On the morning of February 28, 2026, Israel and the United States launched a pre-emptive war against Iran. According to official Israeli statements, the operation, codenamed “Epic Fury,” was presented as an operation designed to “remove existential threats” and to address missile and drone capabilities and aspects related to the regime’s nuclear infrastructure and security mechanisms. According to IDF and American statements, this was a jointly coordinated operation.

The wave of attacks began in Tehran and focused on key government centers, including the presidential palace, the intelligence and defense ministries, and the presidential residence, along with other symbols of power in the city’s government area. As part of the attacks, targeted assassinations were reported, including the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani – Khamenei’s advisor, commander of the Revolutionary Guards, the defense minister and head of the military industry, as well as the head of Khamenei’s military bureau. In the attack on the intelligence ministry, department heads and senior officials responsible for terrorist activity were also assassinated.

Later in the day, Israel and the US carried out strikes against targets in Tehran, Mehrabad, Tabriz, Qom, Kermanshah, Bandar Abbas and Isfahan. According to an IDF spokesman, some 200 Air Force aircraft dropped more than 550 munitions on over 500 Iranian targets, including air defense systems and missile launchers. In addition, during the day, widespread disruptions were reported in Iran in light of cyber-attacks. In addition, the Iranian regime shut down the internet immediately after the attacks began. Reports also emerged that Israel had attacked military installations in Iraq. In the hours after the first wave of attacks, Iran began responding and launched missiles and drones at Israel, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan.

The Significance of the Elimination of Ali Khamenei

According to official reports in Israel, Ali Khamenei was killed in a targeted assassination on February 28, 2026, along with members of Iran’s senior political and operational echelons. Although the implications of a hit at this level cannot yet be fully assessed, it can be estimated that this is a profound shock to the decision-making mechanisms in Tehran, which could affect how the escalation during the current conflict is managed.

The resistance axis has not yet responded broadly, even after an official announcement from Israel. It is possible that allies and organizations supported by Iran, such as the Houthis, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and Hezbollah, will later try to increase their activity as an expression of solidarity with the regime or as a deterrent against Israeli-American actions. At the same time, the question of succession in Iran, if it does develop, remains complex and under escalation. In this context, the Revolutionary Guards and the army hold significant weight, which may allow for a degree of political and functional continuity for the regime, at least in the short term.

Iran’s Official Response

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the American-Israeli attack on an elementary school in southern Iran, in which dozens of female students were killed.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran will continue to exercise its inherent and legal right to self-defence until the ongoing aggression by the United States and Israel is stopped “completely and unequivocally.” He also claims that Iran’s armed forces are fully prepared to deal with any aggression against the country and will teach the aggressors a lesson they deserve. Furthermore, he called on regional countries to act against the renewed American-Israeli aggression against Iran, warning that the forced war is not only against the Iranian nation but against the entire region.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the start of what it described as the first phase of Operation “Truth Promise 4,” stating that the operation was launched in response to American and Israeli actions against Iran. According to the statement, the operation includes large-scale missile and drone strikes carried out by Iranian armed forces against what it described as regional targets linked to the rival side. The Revolutionary Guards stated that missiles and drones targeted the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, as well as US military bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The statement also claims that military and security sites in the occupied territories were attacked, and, broadly, missile and drone operations are ongoing, and more details will be released at a later stage.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says that the joint aggression of the US and Israel against Iran, in the midst of diplomacy, has proven once again that for them peace is an “existential threat.”

Resistance Axis Responses

Hezbollah – issued a statement condemning what it described as American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that the attack followed months of threats aimed at forcing Iran to surrender and depriving it of what the organization called its legitimate rights, including peaceful nuclear development and defense capabilities. According to the statement, Hezbollah characterized the attack as a violation of international law and the UN Charter and described it as part of broader efforts by the United States and Israel to destabilize the region and impose domination and control. The organization argued that recent events show that the conflict is not focused on Iran’s nuclear program, but on opposing the existence of a strong and sovereign State in the region, which maintains independent decision-making, develops its own capabilities and opposes American and Israeli influence. It argued that such States interfere with regional plans based on weakness and dependence. Hezbollah stated that the aggression would only increase Iran’s resilience and determination, describing Iran as a country that has withstood decades of pressure and which cannot be forced to surrender due to popular unity and national determination. The statement concludes with Hezbollah’s declaration of full solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people, calling on the countries and populations of the region to recognize what it described as the danger of the current escalation, and expressing confidence that the United States and Israel will ultimately fail to achieve their goals.

