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Israelis awoke Saturday to the news that Operation “Roaring Lion” had begun, with joint American-Israeli strikes targeting military sites inside Iran. Within hours, satellite images circulated in Israeli media appearing to show damage to a compound associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly struck in the opening wave.
Air raid alerts were activated across parts of the country as Iran launched missile barrages in response. According to an Israeli military official speaking on background the incoming fire amounted to “more in the dozens” per round, though no significant impacts had been reported at the time of the briefing. Home Front Command urged civilians to follow updated safety instructions and avoid sharing real-time locations of missile strikes.
In a speech on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump condemned Tehran’s role in regional instability, saying, “From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq. The regime has armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts. And it was Iran’s proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage. It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.”
He added, “Iran is the world’s number-one state sponsor of terror… It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, warning that “in the coming days we will be required to show resilience.” His remarks reflected a broader message from Israeli leadership framing the operation as necessary and potentially prolonged.
Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Israeli officials said the goal of the campaign is “to thoroughly degrade the Iranian regime’s capabilities and remove existential threats to the State of Israel.” The military cited renewed Iranian efforts to advance ballistic missile production and conceal elements of its nuclear program as justification for the timing of the strike.
Israeli assessments, according to local reports, indicate that Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei and a key figure linked to Iran’s nuclear program, was likely killed in the operation. The military has not formally confirmed specific individuals targeted, saying assessments are ongoing.
US JOINS ISRAEL IN PREEMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAN AS TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS’
Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv transfers patients to underground fortified facilities after the launch of the campaign against Iran. (Gideon Markowicz/TPS-IL)
The Israeli National Security Council issued a warning to Israelis abroad, urging them to take heightened precautions in all destinations and remain alert to potential threats against Israeli and Jewish targets overseas.
Inside Israel, the reaction combined tension with discipline. Schools in some areas shifted to remote learning, reservists received draft orders, and families checked that protected rooms were stocked. The military said approximately 70,000 reservists were being called up, largely for aerial defense, Home Front Command duties and border reinforcement.
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An interception is visible in the sky over Haifa during the latest barrage. (Anthony Hershko/TPS-IL)
Officials said forces are deployed across all borders in preparation for possible escalation involving Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and others. While leaders stressed that the targets are military and not civilian, they acknowledged that the coming days could test the country’s endurance.
For now, Israelis are watching closely as developments unfold, bracing for further retaliation while leaders signal that the campaign will continue “as long as necessary.”
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