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On February 28, 2026, the US government and Israel undertook a joint operation in Iran, with the US subsequently declaring it was at war with the country. The attacks triggered retaliatory strikes from Iran, targeting US and Israeli military bases across the Middle East. According to Donald Trump, there is no timeline for this war, and the US will continue its operations in the country until it sees a significant regime change, as well as an end to Iran's supposed nuclear program. Iran has been in turmoil for the better part of a year, with civilians protesting against the country's administration, and the administration responding with violence against civilians.
Timeline of US and Israeli strikes, February 28
February 28, 1:15 am ET: At 1:15 am EST, or 9:45 am in Tehran, the US and Israel began a coordinated military strike entitled ‘Operation Epic Fury'. The first strikes were simultaneously launched from air, sea, and land, striking Iran's capital, Tehran, and a series of other locations across the country. US naval vessels launched Tomahawk missiles into the capital, while Israeli fighter jets entered Iranian airspace.
The initial wave included stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, long-range precision weapons, and, for the first time in American history, armed ‘kamikaze' drones. This is the first time the USA has used armed drones in a military operation, mimicking technology created by Iran.
February 28, military targets: the initial wave of attacks from the US and Israel focused on Iranian military installations. US missiles destroyed Missile bases, drone launch sites, military airfields, radar installations, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command posts.
Multiple initial strikes targeted Iranian leadership in the capital, Tehran. US missiles struck the Pasteur district of Tehran, which houses the presidential complex, National Security Council facilities, and the residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Donald Trump announced shortly after the attacks that the Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in an airstrike. Iranian sources confirmed that his wife, daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also killed in the strike.
By the end of the day on February 28, more than 200 Iranians had been killed by US and Israeli military operations, and nearly 800 more civilians were injured.
Iran responds: timeline
February 28, 2026, 1:30 am ET (10:00 am in Tehran): Within an hour of the initial strikes from the US and Israel, Iran responded with a series of attacks of its own. Iran targeted US and Israeli military bases across the Middle East, focusing on ballistic missile launch complexes, drone bases, and coastal missile batteries. Iran struck four countries housing US and Israeli military forces. In Qatar, Iran sent multiple waves of missile strikes targeting the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East. Qatar reported the attacks were intercepted. In Bahrain, Iran targeted the US's Naval Support Activity Bahrain / 5th Fleet HQ. Bahrain confirmed the attack as successful, and satellite imagery showed a fleet of ships fleeing from the base.
February 28, 2026, 2:30 am ET (11:00 am in Tehran): Along with Qatar and Bahrain, Iran targeted US installations in Kuwait and the UAE. In Kuwait, the IRGC attacked the Ali Al Salem base and Camp Arifjan, with both bases continuing to assess damages. About 13,500 US service members and support personnel are stationed in Kuwait. The country has been a stable energy hub for decades, and Iran's actions in the country have sent shockwaves across the Gulf and in Kuwait.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the area around the Al Dhafra Air Base, with satellite imaging showing smoke rising near the base. UAE forces announced that multiple missiles were intercepted, but there was at least one fatality from the strike, and shrapnel continues to fall from high-rise buildings south of Abu Dhabi.
Why the attack
U.S. President Donald Trump has given a laundry list of reasons for the attack, none of which hold ground individually. Trump gave the decades-old excuse of shutting down Iran's nuclear program, an invisible threat the US has been fighting since 2001. Trump also cited Iran's violent treatment of anti-government protesters as an excuse for the attack. According to Donald Trump, the US aims to ‘free' Iran from the constraints of its supreme leader. After killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Donald Trump announced he would not stop the attacks, drawing questions about how he is planning on ‘freeing' Iran.
Besides the two reasons that Donald Trump has been touting for months, he also gave a slew of ancillary reasons. Trump claimed that the US's actions were preparatory for retaliation against Israel. This means, according to Trump, the US has attacked Iran out of fear of Iran attacking Israel. Trump claimed that his talks with Iran have stalled over the last two months (remember Iran has been destabilized due to protests), and that he has been convinced Iran poses an ‘immediate threat'.
This is the largest US military operation in the Middle East since the buildup to the Iraq war in 2002.
