Early on Saturday morning, February 28, the United States and Israel launched a major operation against Iran. Its stated objectives are the overthrow of the Iranian regime and, as U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized, eliminating the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program.
The attack had reportedly been planned for several months, with the date finalized two weeks earlier. Notably, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, stated that Congress had not been informed in advance about the launch of the operation.
Read more: U.S., Israel Strike Iran – What Is Unusual Here
There were, however, clear public signs that action was imminent. A day earlier, the U.S. USS Gerald R. Ford nuclear-powered aircraft carrier had moved into position for potential strikes. Reports also suggested the operation may have been delayed by one or two days due to the carrier's late arrival in the region, reportedly caused by technical issues.
The operation began in the early morning with strikes by an undisclosed number of assets against hundreds of targets. Israeli Air Force fighter jets alone reportedly hit around 500 military targets in Iran. Israeli media described it as the largest airstrike in the history of the Israeli Air Force, involving approximately 200 fighter aircraft.
Targets included strictly military facilities such as missile launchers, radar stations, and air defense systems. The strikes also appear to have focused on senior figures within the Iranian leadership.
Reports claimed that the residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran had been destroyed, based on satellite imagery. Israeli media also reported his possible elimination. Additional claims suggested the deaths of Iran's Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and IRGC commander General Mohammad Pakpour of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Defense Express emphasizes that these reports remain unconfirmed. Earlier, it was reported that Ali Khamenei had been evacuated from Tehran to a secure location. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that only a few commanders had been lost and that all senior officials were safe. Such statements should also be treated cautiously.
Iran had clearly prepared for a potential attack, although it may have expected strikes one or two days later, or during the night. Instead, the operation began unusually early in the morning.
Within hours of the U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iranian ballistic missiles were launched toward Israel, which had already declared a nationwide air alert.
Earlier that same morning, the Israel Defense Forces released footage of strikes on Iranian ballistic missile launchers. This may indicate that some Iranian retaliatory actions were conducted under time pressure.
תיעוד נוסף ממבצע "שאגת הארי"צה"ל פועל בריכוז מאמץ לסיכול איומים לעבר עורף מדינת ישראל וכן סיכל משגרים רבים שהיו מוכנים לשיגור מיידי לעבר אזרחי מדינת ישראל.במסגרת תקיפות חיל האוויר במערב איראן, זוהו פעילים מיחידת טילי הקרקע-קרקע של משטר הטרור האיראני מחמשים משגר במערב איראן… pic.twitter.com/X3HUAxcFYH
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) February 28, 2026
In addition to targeting Israel, Iran launched Shahed drones and various missiles, including ballistic missiles, at several U.S. military facilities in the region. These reportedly included bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
In Bahrain, the base of the U.S. Navy’s United States Fifth Fleet was reportedly hit, although unconfirmed reports indicated it had been evacuated several days earlier. Footage also appeared to show a Shahed drone striking a radar dome.
Iran also struck several civilian targets, including Kuwait International Airport. Casualties and fatalities have been reported in multiple countries.
At this stage, it is difficult to assess how close the United States and Israel have come to achieving their stated objectives. Any meaningful assessment will require several days, especially as U.S. officials have indicated that strikes could continue beyond a single day.
At the same time, the U.S. military may face another challenge: a potential shortage of air defense missiles. Western media previously reported that annual stockpiles could be depleted within days during high-intensity operations. In this context, Defense Express has already analyzed how strikes on Iran could further exacerbate shortages of interceptor missiles for MIM-104 Patriot systems, as well as APKWS rockets used against Shahed drones.
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