On the morning of 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated military campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran — one of the most consequential escalations in the Middle East in decades. President Donald Trump confirmed in a video address that “major combat operations” are underway, describing the campaign as “massive and ongoing” and aimed at preventing Iran from threatening American national security interests.
Operational Profile
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the strike was initiated to “neutralize threats to the State of Israel.” A U.S. official confirmed to Al Jazeera that the operation constitutes a collaborative military effort, with the U.S. deploying aircraft from regional bases and carrier strike groups throughout the Middle East. Strikes are being executed via both air and sea assets, and U.S. officials indicated the campaign could extend over several days.
Key operational parameters include:
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Pre-planned execution: An Israeli defense official confirmed the operation had been in preparation for months, with the launch date set weeks in advance despite ongoing diplomatic engagement
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Multi-domain approach: Air and naval assets deployed simultaneously across multiple target sets
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Cyber dimension: Iranian residents reported significant internet degradation, indicating probable accompanying cyber operations
Strike Locations and Target Set
Explosions have been confirmed across multiple Iranian cities:
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Tehran — Strikes on University Street and the Jomhouri district; blasts in the Seyyed Khandan area; the offices of Supreme Leader Khamenei and the Assembly of Experts were among reported targets
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Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah — Confirmed via Iran’s state-run Fars news agency
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Ilam, Tabriz, Lorestan/Khorramabad — Additional strikes in western and northwestern provinces
Primary military targets encompass Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and production infrastructure, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) headquarters — which reportedly sustained significant casualties — and Iranian naval assets.
Strategic Background
The strikes follow a prolonged diplomatic process that ultimately collapsed. A final round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland concluded on Thursday without agreement, effectively removing the last diplomatic barrier to military action.
Washington had presented Tehran with three non-negotiable demands: a permanent halt to uranium enrichment, strict constraints on its ballistic missile program, and a complete cessation of support for regional proxies including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Iran’s persistent refusal to comply, coupled with reported attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program following prior U.S. airstrikes on nuclear facilities in June 2025, provided the strategic rationale for escalation.
Immediate Force Posture and Responses
The Israeli military confirmed detection of ballistic missiles launched from Iran — marking the first wave of Iranian retaliation in response to the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes conducted earlier the same day. Air raid sirens activated nationwide across Israel, as Tehran simultaneously closed its own airspace to civilian traffic. Israel declared a state of emergency, suspended all civilian flights, and placed the Home Front Command on maximum readiness.
Additional force protection and diplomatic measures include:
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U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place directive for all personnel
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Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced the closure of Iraqi airspace
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei was reportedly relocated to a secure, undisclosed site — no confirmed leadership casualties at time of publication
Political and Analytical Dimension
The operation’s timing — during active nuclear negotiations — has drawn considerable analytical scrutiny. Georgetown University’s Mehran Kamrava assessed that Israel “seems to have conducted an attack aimed at derailing the negotiations.” Prime Minister Netanyahu framed the campaign as an effort to “eliminate the existential threat” posed by the Iranian regime, while Trump urged Iranian citizens to “seize control of your government” following the conclusion of hostilities.
The simultaneous targeting of IRGC command infrastructure, political leadership assets, and strategic missile capabilities signals an operational scope that extends substantially beyond a limited deterrence strike — suggesting broader strategic objectives are at play.
