US-Israeli strikes hit Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, and Karaj under Operation Epic Fury.
Iran, a nation of approximately 88 million people, is under sustained military assault by US and Israeli forces as part of Operation Epic Fury. Strikes have targeted key military installations including IRGC command headquarters in Tehran, the Khatam al-Anbiya air defense network, ballistic missile production facilities in Karaj, and sites associated with Iran's nuclear enrichment program in Isfahan and Qom. Iran's air defense systems, including the Russian-supplied S-300 and domestically produced Bavar-373, have been engaged but appear to have been degraded by the initial waves of strikes.
Iran maintains one of the largest militaries in the Middle East with an estimated 610,000 active-duty personnel and 350,000 reserves across the regular army (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC operates Iran's ballistic missile arsenal, which includes medium-range Shahab-3 and Emad missiles capable of reaching Israel, as well as shorter-range Fateh and Zolfaghar missiles deployed against Gulf targets. Iran has already fired multiple salvos at US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE.
Iran's nuclear program has been a central point of tension. Before the strikes, Iran was enriching uranium to 60% purity at its Fordow and Natanz facilities, with enough material for several nuclear weapons if enriched further. The IAEA had reported reduced access to monitoring equipment in recent months. The strikes on nuclear-adjacent sites have raised international alarm about potential radiological contamination, with the IAEA dispatching emergency inspection teams.
Yemen's Houthi movement declared readiness to support Iran in any escalation, announcing they stand ready for 'any necessary development' in the conflict with the United States and Israel.
Iran's IRGC released footage claiming successful missile strikes on four major US military installations: Al Udeid Air Base (Qatar), Al Salem (Kuwait), Al Dhafra (UAE), and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Tehran residents rushed to supermarkets as bread and water shortages emerged. Long queues formed at gas stations. Iran announced schools and universities closed, government operating at 50% capacity.
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on the Iranian military to defect and join the people, saying the strikes present an opportunity for regime change.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed support for the strikes against Iran, calling Tehran an accomplice of Russian President Putin in the war against Ukraine.
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement distancing themselves from the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, stating they did not participate in the strikes.
An Iranian drone struck Kuwait International Airport, damaging the terminal building and injuring several workers. Kuwait closed its airspace and activated all defense systems.
Satellite imagery reveals direct damage to Ayatollah Khamenei's compound in Tehran. Iran's Foreign Minister confirms both Khamenei and President Pezeshkian remain alive following the strikes.
Israel reveals its own codename for the strikes: Operation Lion's Roar. 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in the initial wave, striking over 500 targets in the largest IAF operation in history.
An airstrike struck a girls' school in Minab in southern Iran, killing at least 85 students. The strike is the deadliest single incident of the conflict, drawing international condemnation.
Iran Red Crescent confirms at least 201 people killed and 747 injured from US-Israeli strikes across 24 of Iran's 31 provinces. Hospitals overwhelmed, blood donation centers flooded.
The United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian military installations and nuclear facilities in what the Pentagon has designated Operation Epic Fury. Targets included sites in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, and Karaj.
US and Israeli forces struck targets in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, and Karaj. Tehran saw strikes on IRGC command centers and air defense sites. Isfahan was targeted due to its uranium conversion facility and military airbase. Qom and Karaj were struck for their connections to Iran's nuclear enrichment and centrifuge production programs.
Iran launched retaliatory ballistic missile strikes against Israel and US military bases across the Gulf region, including targets in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. Iran's IRGC has also activated proxy forces in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. Iran's navy has moved assets toward the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about a potential blockade of the critical oil shipping lane.
Tehran is currently under active military strikes and is not safe for civilians or travelers. Residents are sheltering in place. All commercial flights into and out of Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad Airport have been suspended. Multiple embassies have issued shelter-in-place advisories and are preparing for possible evacuations.
Reports indicate strikes near Iran's nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Karaj. The IAEA has expressed serious concern about potential radiological consequences and is attempting to verify the status of nuclear material at these sites. Iran has accused the US and Israel of deliberately targeting its civilian nuclear program.