US and Israeli Military Forces Conduct Joint Aerial Operations Against Iran

The United States and Israel executed a synchronized military operation against Iran on February 28, 2026, escalating regional tensions. The strikes, characterized by ‘massive and ongoing’ according to President Donald Trump, targeted multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. Reports indicated explosions in these areas, with smoke observed over locations such as Jomhouri Square and Hassan Abad Square in Tehran. Iran’s airspace was closed following the attacks, and its leadership confirmed the initiation of retaliatory missile strikes against Israel and U.S. military installations in the region.

‘Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,’ Trump stated in an eight-minute video shared on Truth Social. He urged Iranians to remain in shelter and called on the Iranian government to ‘lay down your weapons’ to avoid ‘certain death.’ Trump also addressed the Iranian people, asserting, ‘When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aligned with Trump’s stance, describing the strikes as a pre-emptive measure against Iran’s ‘existential threat’ to Israel. ‘Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,’ he stated, while advising Israeli citizens to follow official guidance during the crisis.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the launch of a ‘first wave’ of missile and drone attacks against Israel, with dozens of ballistic missiles reportedly fired toward Israeli territory. The Israeli military reported identifying and intercepting several projectiles. In retaliation, Iran targeted U.S. military bases in the region, including the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet service center in Bahrain.

A Qatari official noted that two Iranian missiles were intercepted over Qatar, while explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi and other Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. Emergency measures were implemented in Israel, with the country declaring a ‘special and permanent state of emergency’ and closing civilian airspace. Bahrain’s interior ministry advised citizens to seek shelter, and U.S. officials confirmed that the Navy base in Bahrain was subjected to a missile attack.

Qatar’s military also reported intercepting Iranian missiles, highlighting the widespread regional impact of the conflict.

The strikes followed months of heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S.-Israel alliance. Protests in Iran, driven by economic instability and political unrest, had intensified since late 2025, with the Iranian government responding with violent crackdowns. Local officials estimated the death toll from these protests to exceed 43,000 by early 2026.

U.S. and Israeli leaders cited these events as justification for the strikes, arguing that Iran’s regime posed a continued threat to regional stability. Strategic planning for the operation involved months of coordination between the U.S. and Israel, with the goal of degrading Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

The U.S. military confirmed conducting ‘multiple days of attacks,’ while Israeli forces launched a ‘broad strike’ targeting Iranian military infrastructure. The operation, designated ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the U.S. Department of Defense, aimed to ‘thoroughly degrade’ the Iranian regime and ‘remove existential threats to Israel.’

Analysts warned of potential further escalation, with Middle East scholar Sanam Vakil of Chatham House noting that the strikes could ‘only expect escalation’ as Iran seeks to regionalize the conflict. Iran’s strategy, she argued, is to ‘spread the pain’ across the Middle East to avoid absorbing the full brunt of U.S. and Israeli retaliation.

In the U.S., Democratic Senator Jack Reed criticized the Trump administration for failing to brief Congress on the strikes, calling the action ‘unjustified’ without clear objectives. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham praised the operation as ‘necessary and long justified,’ framing it as a step toward regime change in Iran.