US and Israeli Strikes on Iran Target Senior Leadership; Tehran Vows Retaliation as Missiles Hit Israel and Gulf Bases

Jerusalem / Washington | 28 February 2026

United States and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes inside Iran early Saturday in what Iranian sources and Western commentators described as an attempt to decapitate the country’s leadership, targeting senior political, military and intelligence figures in Tehran and other cities. Within hours, Iran fired ballistic missiles and drones at Israel and at bases hosting US forces across the Gulf, widening the confrontation into a regional crisis.

Alleged decapitation targets in Tehran

According to two Tehran sources with direct knowledge of the early reporting environment, the opening wave focused on leadership linked facilities, including areas associated with the Supreme Leader’s office, the presidency, the Ministry of Intelligence, and elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Explosions were heard across Tehran before dawn, with additional blasts reported in other major cities.

The sources characterised the operation as an effort to remove or kill senior decision makers, described as a decapitation strike, rather than a limited raid on a discrete weapons site. They said the timing, during a period of reported diplomatic contacts involving Omani mediation, suggested an effort to alter Iran’s political leadership and strategic direction.

Iranian state outlets later confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were alive, while acknowledging casualties among civilians and security personnel. Precise casualty figures remain disputed.

Washington and Jerusalem: preemptive and major combat operations

In Washington, President Donald Trump acknowledged US participation in what he called major combat operations against Iran, framing the strikes as necessary to degrade Iranian missile and nuclear capabilities and to protect regional allies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the action as preemptive and aimed at eliminating what he called an existential threat.

US and Israeli officials have not publicly detailed a full target list. Pentagon briefings indicated the use of air and naval assets and precision guided munitions. American officials emphasised that measures were taken to minimise civilian harm.

Explosions and civilian impact

Independent wire services reported explosions in central Tehran, with smoke visible above parts of the capital. Iranian media reported that residential districts were affected and that civilian facilities were damaged, including a school in the south of the country. Iranian authorities cited dozens of civilian casualties in separate locations, though those numbers have not yet been independently verified.

Airspace across parts of the Middle East was closed or restricted within hours of the initial strikes, as commercial airlines rerouted flights away from the Persian Gulf and Levant.

Iran responds: missiles toward Israel and US bases

Iran’s response began quickly. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced missile and drone launches against Israel and against US military positions in the region. Israeli air defence systems were activated over Tel Aviv and Haifa, with interceptors visible over several urban areas.

Gulf states hosting American forces, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, reported missile interceptions and temporary airspace closures. Bahrain confirmed alerts near facilities used by the US Fifth Fleet. The UAE reported one fatality attributed to falling debris following an interception. Kuwait said its air defence systems engaged incoming threats targeting a US base.

Tehran framed the retaliation as proportionate and warned that further US military involvement would expand the conflict beyond Israel to encompass all states deemed complicit.

Unclear extent of US direct involvement

A central question in the first hours of the conflict concerned the extent of US operational participation. Israeli media described the action as joint, while Iranian officials said they were assessing whether American forces had directly conducted strikes or provided intelligence and logistical support.

Iranian sources suggested that describing the attack as joint could be intended to draw Tehran into striking American targets, thereby justifying broader US engagement. US officials have confirmed participation but have not specified whether American aircraft or missiles directly hit leadership linked sites.

Negotiations and timing

The escalation occurred amid reports of ongoing diplomatic engagement over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes. Oman, which has frequently served as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, had recently signalled cautious optimism about progress in talks.

Iranian officials condemned the timing of the strike as a breach of trust and said negotiations had been active. Western governments have not publicly confirmed the exact status of those talks at the moment of the attack.

Regional and global reactions

European governments called for restraint and urged both sides to return to diplomacy. Russia condemned the strikes as an act of aggression and requested an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council. China urged de escalation and stability in global energy markets.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf governments condemned Iranian missile attacks on their territory and affirmed their right to self defence. Lebanon’s foreign ministry urged non state actors within its borders to avoid entering the conflict.

Economic stakes: Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure

The confrontation has raised immediate concerns about global energy flows. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for oil exports, saw tanker traffic slow as insurers and shipping firms reassessed risk. Iran has previously warned that direct US military action could lead to closure of the strait.

Energy analysts cautioned that even temporary disruption could elevate oil prices sharply. More serious damage to Gulf production facilities would have longer term consequences.

Competing narratives of intent

Iranian sources insist the strike aimed to kill or incapacitate senior leadership and provoke regime instability. US and Israeli officials describe it as a defensive and preemptive action to reduce imminent threats.

What is confirmed is that leadership linked areas were struck, that high level political rhetoric accompanied the operation, and that retaliation rapidly extended beyond Israel into states hosting US forces.

What remains unverified

• The full list of targets struck in Iran.
• Confirmed casualty figures across all affected locations.
• The degree of direct US targeting versus support roles.
• Whether non state allies of Iran will enter the conflict.
• Whether the Strait of Hormuz will remain open.

The immediate outlook

As of Saturday evening, exchanges were continuing. Both sides signalled readiness for further action. Iran stated that if US involvement deepens, the conflict will become regional and comprehensive. Washington and Jerusalem indicated operations may continue until strategic objectives are achieved.

The crisis now sits at a threshold. If additional strikes target leadership figures or energy infrastructure, escalation could accelerate. If back channels remain open, diplomacy may yet reassert itself. For now, the region faces its most serious confrontation in years, one that began, according to Tehran sources, with an attempt to decapitate the Iranian state, and that has already spilled across borders within hours.