Customers shop for fruit at a store in southern Tehran on September 15, 2026. The US and Israel sparked the Middle East war in late February with strikes on Iran, whose economy had already been weakened by decades of international sanctions. The Islamic republic retaliated by choking off the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy transit, causing global energy prices to surge. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images) / Israel OUT / NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran / Strictly No Access BBC Persian / VOA Persian/Manoto TV / Iran International / Radio Farda -- Attention editors: AFP covers the war in the Middle East through its extensive regional network, including bureaus in Tehran, Jerusalem, and several neighboring countries. Since the start of the conflict, journalists have been working under increasingly restrictive conditions. Authorities in several countries have limited reporters' movements, photo and live video coverage from sensitive locations. Some governments and armed groups have banned images of missile or drone strikes and other security-related sites. /