Geopolitics

US and Israel Strike Iran in Unprecedented Joint Military Operation; State Media Confirms Khamenei Killed

Tongzhi AI

— 6 min read

The United States and Israel have launched coordinated air strikes across Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei according to Iranian state media. Iran has retaliated with missile salvos against Israel and US bases across the Middle East, in the most significant military escalation the region has seen in decades.

The operation began on Saturday morning, February 28, two days after US-Iranian nuclear negotiations collapsed without agreement. US Central Command described the objective as dismantling "the Iranian regime's security apparatus." The explicit framing of regime change as a war aim — a reversal of Trump's own prior criticism of such policies — raises immediate questions about legal authorization, strategic endgame, and the risk of protracted conflict.

The Strikes

Shortly after 09:30 local time in Tehran, explosions were reported across the Iranian capital and multiple other cities including Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. The Israeli Defense Forces said approximately 200 fighter jets struck around 500 targets across western and central Iran, hitting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, missile launch sites, and military airfields.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, 24 of Iran's 31 provinces were hit. Satellite imagery verified by the BBC showed significant damage to Khamenei's Leadership House compound in Tehran, with blackened buildings and debris visible.

The IDF named seven senior Iranian defence officials it said had been killed, including Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Defence Council, IRGC commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour, and Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh. A single intelligence source told CBS News that approximately 40 Iranian officials were killed — a claim that has not been independently corroborated.

Khamenei's Death

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Khamenei's Tehran compound had been destroyed in "a powerful, surprise strike," adding: "There are many signs that the tyrant himself is no more." Trump subsequently wrote on Truth Social: "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead."

Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed Khamenei's death on Sunday morning local time, stating he had been killed in his office. A 40-day mourning period was declared. The confirmation came solely from Iranian state sources and has not been independently verified — though it would be unusual for a regime to falsely confirm the death of its own supreme leader. President Masoud Pezeshkian was reported safe.

Khamenei had served as supreme leader since 1989, holding ultimate authority over Iran's military, judiciary, and foreign policy. His death creates an unprecedented succession crisis in the Islamic Republic's 47-year history. Whether hardliners or pragmatists fill the vacuum will significantly shape the trajectory of this conflict.

Iran's Retaliation

Iran responded with a broad retaliatory barrage. The IRGC said it struck targets in Israel — reportedly firing approximately 150 ballistic missiles — as well as five major US military installations: Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE, the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait, and Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan.

Qatar's Interior Ministry confirmed that 66 missiles were fired at the country, with missile debris injuring eight people and 114 reports of falling shrapnel. Footage verified by international media showed explosions in Dubai, including damage to a luxury hotel.

The IRGC additionally claimed to have struck a US combat support vessel and destroyed a US radar system in Qatar. These claims have not been independently verified and should be treated with the same caution as any belligerent's battle damage assessments.

US Central Command said its forces had "successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks," reporting no US casualties and only "minimal" damage. These claims also lack independent verification.

The IRGC broadcast warnings to shipping that "no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz," through which approximately 20 percent of global oil and gas shipments transit. If enforced, this could trigger severe disruption to global energy markets.

The Civilian Toll

The most devastating reported incident occurred at a school in Minab, Hormozgan province, located approximately 600 metres from an IRGC base. A local prosecutor said at least 108 people were killed — a figure reported by Iranian state-aligned sources under internet blackout conditions, and not yet independently confirmed by international observers. President Pezeshkian called it a "barbaric act." Neither the US nor Israel has confirmed or denied striking the school.

The Iranian Red Crescent reported a nationwide toll of at least 201 dead and 747 injured. International verification of these figures remains severely constrained: Iran imposed a near-total internet blackout shortly after the attacks began, and international journalists are routinely denied visas.

The school deaths have provoked anger inside Iran directed both at the attackers and at the government for failing to provide civilian shelters, issue public warnings, or close schools. One Iranian social media user wrote: "People have no shelters, the internet is cut, phone lines are down, and there has been no warning to keep children out of school."

The Context: Decades of Escalation

Saturday's operation did not emerge from a vacuum. The US-Iranian confrontation has escalated through decades of covert and overt hostilities: the US-backed 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mossadegh, the 1979-81 hostage crisis, the US assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020, and the alleged US-Israeli Stuxnet cyberattack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran, for its part, has funded and armed proxy forces across the region — Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Houthi forces in Yemen, and Shia militias in Iraq — which have carried out attacks on US and Israeli interests. This proxy network is central to the US and Israeli argument that Iran poses an ongoing threat beyond its borders.

The nuclear dimension is also critical, though the article's sourcing cannot confirm Iran's precise enrichment status at the time of the strikes. Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful; the US and Israel contend Iran was approaching weapons capability. The collapse of talks two days prior removed the last diplomatic channel.

The strikes raise unresolved legal questions. It is unclear whether Trump invoked the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force or notified Congress under the War Powers Act. Under international law, the legality of a preemptive strike against a sovereign state — particularly one involving the targeted killing of its head of state — is deeply contested under UN Charter Article 2(4), which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of states.

US domestic reaction has been divided. Republican leaders have largely rallied behind Trump; Democrats have not articulated a unified response. Anti-war protests were reported across US cities.

International Response

At least eight countries closed their airspace, according to multiple news agencies, severely disrupting global air travel. The UN Security Council convened an emergency session. The EU urged "maximum restraint." Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the strikes "wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate" — a characterization that omits Iran's own extensive role in regional proxy conflicts.

Notable by their absence have been public statements from key regional actors. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, and Egypt — all of whom face significant domestic and strategic implications from this conflict — have yet to issue substantive responses, suggesting the diplomatic landscape is still being calculated.

Australia's Prime Minister called Iran's nuclear programme a "threat to global peace," signalling alignment with the US-Israeli position.

What Remains Unclear

  • Casualty verification: The internet blackout inside Iran makes independent verification of civilian casualties nearly impossible.
  • Nuclear status: Iran's precise enrichment level at the time of the strikes remains disputed.
  • Succession: Who will assume leadership in Iran, and whether the regime can maintain cohesion, will determine whether this becomes a prolonged conflict.
  • Strait of Hormuz: Whether Iran can effectively blockade this critical waterway will determine global economic fallout. Energy analysts have warned of the most severe supply disruption risk since the 1990 Gulf War.
  • Continued operations: Trump described the strikes as "massive and ongoing," indicating further military action is planned.
  • Congressional authorization: Whether this operation has any legal basis under US domestic law remains unanswered.

---

Sources

---

Published by Tongzhi AI editorial desk, 1 March 2026.

---

⚠️ AI-Generated Content Notice

This article was generated using artificial intelligence and may contain factual errors, incomplete analysis, or hallucinations. While sources are cited and editorial review has been applied, readers should independently verify claims before relying on this analysis for decision-making.

Read more