Iran-Israel war: Everything you need to know about US-Israeli strikes on Iran and death of Supreme Leader Khamenei

Iran Israel news: The joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered the most dangerous Middle East escalation in years and plunged the region and the world into a whirlpool of uncertainty. Having lost its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran has shot back at nearly every Gulf nation with US military bases, besides arch-nemesis Israel, as the Islamic regime fights for survival in the face of Washington and Tel Aviv’s coordinated onslaught.

US President Donald Trump has neither put an end-date to the military operations nor ruled out boots on the ground. The offensive, which targeted Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, has prompted retaliatory missile attacks, regional spillover, oil shocks and fresh instability across the Gulf. More than 700 Iranian lives have been lost so far, with the toll in the overall Gulf region pegged higher after taking into account the deaths due to Tehran’s retaliation.

What triggered the direct joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026?

The United States and Israel launched a coordinated military offensive on Iran on February 28, 2026, after weeks of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme ultimately unravelled.

The US called its military action Operation Epic Fury and Israel codenamed it Operation Lion’s Roar. Officials from both capitals cited Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile capacity, and broader regional threat as motivations, framing the operation as necessary to pre-empt imminent danger and degrade Tehran’s military capabilities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on Monday that the US decided to strike because, “we knew that there was going to be an Israeli action…And we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio said.

This led to some criticism over US seemingly following Israel’s lead, though Trump told reporters that “If anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand”.

The assault struck deep into Iranian territory, including capital Tehran, and reportedly hit command facilities and leadership compounds. Iran said that a school in Minab city was also hit, leaving nearly 170 people dead, most of them schoolchildren. The biggest loss for Tehran was that of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

What is the status of the Iranian leadership following the initial strikes?

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in the initial wave, along with his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson after targeted airstrikes on his residential compound where he was meeting key officials. His wife later succumbed to the injuries.

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Defence Council and a close aide of Khamenei was also killed, along with Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces. Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour were also among the deceased. The joint attacks took out nearly the entire top layer of the defence apparatus. But Khamenei is said to have put in place succession plans.

After his killing, a temporary three-member Leadership Council has taken place while an Assembly of Experts will choose the next Supreme Leader.

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What are the primary military objectives of Operation Epic Fury?

The goals of the operation have changed formed but neutralising Iran’s nuclear capabilities has remained a key target. After Supreme Leader Khamenei’s death, Trump had urged Iranians to overthrow their government, but speaking later, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said that regime change was not the objective of the US military operation.

“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it,” Hegseth said.

Speaking on Monday, Trump laid out four objectives of the military campaign: destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied armed groups.

“An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people,” Trump said, before adding that “this was our last best chance to strike”.

What are the key targets of the US strikes?

US military has said it struck more than 1,700 targets since the military operations began.

The strikes have focused on:

• Iran’s political and military leadership complexes (including Khamenei’s compound).

• Ballistic missile launchers and air defence systems.

• Naval assets and missile production facilities.

• Communication hubs and strategic command centres.

• Nuclear-related sites and industrial infrastructure.

Coalition forces said they have reportedly conducted over 1,000 sorties hitting targets across multiple Iranian cities. But there have been loss of civilian life and at least one Unesco world heritage site, the Golestan Palace, has been damaged.

How has Iran hit back?

Iran has responded on multiple fronts. It has hit back at Israel. Despite the country’s famed Iron Dome missile defence system, casualties have been reported in central Israel’s Beit Shemesh and elsewhere from Iranian ballistic missile strike.

While US mainland is out of reach of Iranian munitions, American military bases in the Gulf have been targeted.

Missile and drone barrages have been released toward Israel and US military bases in Gulf states, including Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirated (UAE), Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.

There have been attacks on embassies and allied facilities such as the US embassy in Riyadh. The US State Department has been forced to shut its embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon and order the departure of embassy staff and families from at least six countries. Americans in 14 countries have been told to immediately leave the region despite major airspace shutdown and mass flight cancellations.

