On Saturday, February 28th, Americans woke up to the news that the United States, in conjunction with Israel, launched a major military operation, named Operation Epic Fury, against Iran. The attack comes after President Donald J. Trump accused Iran in his 2026 State of the Union speech of reviving attempts at gaining nuclear weapons, heightening tensions in an already unstable Middle East region. While negotiations have been ongoing between the US and Iran, President Trump was reportedly “not happy” with how the negotiations ended.
US forces struck multiple targets within Iran, including the compound believed to be holding Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On February 28th, President Trump, along with Israeli officials, confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On March 1st, Iranian state media also confirmed the death of Khamenei. The death raises many questions about who will lead Iran, as no official successor was named before Khamenei’s assassination. As of now, an interim assembly of high-ranking officials will convene to choose the next Supreme Leader. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gave a televised address on Sunday in which he called Khamenei’s death “a great disaster for our [his] country.”
Hours after the first strikes, Iran retaliated by firing missiles and dispatching drones towards US bases in the Gulf region and Israel. The US embassy in Doha, Qatar, has issued a shelter-in-place warning for all diplomatic personnel and has advised American citizens to also seek safe shelter away from high-rise buildings and large gatherings. Reports have come in of missiles being detected in Qatari airspace that originated from Iran. Most, if not all, of these missiles have been intercepted by air defense systems. In Dubai, a city known for its high-tech buildings and safety, residents and tourists alike took shelter as Iranian drones flew over UAE airspace.
So why did the US launch a military operation? US intelligence suggested that Iran, despite being involved in talks with the US, was starting to revive its nuclear weapons program. With this new revelation, talks between the two nations failed, and the military operation commenced. Shortly after the strikes, President Trump released a pre-recorded message justifying the operation, saying that the purpose of the operation is to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” He also urged Iranians to “take over” the ayatollah regime and establish a new government in Iran.
Domestically, Democrats in Congress expressed concerns over the military strikes, citing that, without congressional approval, the strikes are illegal. The White House has mentioned that the congressional Gang of Eight, a set of congressional leaders who are legally required by federal law to be read in on classified intelligence matters, were briefed before the operation took place. However, the Gang of Eight does not replace full congressional authorization of military strikes and acts of war. Republicans were quick to rally behind President Trump and praised the action as a historic step towards toppling an oppressive regime. Shailyn Jalalizadeh, an Iranian citizen who has been living in the United States for the last eight years, applauded the military operations in Iran. “This regime is pure evil at heart. The people of Iran are so happy about the US attacking the regime in Iran because the only way for this theocratic government to change is through war.”
The YUNity Project acknowledges the multipronged complexity of the Iranian conflict. As the situation fluctuates, we will continue to publish the most recent, fact-checked information to keep our viewers informed.