U.S. and Israel Attack Iran, and the Country Retaliates: Live Updates - People.com

U.S. and Israel Attack Iran, and the Country Retaliates: Live Updates Trump announced 'Operation Epic Fury' in the early hours of Feb. 28 By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice is a Senior News Editor, Weekends for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to staff positions. Nicholas writes and edits multiple stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 28, 2026 06:06PM EST 7 Comments Donald Trump in February 2026, an explosion in Tehran on Feb. 28. Credit : Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty; AFP via Getty NEED TO KNOW The United States took military action in Iran, President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 28The move came following repeated threats from Trump's administration to intervene due to violence against anti-government protesters and claims that the Iranian government has been rebuilding its nuclear programIran has since retaliated against numerous U.S. military facilities in the Middle East The United States took "massive and ongoing" military action in Iran following repeated threats from President Donald Trump's administration to intervene due to violence against anti-government protesters and claims that the Iranian government has been rebuilding its nuclear program, and the country has since retaliated. Trump, 79, made the announcement in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 28. The U.S. and Israel carried out a "broad strike in full synchronization and coordination," according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), following months of “close and joint planning," multiple outlets, including The New York Times, NBC News and CNN reported. (The IDF confirmed the "broad & joint operation to thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time" in a post on social media pages.) A U.S. official confirmed to NBC News that Iran is retaliating against multiple U.S. military facilities across the Middle East. CNN, citing Nour News, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Iran launched “dozens” of ballistic missiles toward Israel. The IRGC said, per CNN, that the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were targeted. The areas also confirmed they had intercepted missiles from Iran, CNBC reported. The U.S. naval base in Bahrain, the U.S. base in northern Iraq and the Muwaffaq Al-Salti Air Base in Jordan were also targeted, according to CNN, which cited Iranian state media. Exact details surrounding casualties and injuries tied to the conflict are not immediately clear. Here, see all the latest updates. Trump Says Iran's Supreme Leader Was Killed in U.S.-Israel Attacks 53 minutes ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. leader.ir President Donald Trump has confirmed that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died at age 86 after the U.S. and Israel launched an assault on the country on Saturday, Feb. 28. In a post shared on Truth Social, the president wrote that Khamenei, whom he called "one of the most evil people in History," was killed amid the U.S. military and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)'s strike on Iran earlier this morning. "This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS," Trump wrote. He added: "He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country." Kristi Noem Is Monitoring Threats 5 hr 5 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post Kristi Noem in January 2026. Joe Raedle/Getty Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X that any potential threats toward the U.S. are being monitored. “I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland,” she wrote. Protests Begin Across Multiple U.S. Cities 6 hr 16 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post Multiple grassroots organizations have organized protests for cities across the U.S. in response to the attacks. Task Force Launched to Assist U.S. Citizens in the Middle East 6 hr 54 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post According to CNN, the U.S. State Department launched a task force to assist U.S. citizens in the Middle East. Israel Launches Another Round of Strikes in Iran 7 hr 4 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post The Israeli military launched another strike on Iran, The New York Times reported. They were targeting "Iranian aerial defense and missile launches," per the outlet. President Trump Not Expected to Make Further Formal Remarks 8 hr 38 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post Donald Trump in February 2026. SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty After Trump addressed the strikes in an eight-minute-long video on his Truth Social account, White House officials said, per CNN, that the president is not expected to deliver more formal public remarks on the strikes. That could change, however, the official said, according to the outlet. Various Airlines Cancel Flights 8 hr 38 min ago Copy The Link To This Blog Post An empty airplane (stock image). urbazon/Getty Various airlines have cancelled flights to the Middle East after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28. Several countries in the region have closed or partially closed their airspace, CNN reported. According to The Guardian, some airlines that have cancelled flights include British Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways and Air France, among others. Refresh for New Updates Leave a Comment Read more: Politics