Tehran/ Washington, Feb 28 (.) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missile attacks on four US military bases across the Middle East on Saturday, in retaliation for a major US-Israeli strike on Iranian cities, according to state-affiliated Iranian media.
The Pentagon and US Department of Defense have named the joint campaign “Operation Epic Fury” following the morning strikes.
Last year’s similar strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities were code-named “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
According to Fars News Agency, the IRGC targeted Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
The attacks were reportedly in direct response to US and Israeli military operations against Iranian cities and installations. Videos circulating on social media showed smoke rising from the Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain, which a US official described as “active.” Multiple explosions were also reported in Dubai and other Gulf cities hosting US bases.
Details on casualties or damage have not been confirmed. President Donald Trump announced that the United States had begun “major combat operations” against Iran, pledging to significantly degrade the country’s military capabilities and dismantle its nuclear program.
In an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of rejecting all opportunities to renounce its nuclear ambitions, saying the US “can’t take it anymore.”
Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on Iran and named it “Roaring Lion”. Unlike previous US-Israel operations in June, which were brief and carried out overnight, these strikes began in daylight and are expected to continue for several days.
Explosions have been reported in multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, near the compound housing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian-affiliated media reported that Tehran has retaliated by launching dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel. The Israeli military said it was intercepting incoming threats.
Explosions were also reported across the Gulf in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Qatar. The escalation comes hours after Oman’s foreign minister said that US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland had made “significant progress,” highlighting the rapid deterioration in the region despite ongoing diplomacy.
Political reactions in the United States have been divided. Senator John Fetterman praised the strikes, calling them “right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.” In contrast, Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the Trump administration for failing to provide Congress with substantive briefings, saying: “Congress has received no real briefings or intelligence, and it is difficult to justify action without a clear rationale.”
President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with The Washington Post in the early morning hours Saturday, telling the news outlet that his primary objectives were “freedom” for the Iranian people and ensuring the country is “safe.”
Pressed about his future legacy in the aftermath of the military operation, Trump responded, “All I want is freedom for the people,” The Post reported.
“I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have,” he added.
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