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U.S. and Israel Attack Iran: Explosions in Tehran, Iranian Missiles Over Israel and Region in Flames

 

🗓️ Saturday, February 28, 2026   |   🕐 Updated: 10:45 p.m. (Argentine time)   |   ⏱️ Reading Time: 4 minutes   |   ✍️ International Editorial Team

🔴 ALERT: This note is updated in real time. The data may vary as the day progresses. Last confirmation: explosions in six Iranian cities and a sixth wave of missiles towards Israel.

 

The Middle East is experiencing its most tense night in decades. In the last few hours, Israel launched the so-called "Operation Lion's Roar" against Iranian territory with direct support from the United States, hitting military and infrastructure targets in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah. Iran responded immediately with a massive missile and drone launch that is now in its sixth wave, as the world holds its breath at the risk of a regional war.

 

⚔️ The attack: "Operation Lion's Roar"

After midnight from Friday to Saturday, Israeli warplanes crossed the airspace of several countries in the region and began a series of coordinated bombardments on Iranian territory. The operation, confirmed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, was designed to target Iran's missile and nuclear infrastructure, and had logistical, intelligence, and military support from the United States.

President Donald Trump confirmed the U.S. involvement in a video released on social media, in which he declared that the campaign aims to "destroy Iranian missiles and devastate its arms industry," and warned that the operation will last "days, not hours." Satellite images released by international media showed plumes of black smoke rising from facilities near the compound of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

 

🚀 The Iranian response: waves of missiles and drones

Hours after the start of the Israeli-American bombardments, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an official statement announcing the beginning of its counterattack: "The first wave of large-scale missile and drone attacks towards the occupied territories has begun." By Saturday night, the Israeli army was already warning of a sixth wave of projectiles, with warning sirens sounding in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other cities in the north and center of the country.

International media correspondents in the region reported that the explosions were not limited to Israeli territory: impacts were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where a missile would have hit a base with the presence of US troops. Yemen's Houthis, allies of Iran, announced for their part that they will resume their attacks on commercial sea routes and Israel in solidarity with Tehran.

 

💀 Casualties and Reported Damage

The Iranian authorities reported the death of civilians, including children, in different parts of the country. The most serious case reported so far is an attack on a school in the town of Minab, in Hormozgan province, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iran says the number of civilian casualties continues to rise and holds Israel and the United States squarely responsible. Israel, for its part, confirmed the interception of multiple projectiles by its Iron Dome missile defense system, although it did not rule out hits in residential areas.

 

🌍 International reactions

The international community was quick to speak out. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres demanded an "immediate cessation of hostilities" and called an emergency meeting of the Security Council for tonight. Spain and France demanded de-escalation and respect for international humanitarian law, while Turkey announced that it will not allow the use of its airspace for attacks.

On the operational front, Air France suspended its flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. Other European and Asian airlines announced similar measures in the face of the partial closure of regional airspace. Global oil markets operate with strong volatility: the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil exceeded 110 dollars due to fears of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil flows.

 

📌 Context: how did it get here?

The escalation between Israel and Iran has deep roots in decades of regional hostility, but it has accelerated dramatically in recent years. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, tension between Tehran and Tel Aviv has increased steadily, with attacks and counterattacks of different scales through their allies and, on some occasions, directly. The Trump administration's decision to back Israel militarily in this new level of open confrontation marks a historic turning point in U.S. foreign policy for the region.

 

 

🔎 What to watch in the next few hours • Emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (convened for tonight) • Possible diplomatic response from China and Russia, Iran's allies • Oil price developments and possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz • Official casualty in Iran and Israel • Positioning of neighboring Arab countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq)

 

Note in development • Updated with each new official confirmation

⏱️ Estimated reading time: 4 minutes • 🗓️ 28/02/2026 • International Writing