A senior adviser to Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani, and several Revolutionary Guard commanders were killed in US-Israeli strikes as Iran retaliated with missile attacks across Israel and Persian Gulf states, marking a sharp escalation in the regional conflict.
Summary
- Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, was killed during Saturday’s attacks.
- Several senior Revolutionary Guards commanders and political officials were killed in US-Israeli strikes, a source close to the Iranian establishment told Reuters.
- Iran launched missile attacks toward Israel and across Persian Gulf states, with Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar reporting interceptions; one person was killed in Abu Dhabi.
- The Pentagon named its mission “Operation Epic Fury,” while Israel dubbed its campaign “Lion’s Roar” and called up thousands of reservists.
- Trump said the US had begun “major combat operations,” Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise against clerical rule, and Iran’s leadership vowed a “crushing response” while warning strikes could continue.
- Blasts were reported in Tehran, Tabriz, Qom, Karaj, Khorramabad, Kermanshah, Ilam and other cities. Iran’s Supreme Leader’s office in Tehran was targeted, and Iran closed its airspace for six hours.
A senior Israeli official issued a statement to ABC News on the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, stating that "we will continue to hit them until this terror regime is stopped." ABC News' Martha Raddatz has more on the country's response. https://t.co/iM0sET3BBd pic.twitter.com/c5Y3KhGhyS
— ABC News (@ABC) February 28, 2026