The United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated air campaign against Iran on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and approximately 40 senior Iranian officials, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour and Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, according to an intelligence source cited by CBS. The operation, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury' by the U.S. Department of Defense, involved approximately 200 Israeli fighter jets dropping hundreds of munitions on roughly 500 targets, the Israel Defense Forces stated. The strikes went far beyond any previous attacks on Iran, according to research drawing on nine sources. The CIA gathered information about a Saturday morning meeting that would include Khamenei and senior military cadre and shared it with Israel, The New York Times reported, citing anonymous sources. CBS separately reported that the CIA shared Khamenei's location data with Israel. Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei's death, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Friday, February 28, that Khamenei had died during the attacks on his compound. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: 'Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead.' The U.S. Department of Defense says the strikes occurred on February 28, 2026, while Iranian state media reports they happened on Saturday morning, which corresponds to March 1, 2026.
Iran retaliated swiftly, launching approximately 150 ballistic missiles toward Israel, according to Israeli media. One person died and at least 20 were wounded in central Tel Aviv, Haaretz reported. An Iranian missile strike on Ramat Gan killed a man and a woman in their 70s, a Magen David Adom spokesperson said. The Revolutionary Guards reportedly launched missiles at central Israel 'in revenge'. Iran also announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments, according to research drawing on nine sources. The Pentagon told lawmakers it will likely take six months to clear mines set in the strait, a person familiar with the situation said. Panama accused Iran of violating international law by seizing a boat owned by MSC Francesca, Panama's foreign ministry stated. Iran has said it will use 'crushing' force in response, and its army chief warned of a 'decisive, deterrent, and regretful response'. An Iranian projectile landed near Australia's military base in the UAE, causing minor damage, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed.
The Lebanese government is 'very clear that they would want to keep a UN presence.'
The scale of destruction in Iran is immense. As of Monday, 787 people had been confirmed killed across Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, which also reported more than 200 killed and over 700 injured on Saturday alone. The 787 figure is cumulative as of Monday, while the 200+ figure is for Saturday only. At least 165 schoolgirls and staff were killed in a strike on a school in Minab city, according to research drawing on nine sources, while another report from Iranian state media cites at least 108 fatalities at Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab after Israeli strikes. Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian official, was killed, Iranian state media reported. A 40-day mourning period for Khamenei has been officially announced.
International reactions have been swift. President Trump lashed out at NATO and other allies who 'don't want to get involved'. The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution to require withdrawal from the conflict, 46-51, according to research drawing on nine sources. President Trump also said talks between the US and Iran could resume as early as this weekend, and they are 'very close' to a deal. The United Nations is working on options for maintaining a presence in Lebanon after the UNIFIL mandate expires, the United Nations reported. The Lebanese government wants to keep a UN presence in Lebanon, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said in a press conference, adding that 'the Lebanese government is very clear that they would want to keep a UN presence.' Any future uniformed UN presence in southern Lebanon would have to be decided by the Security Council, Lacroix noted. The Security Council has requested options for a post-UNIFIL UN presence, with recommendations due before 1 June. Any eventual UN presence would probably be smaller than UNIFIL, Lacroix said. UNIFIL's mandate is set to expire on 31 December 2026. At the end of August, under pressure from the US and Israel, the Security Council decided to schedule UNIFIL's withdrawal for 2027. UNIFIL is primarily tasked with supporting humanitarian work but can also deploy forces to ensure its area is not used for hostile actions. Beirut wants to keep UN capacities such as monitoring, reporting, observing and liaising, Lacroix said. A durable solution must take into account the security needs of Lebanon and Israel, he added. The UN Security Council adopted resolution 2790 unanimously on 28 August 2025, which extends UNIFIL's mandate for a final time until 31 December 2026, with drawdown and withdrawal throughout 2027, according to research drawing on two sources. UNIFIL was established on 19 March 1978 by UNSC Resolutions 425 and 426. Israel hailed the termination of UNIFIL and urged the Lebanese government to exert authority, Israel's envoy Danny Danon stated. The US envoy noted UNIFIL was explicitly meant to be 'interim' and the security situation in Lebanon is 'radically different', US envoy Dorothy Shea said.
Any future uniformed UN presence in southern Lebanon would have to be decided upon by the Security Council in New York.
Lebanon was drawn into the war on 2 March when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Khamenei, according to major media reports. A 10-day ceasefire has been in effect in Lebanon since Friday, pausing the war between Israel and Hezbollah that has left more than 2,400 dead in Lebanon. There has been a relative ceasefire for the past few days, allowing UNIFIL to intensify activities, Lacroix said. UNIFIL is ready to support the Lebanese army and government in disarmament of armed groups, but this will be difficult due to Hezbollah resistance and Lebanese army limitations, Lacroix stated. Israel and Lebanon were to hold a second round of talks in Washington on Thursday, during which Beirut will request a one-month extension of the ceasefire. Six people were killed and 24 injured in Israeli strikes on central Beirut, Lebanon's Health Ministry reported. At least five people, including three children, were killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza, Shifa hospital reported. Israeli attacks have killed more than 780 people since the ceasefire six months ago, Gaza's Health Ministry said.
UNIFIL has lost five troops in recent days: two French nationals and three Indonesians, according to major media reports. UNIFIL is composed of 8,253 personnel from 48 nations. The current status of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon remains uncertain, and it is unclear whether the UN Security Council will approve a new UN presence in Lebanon after UNIFIL's mandate expires.
The Security Council has requested options for a possible post-UNIFIL United Nations presence, and 'we must present these recommendations...before 1 June.'
Any eventual presence would probably be smaller than UNIFIL.
There were 'a number of capacities....which we have been providing' that Beirut would want to keep, such as monitoring, reporting, observing and liaising.
A durable solution to the problem will have to take into account the security needs of Lebanon and of Israel.
On the ground, 'there has been a relative ceasefire for the past few days, but nonetheless a lull' which has allowed UNIFIL to 'intensify' its activities in certain areas, including support for civilian populations.
UNIFIL 'is ready to do more to support the Lebanese army and the Lebanese government in any actions they may undertake to advance the disarmament process of armed groups,' Lacroix stated, while stressing that 'this will be difficult' due to 'resistance from Hezbollah' and the 'limitations of the Lebanese army's capabilities.'
Iran has said it will use 'crushing' force in response.
President Trump lashed out at NATO and other allies who 'don’t want to get involved'.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: 'Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead.'
Israeli PM Netanyahu declared that Khamenei had died during the attacks on his compound.
Israel hailed the termination of UNIFIL and urged the Lebanese government to exert authority.
The US envoy noted UNIFIL was explicitly meant to be 'interim' and the security situation in Lebanon is 'radically different'.
President Trump said talks between the US and Iran could resume as early as this weekend, and they are 'very close' to a deal.