Iran–Israel war: What to know about US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Khamenei’s death

The United States and Israel launched a coordinated military offensive on Iran on February 28, 2026, after weeks of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme collapsed. Washington codenamed the operation Operation Epic Fury, while Israel called its campaign Operation Lion’s Roar, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure and military command centres

Officials from the United States and Israel said the strikes were carried out to pre-empt what they described as an imminent threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile capabilities and its regional military network. The operation marked one of the most significant escalations in the Middle East in years

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later indicated that Washington decided to strike partly because it expected imminent Israeli action, stating that American authorities believed pre-emptive attacks would prevent higher casualties if Israeli operations triggered a broader confrontation

The assault struck deep inside Iranian territory, including the capital Tehran, where command facilities and leadership compounds were reportedly targeted. Iranian authorities also said a school in Minab city was hit during the strikes, leaving nearly 170 people dead, most of them schoolchildren

The most significant loss for Tehran came when Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in the initial wave of airstrikes. According to Iranian accounts, Khamenei died after targeted attacks struck his residential compound during a meeting with senior officials, with several members of his family also killed or fatally injured.

The strikes also eliminated several top figures in Iran’s defence establishment, including Defence Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour, effectively wiping out much of Iran’s senior defence leadership

Following Khamenei’s death, Iran activated a succession mechanism in which a temporary three-member Leadership Council assumed authority until the Assembly of Experts selects the country’s next Supreme Leader. Despite the leadership vacuum, Tehran signalled that its military response would continue

The United States said the goals of the campaign included destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, neutralising its navy, preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons and stopping support for allied armed groups. Trump stated that an Iranian regime equipped with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would pose an intolerable threat to both the Middle East and the American people

Iran responded with widespread retaliation, launching missile and drone barrages toward Israel and US military facilities across the Gulf region, including bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan

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