Tel Aviv/Washington/Tehran, Feb 28 (.) Israel, acting in coordination with the US, launched strikes in Iran on Saturday, hitting multiple targets as explosions were reported in Tehran and other cities.
Among the most significant reported targets was the office complex of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in central Tehran. Iranian officials have confirmed that Khamenei was not at the location at the time of the strike.
Videos footage circulating online appeared to show black plumes of smoke rising from the Supreme Leader’s headquarters, long considered the symbolic and operational centre of the regime’s authority.
Footage shared on social media showed some Iranians reacting with disbelief, while others still cried out in celebration, as witnesses were heard laughing while referring to the site as the “leader’s house,” while others were seen thanking Israel as strikes unfolded.
Explosions were reported across Tehran and multiple Iranian cities early Saturday, including Tabriz, Qom, Karaj, Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Ilam, as Israeli officials confirmed launching what they said was a pre-emptive operation aimed at dismantling imminent threats posed by the Islamic Republic’s missile and military infrastructure.
Iranian state media said the southern port city of Bushehr was also attacked, though it remains unclear whether nuclear-related facilities were damaged.
Israeli authorities said the operation, codenamed “Lion’s Roar”, had been in preparation for months and was conducted in close coordination with Washington.
A US official confirmed American involvement through air and sea operations, including participation by the US Air Force, but did not provide further details on specific targets or damage assessments.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization closed the country’s airspace for six hours following the strikes.
Semi-official news agency ISNA reported that thousands of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed or wounded in attacks on military installations.
US President Donald Trump said Washington had begun what he described as “major combat operations,” framing the action as a defensive effort aimed at preventing Iran from advancing its nuclear and long-range missile programmes.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump said in a video message, adding that Washington would ensure Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Shortly after the strikes, the Israeli military said missiles had been launched from Iranian territory towards Israel, triggering air raid sirens across northern parts of the country as air defence systems attempted interceptions.
An Iranian security official warning retaliation, said that Tehran’s response would be “crushing”, raising concerns of a rapid escalation into a wider regional conflict.
Inside Iran, authorities began restricting communications as the attacks unfolded, with the global internet monitoring group NetBlocks reporting nationwide connectivity levels dropping to roughly 54% of their normal levels, while Iranian media said mobile networks and messaging services were being disrupted. Several Iranian news websites were also reportedly hacked amid wider cyber activity.
The escalation in net blockade comes mere weeks after security forces carried out a brutal nationwide crackdown during the mass civil uprising – which is widely noted to be one of the bloodiest curbs in recent history, as security forces killed tens of thousands of Iranian citizens.
As such, the US-Israeli strikes are unfolding against the backdrop of a deep-rooted public anger against the Islamic Republic, adding massive pressure on the ruling establishment.
Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi had urged Iranians be prepared to return to the streets, and once again carry out demonstrations, stating that the end of the Islamic Republic was near, and further asked citizens to remain calm and await further instructions.
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