In a televised address Saturday, President Donald Trump said the United States had launched “major combat operations” against Iran, describing the strikes as necessary to eliminate what he called “imminent threats” to the United States, its forces overseas, and its allies. The Pentagon has named the mission “Operation Epic Fury.”
The president also addressed Iranians directly on Truth Social, declaring “The hour of your freedom is at hand. … When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.” He urged Iranian citizens to take shelter amid the extensive bombardment campaign.
Calling Iran “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” President Trump reiterated in his television address that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons had been a central goal of his administration. He explained that US strikes last year destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities and accused Tehran of attempting to rebuild its program while continuing to develop long-range missiles capable of threatening US forces, allies, and potentially the American homeland.
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that Operation “True Promise 4” was launched in response to “American-Zionist aggression against Iranian territory.” It claimed a missile and drone attack on the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain as well as on American military bases in Qatar and UAE “in addition to military and security centers in the heart of Israel.”
A building in Tirat Carmel was hit by an Iranian missile, wounding one person, Ynet reported. A man was mildly injured by shrapnel or interception debris in Umm al-Fahm. There was also a large amount of shrapnel in Kafr Manda in the lower Galilee. No injuries were reported.
Sirens were heard in the UAE and Bahrain, one man was reported killed in Abu Dhabi.
The Israel Defense Forces released footage showing strikes on Iranian missile launchers in western Iran, saying hundreds of Iranian military targets in the area, including launchers, were hit.
The IDF publishes footage showing its strikes against Iranian missile launchers in western Iran this morning. pic.twitter.com/aZyRfo9aWj
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 28, 2026
An Iranian source close to the regime told Reuters that senior IRGC commanders and political figures were killed during the joint US-Israel operation. An Israeli official said the strikes targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as other senior regime and military figures. The outcome of the strikes was not immediately clear.
