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iran retaliation

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US-Israeli Strikes Kill Iran's Supreme Leader

The United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on Saturday, February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and striking targets across the country in what the Pentagon designated "Operation Epic Fury." The unprecedented assault marks the most significant direct military confrontation between the US and Iran in decades, reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East overnight. Iran confirmed Khamenei's death and announced 40 days of national mourning. The 86-year-old cleric, who had led the Islamic Republic since 1989, was killed when strikes hit his compound in Tehran. Israeli military officials said several senior Iranian officials and military commanders were also killed in the operation. The Iranian Red Crescent reported at least 201 people killed across the country. The operation drew immediate retaliation from Iran, which launched missile and drone strikes against Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. At least eight people were killed in a missile strike in Beit Shemesh, a city near Jerusalem. US Central Command confirmed Sunday that three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded during the operation, underscoring the human cost on all sides of the escalation.

Iran strikesOperation Epic FuryKhamenei killed

News: US-Iran Nuclear Crisis Escalates to Military Strikes

What began as a high-stakes diplomatic standoff over Iran's nuclear programme has escalated into the most significant US military action in the Middle East since Operation Midnight Hammer last June. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure under the banner of "Operation Epic Fury," shattering the fragile diplomatic window that had opened during three rounds of Geneva talks. The trajectory from diplomacy to war unfolded with alarming speed. On February 21, President Trump publicly acknowledged considering limited military strikes while Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi prepared a counterproposal. By February 26, a third round of nuclear talks had opened in Geneva amid the largest US military buildup in the region since June 2025. Two days later, F-22 stealth fighters and cruise missiles struck Iranian nuclear facilities as Tehran retaliated with attacks on US bases in Bahrain and across the region. The escalation has sent shockwaves through financial markets. WTI crude oil has surged above $66 per barrel, defense stocks have rallied to near-record highs, and 10-year Treasury yields have fallen to 4.02% as investors seek safe-haven assets. Gold prices have broken above $5,200 per ounce. The full economic and geopolitical consequences of Operation Epic Fury are still unfolding, but the shift from diplomatic brinkmanship to open conflict marks a defining moment for markets, energy security, and the global order.

Iran military strikesOperation Epic FuryUS-Iran conflict