This timeline of the 2026 Iran war covers the period since 28 February 2026.
February
27 February United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee emails embassy staff that if they want to leave, they should "do so TODAY". 20:38 UTC – US president Donald Trump gives the order to proceed with Operation Epic Fury.
28 February Israeli–US strikes
At 06:35 UTC, CENTCOM announced that it "and partner forces" had begun airstrikes against Iran. According to Business Insider, citing a US official, US warships launched Tomahawk missiles, the US Army used HIMARS launchers, and other undisclosed long-range standoff weapons were also used. The US military stated that it used B-2 stealth bombers, as well as B-1 Lancers and B-52 Stratofortresses, to strike fortified ballistic missile facilities inside Iran. At about 06:45 UTC, the Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes that targeted senior Iranian officials. Analysts and news agencies, including Reuters and CNN, described the operation as a 'decapitation strike' or 'leadership-decapitation operation' aimed at the country's top leadership. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several high officials (attending three meetings at his residential compound) were killed, as were members of his family. According to a statement issued by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the targets of the strikes included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command-and-control facilities, Iranian air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
The Fars News Agency and CNN reported more explosions across other cities in Iran, including Qom, Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Karaj. In Tehran, missile strikes were reported to have occurred on University Street, in the Jomhouri area, and in the northern Seyed Khandan area. At 07:15 UTC, The Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, was struck by a missile. Iranian media reported 180 killed. A sports hall in Lamerd was bombed during a girls' practice, killing at least 18 civilians, according to witnesses and Iranian state media. The IRGC reported that the port city of Bushehr had also been struck; however, it was unclear whether the nuclear reactor had sustained any damage. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the UN nuclear watchdog chief stated that no evidence has been found that nuclear facilities have been hit from these attacks.
Israel warned Iranian civilians residing near military industries and infrastructure to evacuate immediately, stating "Your presence in these areas puts your life at risk." According to U.S. Central Command, the operation marked the first combat use of low-cost one-way attack drones based on the Iranian Shahed 136 design. According to Israeli military sources, the attacks involved approximately 200 fighter jets—which they described as the largest combat sortie in Israel's history—and included the use of the newly developed Black Sparrow air-launched ballistic missile, fired from F-15s. A spokesperson for the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces says that two of its fighters had been killed while three more had been injured during strikes in Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad.
Iranian strikes Beginning at 09:05 UTC, Iran launched ballistic missiles towards Israel and several Gulf states in retaliation to the American and Israeli strikes. At 09:26 UTC, a missile struck the USN Fifth Fleet service center in Bahrain. At 10:15 UTC, missile strikes were confirmed in Israel. The IDF estimated that about 170 ballistic missiles had been launched by Iran. Strikes were reported in Haifa and Tel Aviv. A strike on a residential area in Tel Aviv killed a civilian woman in her forties and injured 27 others.
The IRGC said that Iran had targeted four US bases in the Middle East: Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar; Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait (which also hosted Italian soldiers); Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE; and the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Bahrain activated air-raid sirens to warn of an Iranian attack on US military bases within the nation, with Arabic media saying explosions and smoke were seen in the capital, Manama. Explosions were reported at Kuwait International Airport and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. There were missile and drone attacks on Kuwait. Saudi Arabia confirmed that there had been Iranian attacks on Riyadh and Eastern Province. It claimed to have successfully intercepted Iranian attacks aimed at those areas and said that the Kingdom will "take all necessary measures" to defend itself, "including the option of responding to aggression". Residential areas of Dubai in the proximity of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Marina and the Dubai Palm were hit by strikes, setting the Fairmont The Palm hotel on fire and causing four injuries; a residential building on the outskirts of Doha was also hit. Local sources said Iran used Shahed drones, which are among the weapons most used by Iran and its proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah. The UAE said that it had intercepted a "new wave" of Iranian missiles and that "fragments from the interceptions" had fallen in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, causing damage to Burj Al Arab. Strikes on Kuwait International Airport caused several undefined injuries. In Bahrain, during the evening a tower in a residential area was reported to be hit by an Iranian drone.The UAE stated that it had successfully intercepted a number of Iranian missiles and that one Asian national had been killed by interceptor debris which had fallen on a residential area. Qatar says that it had intercepted at least two waves of missile attacks, stating that no casualties or property damage had been reported.
In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Iranian aerial attacks targeted infrastructure hosting US military and civilian personnel, including Erbil International Airport and the US Consulate General in Erbil. According to local media reports, most missiles and drones were intercepted.
Jordan said that its military had shot down two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting its territory and that it had handled 54 reports of falling debris that caused material damage but no casualties.