Saudi Aramco, the Arabian state oil company, has temporarily shut down its major Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam after facing drone attacks. Qatar also shut its LNG refinery while major Israeli gas fields, including Leviathan, were offline.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and allied militia fronts have claimed responsibility for widespread strikes and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

American service members have been killed in some of these retaliatory strikes, with the official toll at 4.

Why are neutral Gulf states like Qatar and the UAE being targeted by Iran?

Tehran has explicitly deemed any country hosting US military assets to be a legitimate target in its retaliation, even if those states are not directly part of the coalition attack. Qatar’s Al Udeid, the UAE’s Al Dhafra base, and other Gulf facilities hosting Western forces have been struck or intercepted Iranian missiles.

Iran has also fired missiles into Gulf airspace. Bahrain has intercepted 61 missiles and 34 attack drones, Kuwait’s Ali al-Salem Air Base came under attack by several ballistic missiles, and explosions were reported at luxury hotels Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and the Dubai airport.

Iran has laid out its rationale pretty clearly. Tehran has vowed to utilise “all necessary defensive capabilities and measures” to counter the attacks. “Consequently, all bases, facilities, and assets of hostile forces in the region are considered legitimate military targets. Iran will exercise this inherent right decisively until the aggression is completely and unequivocally halted,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a letter to the United Nations.

Speaking to Al Jazeera he expanded on the idea behind this change in stance: “We are not attacking our neighbours in the Persian Gulf countries,” he said, “we are targeting the presence of the US in these countries”.

“Neighbours should direct their grievances to the decision-makers of this war,” he said.

How has the conflict affected the global economy?

Global markets have been spooked due to the spectre of a long conflict with oil, global trade and commerce all getting affected. The Dow Jones fell as much 1,200 points during intra-day trading but closed nearly 400 points down. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were both down nearly 1 per cent each.

The attacks on places such as Dubai, which were seen as immune to regional violence due to the US safety net, have gained widespread attention and shaken global trust. The conflict has had immediate economic impacts with risk premiums on marine insurance surging as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed dramatically or effectively halted. Nearly 20 per cent of global oil transits through this crucial chokepoint.

Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the IRGC’s commander-in-chief warned that any ship that tries to pass the Strait of Hormuz will be set on fire. “We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days,” Jabbari wrote in a post on IRGC’s Telegram channel.

Oil and gas prices have spiked sharply on fears of supply disruption, with analysts warning Brent crude hitting $100 per barrel or more if instability persists. Brent crude is currently trading at $78.61 a barrel compared to nearly $71 a barrel on February 27, a day before the attack.

The cost of hiring a tanker to ship oil from the Middle East to Asia has nearly quadrupled since last ​week to an all-time high over $400,000 a day, according to Reuters calculations. Trump has said the US government is ready to provide insurance to tankers in the region and the ‌Navy will escort them through the Strait, if necessary.

What is the “Axis of Resistance” doing in response?

Hezbollah in Lebanon, a key Iranian ally that received support from the Islamic regime, launched strikes on Israeli territory in solidarity with Tehran after Khamenei’s killing, prompting Israeli bombardment of Lebanese sites. Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon on Tuesday. Residents of more than 80 villages were asked to evacuate after Hezbollah said it was ready for an “open war” with Israel.

The Houthis of Yemen are yet to join the attacks, according to available information.

The Axis of Resistance has weakened in the past few years with Israel’s military action and the near decimation of Hamas.

How has the US reacted?

US President Trump has reaffirmed the military campaign and warned of more severe action in the days to come. “We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even ​happened. The big one is ​coming soon,” Trump said.

Trump has also said that Washington wasn’t clear about who was in charge or who will lead the country. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he said. Giving a timeline, he said the operation could continue for four-five weeks, but could go on longer. He also refused to rule out sending ground troops to Iran but said it was probably not needed. Telling that the US military had struck numerous Iranian naval and air targets, Trump said that “just about everything has been knocked out.”

Washington has issued evacuation advisories for American citizens and closed diplomatic facilities after Iranian drone and missile attacks.

Swapnil Joglekar works with Indian Express Online, where he writes on the intersection of current affairs and culture. He has previously worked with Business Standard where he reported on employee welfare initiatives, mental health and issues encountered by youngsters. ... Read More

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