian Soumar.

A formation of naval vessels centered on an aircraft carrier, typically including guided-missile cruisers, destroyers, a submarine, and a supply ship. A CSG projects air power and is the primary power-projection tool of the US Navy.

A nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The US Navy operates Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class CVNs, each carrying approximately 75 aircraft. Hull classification symbol CVN.

A warship equipped with guided missiles for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. The US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class DDGs carry Tomahawk cruise missiles and Aegis radar systems. Hull classification symbol DDG.

A military strategy aimed at removing the leadership of an enemy government or organization through targeted strikes on command and control centers, communication networks, and individual leaders.

A strategy intended to dissuade an adversary from taking an action by threatening unacceptable consequences. Nuclear deterrence relies on the threat of nuclear retaliation. Conventional deterrence uses the threat of military defeat.

Intelligence gathered from electronic signals that do not contain speech or text, such as radar emissions. ELINT is used to map enemy air defense networks and identify radar types and locations.

A conceptual framework describing the progressive steps by which a conflict can intensify, from diplomatic tension to conventional warfare to nuclear conflict. Each rung represents a qualitative increase in the scale or type of force used. Understanding the escalation ladder is critical for analyzing the 2026 conflict.

A secured forward military position used to support tactical operations. FOBs are closer to conflict areas than main bases and provide logistics, medical support, and command capabilities.

A uranium enrichment facility built inside a mountain near Qom, Iran. Fordow's deeply buried construction makes it highly resistant to conventional airstrikes. It is a primary target for the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

A Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group backed by Iran. Hezbollah operates a significant arsenal of rockets, missiles, and drones in southern Lebanon aimed at Israel. It constitutes a major front in the 2026 conflict.

A Yemeni armed movement officially called Ansar Allah, backed by Iran. The Houthis have launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and on Saudi Arabia and Israel using Iranian-supplied drones and ballistic missiles.

An international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inhibit its military use. The IAEA conducts inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. Its reports on Iran's uranium enrichment levels are closely monitored.

A ballistic missile with a range greater than 5,500 km, capable of delivering nuclear or conventional warheads across continents. Not known to be used in the 2026 Iran conflict.

A ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 to 5,500 km. Iran's Khorramshahr and Sejjil missiles fall into this category, capable of reaching Israel from Iranian territory.

A branch of Iran's armed forces founded after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The IRGC is separate from Iran's regular military (Artesh) and controls Iran's ballistic missile program, the Quds Force (foreign operations), and the IRGC Navy. It also has significant economic and political influence within Iran.

The extraterritorial operations arm of Iran's IRGC, responsible for unconventional warfare and intelligence operations abroad. The Quds Force supports proxy groups including Hezbollah, Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria.

An Israeli mobile air defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells with a range of 4 to 70 km. Uses Tamir interceptor missiles.

The coordinated acquisition, processing, and provision of accurate, relevant, timely information and intelligence to support military operations. ISR assets include satellites, drones, and manned aircraft.

The 2015 Iran nuclear deal between Iran, the P5+1, and the EU, which limited Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The US withdrew in 2018; efforts to revive it failed. Its collapse is part of the diplomatic background to the 2026 conflict.

A guidance kit that converts unguided gravity bombs into precision-guided munitions using GPS. JDAMs are widely used by the US Air Force and Navy for accurate strikes against fixed targets.

An island in the Persian Gulf approximately 25 km off the coast of Iran. It handles about 90% of Iran's crude oil exports. Attacks on or near Kharg Island have significant implications for global oil markets.

The use of naval mines to deny an adversary the use of sea areas. Iran has a large stockpile of naval mines and has threatened to mine the Strait of Hormuz. Mine countermeasures require specialized ships and are time-consuming.

The GBU-57A/B, a 30,000-pound precision-guided bunker buster designed to penetrate hardened and deeply buried targets. Carried exclusively by the B-2 Spirit bomber. Relevant to strikes on Iran's underground nuclear facilities.

