Why did the US and Israel strike Iran?

What happened and why it matters

The United States, joined by Israeli forces, launched coordinated strikes against targets in Iran in the early hours of Feb. 28. President Donald Trump described the action as a major military operation intended to “eliminate imminent threats” and framed it as a defensive move. Some reports in the hours after the strikes said Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed; other accounts and official confirmations remained inconsistent as the situation continued to unfold.

Those strikes set off immediate ripple effects across the region. Iranian forces moved to retaliate, and footage and reports emerged of missile impacts and explosions in neighboring areas — including a missile falling in Qatar and blasts seen in Dubai. The strikes also produced civilian and diplomatic fallout: celebrities and tourists in Dubai reported being caught up in the chaos, flights and public events were disrupted, and world leaders reacted with a mix of condemnation, support and calls for restraint.

Key, confirmed elements so far:

• The strikes were presented by the U.S. as preemptive moves to remove “imminent” threats.
• Iran launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases and other targets in the region.
• Explosions and missile impacts were recorded in multiple Gulf locations, and footage circulated online.

What to watch next:

• Independent, verifiable casualty and damage reports from affected areas.
• Official confirmation from Iranian authorities about leadership status and chain-of-command changes.
• Diplomatic reactions from U.S. allies and regional powers, which will shape whether this escalates or de-escalates.

The episode marks a dramatic escalation in an already tense region; immediate facts remain fluid, and the wider geopolitical consequences will depend on how Iran, the U.S., Israel and other regional actors move in the coming days.