Iran's Military Leadership Eliminated Completely in One Day

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during a large-scale US-Israeli military operation that struck his residence and multiple high-level targets, an event that immediately triggered Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Middle East.

30 Bombs on the Residence, Top Commanders Eliminated

President Donald Trump first confirmed Khamenei's death, and Tehran later acknowledged it officially. According to The Wall Street Journal, American and Israeli forces dropped 30 bombs on the Supreme Leader's residence. The newspaper, along with The New York Times, reported that Khamenei had been meeting senior officials at the palace when the strike occurred. Intelligence reportedly provided by the Central Intelligence Agency enabled precise targeting.

The Iranian news agency Fars reported that Chief of the General Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh were also killed in the strike.

President Masoud Pezeshkian called the killing of Khamenei a "terrible crime” and vowed revenge. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that it would not allow "sirens to fall silent” in Israel or at US bases and promised an even more powerful attack on enemy targets.

"We will not allow silence on the territory of Israel and at American bases. A stronger strike is coming,” the Guard Corps stated.

Trump warned Tehran against launching another "major blow,” cautioning that if Iran escalates, American forces will strike "with a force the world has never seen.”

Israel Expands Air Campaign Across Iran

The Israel Defense Forces announced a new wave of strikes on the evening of February 28, targeting missile launchers and air defense systems in central Iran.

"The Israel Defense Forces have begun an additional wave of strikes against missile launchers and air defense systems of the Iranian terrorist regime in central Iran,” the IDF said.

Israeli officials reported approximately 500 targets attacked nationwide. Among them was Bushehr, home to Iran's operational nuclear power plant. Authorities did not disclose the consequences of that strike.

The offensive began early February 28, with explosions reported in Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, and Kermanshah province. Dozens of facilities across the country were hit.

Iran Retaliates Across Israel and the Gulf

In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at multiple regional targets. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it attacked a US naval base in Kuwait with four ballistic missiles and 12 drones, targeting two warships and the base itself.

Missiles also struck central Tel Aviv, killing one local resident and injuring 22 others, according to Israeli police. Emergency crews continued clearing debris and searching for individuals trapped under rubble.

In the United Arab Emirates, air defenses intercepted 132 missiles and 195 drones, according to the country's Ministry of Defense. An Iranian drone struck Dubai International Airport, prompting evacuation procedures. Video footage showed passengers leaving the airport in an orderly manner.

Another drone hit the 60-story Burj Al Arab hotel tower in Dubai, igniting a fiberglass structural beam between the first and sixth floors. A separate fire broke out near Jebel Ali, one of Dubai's largest ports, around 2 a. m., according to eyewitness accounts.

Explosions also echoed in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, where US military bases operate.

Air Travel Disrupted Across the Gulf

The Association of Tour Operators reported that more than 700 flights were canceled across Gulf states following the outbreak of hostilities. Several flights remained listed in schedules with "no information” status as airlines reassessed security conditions.

The unfolding confrontation marks one of the most significant military escalations in the region's recent history, with leadership losses, strategic strikes, and retaliatory barrages reshaping the security landscape in real time.