Tipsheet

Here's What We Know About the Iranian Strikes So Far

Joseph Chalfant
Joseph Chalfant  |  February 28, 2026 9:30 AM

The United States and Israel have announced that they have conducted targeted strikes against Iranian leadership to promote regime change in the Persian state in a military operation that is expected to last up to a week.

The Israelis have assessed that the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed or injured in the strikes, along with numerous others in the regime’s leadership. The Iranians have disputed this, with the Iranian Foreign Minister claiming that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are still alive.

What evidently remains of the Iranian military has struck back against Israel and the United States, with U.S. officials claiming that they’ve had limited effectiveness. According to European military organizations, Iranian regional partners have announced their intention to join the attempted counterattack. Israeli air assets have responded by striking Iran’s missile capabilities. Israeli sources have reported that over 200 combat aircraft conducted strikes on more than 500 Iranian positions. A report from 2024 indicates that Israel currently operates 605 total aircraft, with 272 serving in combat roles.

The United States reportedly deployed “one-way attack drones” often referred to as “suicide drones” for the first time during the operation. These types of drones have been extensively used by both sides in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Iran is the producer of the Russian-deployed “Shahed” drone, which Russia has reportedly helped the Iranians improve after their widespread use.

Regional partners and long-time allies of the United States have reiterated their support should the United States call for their assistance, with President Emanuel Macron of France saying that the “massacres perpetrated by the Islamic regime disqualify it.”

The Trump administration has indicated that this will be a multi-day operation.