Other developments Israel also conducted coordinated cyberattacks on Iranian infrastructure, media, and phone apps with messages calling on Iranians to rise up against their government. The popular BadeSaba Calendar prayer app, with over 5 million downloads, was compromised in the attack, being hacked early that morning to broadcast push notifications in Persian urging military personnel and citizens to defect, lay down weapons, and join opposition forces with messages such as "Help has arrived" and "It's time for reckoning."
Israel declared a state of emergency, citing expectation of an Iranian attack. Sirens blared in Israel as the government warned its citizens to remain in protected areas. The Israeli Ministry of Health moved its hospital operations underground. Israel called up 20,000 reservists in addition to the 50,000 already on duty.
After the missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, its foreign ministry summoned Mohammad Toutounchi, Iran's ambassador in Kuwait.
During the American-Israeli attacks on a primary school in Minab (Iran), 6 of the killed ones were gymnasts, including: Reza Habashi, Arina Arabkish, Atena Ahmadzadeh, Makan Nasiri, and Araz Ahmadizadeh.شهادت ۶ ژیمناست در حمله به مدرسه «شجره طیبه» میناب (i.e.: 6 gymnasts killed in attack on Shajra Tayyiba school in Minab) Retrieved 13 April 2026
March
1 March US–Israeli attacks in Iran HRANA reported 72 strikes in 20 provinces, and at least 6 civilians killed and 4 injured. Targets hit included 15 military or security bases and facilities, 7 pieces of civilian infrastructure, 5 hospitals and emergency bases and two residential/educational facilities. Israel executed another wave of strikes against Iran, aiming at central Tehran. The USAF flew B-2 bombers to attack hardened ballistic missile facilities with 2,000 pound bombs. USN F/A-18s and USMC F-35s, aided by Tomahawk missiles were also employed along with Lucas drones. CENTCOM declared that it was instructed to "dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus." CENTCOM declared that it was instructed to "dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus." Israel and the United States launched strikes against targets in Tehran, Sanandaj, and military and strategic locations including command centers and missile sites. The Israel Defense Forces says that it bombed an F-4 and an F-5 fighter jet preparing to take off from a runway, and the HQ-9B system around Tehran was inactivated. The Tehran Revolutionary Court was bombed and destroyed. Explosions are also reported near the Azadi Stadium, Azadi Square, and Milad Tower. The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported explosions near hospitals in Tehran, as well as near its Peace Building. The IDF declared that it had levelled Iran's internal security services' Thar-Allah Headquarters. Mohammad Baseri, an official in the ministry of intelligence, and Gholamreza Rezaian, the head of the intelligence department of FARAJA police, were both killed in strikes on Iran. At least 5 people were killed by strikes on residential areas in the Absardar region.
Iranian attacks Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israel, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Iran claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. The IRGC claimed that it struck with four missiles, which was later denied by a US official. On 1 or 2 March, Iran struck the radar bases for US THAAD missile defense systems in Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, destroying at least one of them.
An Iranian missile breached Israeli defences and hit a synagogue and homes in Beit Shemesh, killing nine people and injuring 65. Towards the end of the day, an Iranian ballistic missile hit an area of Jerusalem, causing property damage in the surrounding road, damaging a civilian vehicle and wounding six people.
Missiles from Iran were fired at Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. An Iranian drone hit the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama, Bahrain, causing a fire. Witnesses saw smoke from missile intercepts over Dubai and dark plumes rising from the Port of Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. In Abu Dhabi a drone was intercepted near the Etihad Towers complex, near the Israeli embassy. Upon being intercepted its debris damaged the towers and caused minor injuries to a woman and her child. The French naval base Camp de la Paix was reportedly struck by Iran. Two Iranian drones targeted a warehouse at Al-Salam Naval Base causing a fire in two containers storing general materials. Around 02:30 UTC, an Amazon Web Services data center within the UAE was "impacted by objects that struck" it, resulting in "sparks and fire". Reuters reported that this resulted in a complete power cut and shutdown of the center with the involvement of local fire department crews, leading to a temporary connectivity outage of the availability zone impacted.
During drone operations in the Strait of Hormuz, the port of Duqm in Oman was reportedly hit by two drones, injuring one expatriate worker. Oman's Maritime Security Centre confirmed that an oil tanker which was Palau-flagged, named Skylight, had been targeted north of the port of Khasab, causing four injuries amongst the Indian-Iranian crew present on the vessel. The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD VYOM was damaged after being struck off the coast of Oman, killing one crew member. As a result of the conflict and higher risk to ships, 150 freight ships, including many oil tankers, stalled behind the strait.
Iranian attacks killed one person and injured 32 in Kuwait.
UK military officials said an RAF Typhoon shot down an Iranian drone bound for Qatari airspace. At about 22:00 UTC: a series of loud blasts were recorded in Doha, and continued to be heard hours later.