How the AP decided to describe joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and Iran’s retaliation, as a war

The Associated Press has officially designated the term “war” to describe the escalating military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, reflecting the significant scope and intensity of hostilities that have unfolded in recent days.

This decision comes after joint U.S.-Israeli forces conducted extensive strikes on key Iranian military installations and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other high-ranking government officials. Iran subsequently retaliated by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military forces.

The remaining Iranian leadership has publicly vowed revenge for Khamenei’s death, suggesting the possibility of prolonged conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump’s explicit calls for regime change in Iran—targeting the Islamic Republic’s four-decade rule—have further heightened tensions and could potentially trigger a wider regional conflagration across the Middle East.

While none of the involved nations have formally declared war, the AP determined that the ongoing situation meets the criteria established by Merriam-Webster’s definition: “A state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations” or “a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism.” President Trump himself has used the term “war” when discussing the current situation.

Media language choices carry significant weight during international conflicts. The AP’s decision reflects a commitment to accurate terminology when describing military action between sovereign states. The news organization typically exercises caution before applying the term “war” to avoid diminishing its significance in cases of limited strikes or brief skirmishes.

This is not the first time the AP has issued such guidance. Similar determinations were made during the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, which lasted 12 days and saw Israeli and American forces significantly degrade Iran’s air defenses, military leadership, and nuclear capabilities. The AP also designated the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Israel-Hamas fighting as wars in the days and weeks following the outbreak of hostilities in those regions.

These determinations involve careful consideration of multiple factors, including casualty counts, fighting intensity, the direct involvement of opposing parties, and how the nations themselves characterize the conflict.

The AP maintains specific style guidelines regarding the term, noting that “war” is only capitalized when used as part of a formal name. As no official name has been established for the current conflict, the lowercase form remains standard in AP reporting.

The news agency’s guidance could evolve as the situation develops. AP news leadership and standards editors continuously monitor events to determine if changes to terminology are warranted. However, the organization has indicated that regardless of how long the conflict continues, the current level of fighting constitutes war between the involved nations. Even if hostilities were to cease in the near future, the AP would continue to characterize the events as war.

The designation underscores the gravity of the situation and reflects the AP’s commitment to precise language in its coverage of international conflicts, particularly as the world watches to see if diplomatic efforts can prevent further escalation in this volatile region.