US/Israeli Strikes Iran, Iran Retaliates on Israel and other Middle East Countries

February 28, 2026

13 min episode · 2 min read

Greg Myrie,Daniel Estrin,Jane Arath

Episode

13 min

Read time

2 min

AI-Generated Summary

Published Mar 1, 2026

Key Takeaways

✓Operation Scope: The US-Israeli strike, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, targets Iran's missile program, navy, and leadership — including assassination attempts on Supreme Leader Khamenei and the Iranian president — signaling a broad campaign rather than a limited surgical strike.
✓Regime Change Objective: President Trump explicitly calls on Iranian citizens to overthrow their government once strikes conclude, framing this as a generational opportunity. This marks a public shift from nuclear deterrence to active regime change as the stated US strategic goal.
✓Regional Escalation Risk: Iran declares all US and Israeli regional interests legitimate targets, launching strikes across Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar. Israel mobilizes 70,000 reservists and reinforces Lebanese and Syrian borders, anticipating Hezbollah involvement as a second front.
✓Diplomatic Collapse: Talks between the US and Iran were active just 24 hours before strikes began. Oman's mediating diplomat publicly states the attacks undermine US interests, and Iran requests an emergency UN Security Council session, though its effectiveness remains unclear.

What It Covers

The US and Israel launch Operation Epic Fury against Iran on February 28, 2026, targeting nuclear and missile infrastructure. Iran retaliates with missile strikes on Israel and attacks US interests across Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, and Jordan.

Key Questions Answered

•Operation Scope: The US-Israeli strike, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, targets Iran's missile program, navy, and leadership — including assassination attempts on Supreme Leader Khamenei and the Iranian president — signaling a broad campaign rather than a limited surgical strike.
•Regime Change Objective: President Trump explicitly calls on Iranian citizens to overthrow their government once strikes conclude, framing this as a generational opportunity. This marks a public shift from nuclear deterrence to active regime change as the stated US strategic goal.
•Regional Escalation Risk: Iran declares all US and Israeli regional interests legitimate targets, launching strikes across Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar. Israel mobilizes 70,000 reservists and reinforces Lebanese and Syrian borders, anticipating Hezbollah involvement as a second front.
•Diplomatic Collapse: Talks between the US and Iran were active just 24 hours before strikes began. Oman's mediating diplomat publicly states the attacks undermine US interests, and Iran requests an emergency UN Security Council session, though its effectiveness remains unclear.

Notable Moment

Iran reports a direct missile strike on a girls' elementary school in southern Iran, claiming over 50 students killed and another 50 trapped under rubble — the attacks began at the start of the Iranian school and work week.

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