At 2:30 a.m. EST on Saturday, February 28, 2026, US Central Command commenced Operation Epic Fury at the direction of the President. Israel simultaneously launched Operation Roaring Lion. By the end of the day, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead, eight of Iran’s most senior military and security officials had been killed alongside him, and Iran had struck US bases or allied nations in nine countries.

This is what happened.

The strikes

The US-Israeli campaign hit approximately 900 targets in the first 12 hours across 24 Iranian provinces. Targets included the Ministry of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Parchin military complex, missile production infrastructure, and naval forces.

Trump announced the operation in an 8-minute Truth Social video shortly after it began. He stated four military objectives: prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, destroy its missile arsenal and production capacity, degrade its proxy networks, and annihilate its navy. The White House separately stated a political objective: regime change from within.

UK Prime Minister Starmer confirmed British forces were “active and in the sky” in defensive operations. The total target count reached approximately 2,000 by end of day.

UN Secretary-General Guterres condemned the strikes as “squandering a chance for diplomacy” — noting they were launched while Oman-mediated indirect talks between the US and Iran were still active. Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi had agreed on February 27 to degrade uranium stockpiles “to the lowest level possible.” The strikes came the next morning.

Khamenei

At 5:08 p.m. ET, Trump announced via Truth Social that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed. Iranian state media and Israeli officials confirmed simultaneously.

The CIA had identified Khamenei’s location 10 hours before the strike. The groundwork was laid on February 23, when Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Trump from Jerusalem to share intelligence that Khamenei and top advisers would assemble at a single Tehran location on Saturday, February 28. Trump ordered CIA verification, which confirmed the intelligence on February 26. Axios later described that call as “the turning point that marked the beginning of the war.”

Khamenei was 86. He had led the Islamic Republic for 36 years.

Also killed in the strikes on his compound: IRGC Commander Pakpour, Chief of Staff Bagheri, Defense Minister Nasirzadeh, senior adviser Shamkhani, intelligence chief Pourhossein, security chief Bajestani, counterterrorism chief Kheirandish, and adviser Ehya Hamidi. Khamenei’s daughter and son-in-law were also killed. Iran’s military and security leadership was effectively decapitated in a single operation.

At least 201 people died across Iran on Day 1 per the Iranian Red Crescent. Iran declared 40 days of national mourning.

Iran’s response

The IRGC launched retaliatory strikes within hours. By 10:05 GMT, Iranian forces were hitting targets across the region simultaneously.

Bahrain: A Shahed drone struck near the US Navy 5th Fleet headquarters in Manama — the most operationally significant retaliation target of the day.

Kuwait: Ballistic missiles targeted Ali al-Salem Air Base (all intercepted per Kuwait’s MoD). A drone hit Kuwait International Airport, injuring staff and damaging the passenger terminal.

UAE: Missiles intercepted over Abu Dhabi. At least one person killed, four injured in Dubai near the Palm Jumeirah.

Qatar: Missiles targeted Al Udeid Air Base (intercepted per Qatar’s Defense Ministry). A long-range radar site in northern Qatar was struck.

Saudi Arabia: Targets in Riyadh and the eastern region were hit; attacks described as “repelled.”

Iraq: Erbil Airport targeted twice. Drone strikes hit a Kataeb Hezbollah headquarters southwest of Baghdad (two killed) and Jurf al-Nasr base.

Israel: Approximately 35 ballistic missiles fired by 5:42 a.m. EST. Air-raid sirens across the country. Explosions in northern Israel and Beit Shemesh.

Nine countries struck. Four US servicemembers killed. Former CIA Director David Petraeus later called Iran’s decision to expand attacks to Gulf states “a strategic error” that risked pulling more countries into the war.

The blackout

As strikes spread, Iran’s internet collapsed. Connectivity dropped to approximately 4% of normal levels according to NetBlocks, which monitors internet infrastructure in real time. The Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency (IRNA) was simultaneously hit by cyberattacks. The pattern matched the communications suppression seen during the June 2025 conflict.

Context

This was not the first round. In June 2025, Israel launched an initial military campaign against Iran. The US struck Fordow. Iran’s nuclear program and missile infrastructure took heavy damage. A ceasefire of sorts followed, but Iran began rebuilding.

By late 2025, Iran had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (November), and the US Ambassador to Israel was publicly warning that Iran had “not absorbed the message” of the June strikes. In February 2026, Trump set a two-week deadline for a nuclear agreement — and deployed two carrier strike groups to the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln had been in the Arabian Sea since January. The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at Souda Bay, Crete on February 23, transiting toward the theater.

On February 26, a third round of Oman-mediated indirect talks ended in Geneva with what both sides described as progress. On February 27, Iran agreed to a nuclear stockpile reduction proposal. On February 28, the strikes began.

The conflict was now in its second phase — and as of March 7, still ongoing.