U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliation have pushed the region into a fast-moving confrontation on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with attacks reported in Iran, Israel, and across Gulf states that host U.S. forces. Israel said it carried out a pre-emptive attack against Iran early Saturday, with explosions reported in Tehran and nationwide emergency measures in Israel, including closures and warnings of incoming missile and drone fire.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said the United States had begun what he called major combat operations in Iran under an operation name he used publicly, describing strikes aimed at Iranian missile systems and naval forces and warning that U.S. casualties were possible.
Within hours, Iranian retaliation was reported across multiple Gulf capitals and in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, an area that includes a major U.S. naval presence. Regional governments and media reports described missile impacts or interceptions and at least one reported death in the United Arab Emirates linked to falling debris.
Energy and aviation disruption followed quickly. Israel’s Energy Ministry ordered parts of the country’s offshore natural gas production temporarily shut, including the Leviathan field and production tied to other Israeli fields, citing the security situation.
Diplomatically, calls for an emergency U.N. Security Council session emerged as governments warned the escalation could spiral. Russia publicly condemned the strikes and urged urgent U.N. action, while European leaders also pressed for U.N. engagement. The clash is also intersecting with scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program. A U.N. nuclear watchdog report issued Friday pressed Iran for broader access and flagged concerns tied to sites including Isfahan, as the wider crisis deepened