Hamas has issued a statement strongly condemning what it described as aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to the statement, the movement claims that Israeli-American actions pose a direct threat to the entire region, and presents them as an attack on regional security, stability and sovereignty. In their view, the statement affirms Hamas’s solidarity with Iran in confronting the aggression and calls on Arab and Islamic countries to unite in resistance. Hamas claims that the escalation aims to reshape the region in accordance with Israeli ambitions, which it links to the concept of “Greater Israel,” at the expense of Arab and Islamic lands.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has issued a statement in response to what it describes as a Zionist-American attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, linking it to the broader regional escalation since the Gaza war. In the statement, it blames Israel, which is supported by the United States, and claims that the attack on Iran is motivated by Tehran’s support for Palestine and its opposition to Israel. The statement declares solidarity with Iran and its population, expresses condolences for the victims, and praises Iran’s military response, dubbed “Operation True Promise 4.” It claims that Israel will fail to weaken Iran, just as it claims that Israel has failed to defeat the resistance forces in Gaza. Al-Qassam frames the conflict as an attack on the broader Islamic nation and calls on people across the region to oppose Israeli and American policies. Furthermore, they warn that Iran’s weakening will expose other countries to future attacks and claim that current events are part of a broader regional struggle centered on Palestine. The statement concludes by claiming that the conflict will continue until the end of Israel’s presence in Palestine.

Ansar Allah (Houthis) – The Ansar Allah political bureau issued a statement condemning what it described as American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, calling it a blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty. The statement affirms the Yemeni people’s solidarity with the Iranian people, as well as with the leadership, armed forces and government of Iran. According to the statement, the attack is related to Iran’s principled position in supporting the Palestinian cause. It warns that those who believe that the target is limited to Iran alone are mistaken, and claims that what it describes as an American-Zionist escalation extends beyond Iran’s borders and threatens the wider region. The statement further claims that the aggression is aimed at reshaping the region under the so-called “new Middle East.” It claims that these actions will not deter Iran or break its will and emphasizes that the Islamic Republic will continue to present itself as a model of strength, determination, and steadfastness. The organization’s leader, al-Houthi, later gave a speech and claimed that what he described as American-Israeli aggression against Iran was intended to serve a broad Zionist vision and establish a “Greater Israel.” According to him, this was a criminal attack against a Muslim country and its citizens, including damage to civilian sites. He praised Iran’s leadership, the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iranian army, justified the response actions against Israeli targets and American bases, and presented the conflict as a struggle of the Islamic nation. Al-Houthi declared Yemen’s full solidarity with Iran and called for unity, demonstrations, and a media-based struggle.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq – Saraya Uliya al-Dam announced that it had raised its level of preparedness following what it described as American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a statement, the group said it was prepared to carry out operations in support of Iran and stated that US military sites in Iraq and elsewhere were considered legitimate targets, according to its position. The group warned that the current escalation would not end soon and described the conflict as part of a broader regional struggle. It also pledged allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and described its position in religious and ideological terms, linking it to the ongoing Ramadan period.

Significance of the Resistance Axis Statements:

The main narrative promoted by the resistance axis organizations presents the events as an American-Israeli aggression initiated against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which does not stem from the nuclear issue but from Iran’s opposition to a regional order based on weakness, dependence, and Western-Israeli hegemony. According to this view, this is a principled struggle against a sovereign, strong state with the ability to make independent decisions, whose support for Palestine and opposition to Israel position it as a major obstacle to what is defined as the project of the “New Middle East” or “Greater Israel.” The conflict is framed as part of a comprehensive regional struggle, connecting the fighting in Gaza, developments in Iran, and the broader struggle for the region’s identity. Iran is presented as a pillar of the Islamic nation, and harming it is described as a threat that goes beyond its borders and is directed against all the countries in the region.

In terms of operational and awareness, the organizations emphasize full solidarity with Iran, declare a willingness to increase activity, and even define American and Israeli targets as legitimate, while conveying a deterrent message that escalation will not weaken Iran but will strengthen its resilience and determination. At the same time, the importance of public mobilization, protest, and media struggle is emphasized, as part of a perception of a continuous conflict that is expected to continue until a fundamental change in the regional balance of power, primarily the Palestinian issue. However, in practice, they have not yet taken an active part in the war.

Pro-Iranian hacker groups stand by Iran:

The expansion and escalation of the pro-Iranian cyber arena is evident as an integral part of the regional conflict. Hacker groups affiliated with Iran no longer operate solely as tactically independent entities but openly present themselves as a complementary arm of the resistance axis, aligning narratively, ideologically, and cognitively with the military and political struggle against the United States and Israel.

The activity is characterized by a combination of public threats, psychological warfare, and disruptive cyber operations, primarily targeting Western and Israeli targets, with an emphasis on sensitive civilian and economic infrastructure. Even when some of the claims are unverified, the very publication is intended to project capability, create deterrence, and increase a sense of vulnerability among the adversary, while encouraging internal defense in camps perceived as possible targets. At the same time, there is increasing coordination between pro-Iranian cyber groups from various countries (Iran, Iraq, and others), and the presentation of cyber as a permanent and ongoing front. This trend indicates the active joining of hacker groups identified with Iran in the current conflict.

Reactions from Iranian Opposition Figures:

Exiled Crown Prince Reza Shah Pahlavi – made a speech calling on the citizens of Iran to maintain temporary calm, prepare for the final stage in overthrowing the Islamic Republic with the help of international assistance, and unite to restore Iran to its people.