Key Points
- Joint operations, named “Epic Fury” by the U.S. and “Shield of Judah” by Israel, commenced early Saturday, February 28, 2026.
- At least seven missiles reportedly struck the “Beit-e Rahbari” compound, the fortified residence and office of the Supreme Leader in Tehran.
- Satellite imagery from China’s MizarVision and Airbus confirms extensive damage and thick smoke at the Supreme Leader’s compound.
- President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued statements urging the Iranian people to “seize control of their destiny.”
- Reports indicate that Ayatollah Khamenei was evacuated to an underground bunker before the attack and is currently safe.
- Iran has initiated a large-scale retaliatory strike, “Truthful Promise 4,” targeting Israel and U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE.
In a dramatic and unprecedented escalation on Saturday, February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel transitioned from regional containment to direct strikes on the heart of the Iranian leadership. This joint operation, characterized by daylight precision strikes, targeted the most sensitive political and military nodes in Tehran. While official communications emphasized the neutralization of “imminent nuclear and missile threats,” the rhetoric from Washington and Jerusalem suggested a broader objective.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a video announcing the start of “major combat operations,” made an extraordinary appeal directly to the Iranian public. “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump declared, echoing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s sentiment that the operation would “create the conditions” for the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.
The Strike on the Supreme Leader’s Compound
The focal point of the morning’s assault was the highly fortified compound of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Eyewitnesses in the Jomhouri and Pasteur districts of Tehran reported deafening explosions as at least seven missiles impacted the area.
Confirmation of the strike’s accuracy came from high-resolution satellite imagery. Images released by the Chinese company MizarVision, as well as Airbus Defence and Space, showed collapsed structures and a large plume of black smoke rising from the “Beit-e Rahbari.” This complex serves as both the primary residence of the Ayatollah and the administrative center for the Assembly of Experts.
Where is Ayatollah Khamenei?
Despite the precision of the strikes, the primary target appears to have eluded the initial wave. Sources close to the Iranian government told Reuters that Khamenei was moved to a secure, undisclosed location, likely an underground bunker, several days before the attack was launched.
Similarly, while the residence of President Masoud Pezeshkian and the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were also hit, Iranian state media claimed the President remained “safe and sound.” However, the fate of several senior military commanders and political officials remains uncertain as the IRGC Intelligence Directorate was reportedly a major target in the first wave.
Regional Retaliation and Global Fallout
The strikes have plunged the Middle East into a state of total war. Within hours of the explosions in Tehran, Iran’s IRGC announced the commencement of “Truthful Promise 4,” a wide-ranging counter-offensive. Waves of ballistic missiles and drones were launched toward northern Israel, while Iranian forces also targeted U.S. military installations, including the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
As of Saturday evening, February 28, Israel remains under a nationwide state of emergency, with all schools and non-essential businesses closed. The international community, led by China and Russia, has condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty, while the U.S. and Israel maintain that the operation was a necessary preemptive step following the collapse of nuclear negotiations in Geneva.