A US-made medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft. Capable of both intelligence gathering and precision strikes using Hellfire missiles and GBU-38 JDAMs. Operated by the US Air Force.

A ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 to 3,000 km. Iran's Emad and Ghadr missiles are MRBMs used to target bases across the Middle East.

A city in Isfahan province, Iran, that hosts Iran's primary uranium enrichment facility. The Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant includes both above-ground and underground centrifuge halls. It has been a key target and point of concern in the nuclear dispute.

A military alliance of 32 member states spanning North America and Europe. While NATO as an organization is not directly engaged in the Iran conflict, several NATO allies (US, UK, France) are participating in operations.

An airspace in which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Enforced by military assets including fighter jets, SAMs, and AWACS. No-fly zones restrict enemy air operations over designated areas.

An international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting disarmament, and facilitating peaceful nuclear energy use. Iran is a signatory. The treaty is central to the legal and diplomatic context of the conflict.

The MIM-104 Patriot is a US-made surface-to-air missile system. The PAC-3 variant provides ballistic missile defense capability. Deployed by the US and allied nations across the Middle East.

A shallow body of water bordered by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman. Hosts major US naval bases and is the primary maritime theater of the 2026 conflict. Also called the Arabian Gulf by some Gulf states.

A principle in international humanitarian law and military ethics requiring that the force used in response to an attack be proportionate to the threat. Disproportionate responses may violate the laws of armed conflict and trigger escalation.

A conflict in which major powers support and direct opposing factions without directly engaging each other's forces. Iran wages proxy warfare through Hezbollah, Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria.

Directives issued by military authority that define the circumstances and limitations under which forces may engage the enemy. ROE govern when, where, and how force may be used.

A missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles in flight. Iran operates Russian-made S-300 SAMs and domestically produced Bavar-373 systems.

Military operations to neutralize, destroy, or temporarily degrade enemy surface-to-air missile systems and anti-aircraft artillery. SEAD missions typically precede larger air campaigns to establish air superiority.

An Iranian-made loitering munition (also called a suicide drone or one-way attack UAV). Cheap to produce, delta-wing design, powered by a small engine. Used in large swarms to overwhelm air defenses. Previously supplied to Russia for use in Ukraine.

A military doctrine based on achieving rapid dominance through overwhelming force, dominant battlefield awareness, and spectacular displays of power to paralyze an adversary's perception and will to fight. First articulated by Harlan K. Ullman and James P. Wade in 1996.

A single operational flight by a single military aircraft. The term is also used more broadly to describe any military mission or operation. Sortie rates (missions per day) are a key measure of air campaign intensity.

A narrow waterway between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Approximately 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point. About 20% of the world's petroleum passes through this strait, making it one of the most strategically important chokepoints in the world.

A mobile vehicle that can transport, erect, and launch a missile. TELs are high-priority targets because destroying them prevents future launches. Iran disperses TELs across its territory to complicate targeting.

A US Army anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase (descent). Uses hit-to-kill technology.

A geographic area in which military operations are conducted. The 2026 Iran conflict involves multiple theaters: Iran proper, the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon/Israel (Hezbollah), and Yemen (Houthis).

A long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile manufactured by Raytheon. The BGM-109 Tomahawk is a primary strike weapon of the US Navy, launched from destroyers, cruisers, and submarines. Range exceeds 1,600 km.

An aircraft without a human pilot onboard, controlled remotely or autonomously. In the 2026 conflict, both sides use UAVs for reconnaissance, surveillance, and strike missions. Also commonly called drones.

The principal organ of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The five permanent members (US, UK, France, Russia, China) hold veto power. UNSC resolutions are binding on all UN member states.

Weapons capable of causing mass casualties and large-scale destruction: nuclear, chemical, biological, and radiological weapons. Iran's nuclear program and its potential to develop nuclear weapons is a central issue in the conflict.