Vessels near the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are receiving messages from the IRGC instructing them that passage through the Strait of Hormuz is prohibited.
Following the launch of an extensive US-Israeli operation on Saturday, the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Gulf states and Israel are expected to intensify. Meanwhile, Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the IRGC, reported that vessels near the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are receiving messages from the IRGC instructing them that passage through the Strait of Hormuz is prohibited.
After heavy US and Israeli strikes on the leadership and command structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reports indicate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is attempting to block the Strait of Hormuz.
After reports emerged of an attack on the Supreme Leader’s compound—his residence and office—Iranian social media users celebrated, and some people danced in the streets. (social media)
At the same time, state-affiliated media have reported that civilian casualties from Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, Minab, and several other cities have risen to nearly 100. Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s former crown prince, also described the US and Israeli attacks as a “humanitarian intervention” in a video message and, echoing Donald Trump, called on Iranians to rise up against the government “at the appropriate time.”
Videos circulating on social media show some Iranians celebrating and dancing after reports that the office and residence of Ali Khamenei, the regime’s Supreme Leader, had been targeted.
On Saturday night, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was presented with signs that Khamenei had been killed.
Iranians dance in the streets of Tehran as the US and Israel strike the Islamic Republic and IRGC forces, which many view as a terrorist regime. https://t.co/lTEbPDWJdU
— Mahdi Ghodsi (@MMGhodsi) February 28, 2026
Earlier reports had suggested Khamenei was moved to a secret location several days ago and that his whereabouts were changed again overnight.
Reuters reported that, according to a CIA assessment, if Khamenei were killed and the ruling system were to survive, a replacement could be an even harder-line figure drawn from the IRGC. In recent days, conflicting reports have circulated about the selection of a successor, amid expectations within the government that Khamenei would be a primary target of US and Israeli strikes. Some reports have suggested Mojtaba Khamenei, his son, and Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ruhollah Khomeini—the founder of the Islamic Republic—could be contenders. However, disagreements over these figures and questions about the extent of their influence within the state apparatus remain.
Israeli and US fighter jets have control of Tehran’s airspace and are freely striking their targets in the capital. This photo was taken around noon, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Tehran, near the city center. (social media)
In a televised interview with NBC, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, denied rumors that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were killed in this morning’s attacks on government buildings in the Pasteur district. However, he implicitly acknowledged that some military commanders had been killed and said all senior officials are targets. Various reports have claimed that Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and IRGC commander Mohammed Pakpour were among those killed, though domestic media in the Islamic Republic have not confirmed this.
The Telegram channel Danesh-Agahi, using geolocation, reported that the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab is located next to an IRGC military complex. (Danesh-Agahi Telegram channel)
On Saturday morning, an Israeli missile strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, southeastern Iran. According to Iranian government officials, 85 people were killed and dozens were wounded. The school is located near an IRGC military complex that includes the headquarters of the IRGC Navy’s Asef Brigade. It appears the school may have been hit during an attack on the adjacent facility, or it may have been bombed by mistake.
During the 12-day war, Israel also struck some residential areas in Iran, resulting in dozens killed and wounded. The deadliest attack was on Evin Prison—where many political prisoners are held—leaving dozens of prisoners, their families, medical staff, prison employees, and even nearby residents killed or injured.
While some have expressed joy at the targeting of the regime’s leaders and commanders, the authorities gathered their supporters at a meeting in Tehran to defend the Islamic Republic. (IRNA)
Meanwhile, reports that government and command centers in Iran had been targeted prompted some Iranians abroad to celebrate. In several cities around the world—including London—people took to the streets, marching and calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
Despite widespread internet disruption, residents with access to alternative connectivity—including Starlink—have reported massive explosions across different parts of Tehran in the early hours. Some social media users have also reported the dispersed deployment of riot police at various locations in the capital.
