Why is the U.S. attacking Iran? Six things to know
#US-Iran conflict #Operation Epic Fury #Iran nuclear program #Middle East escalation #Trump military action #Israel-Iran tensions #Khamenei targeted
📌 Key Takeaways
- US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, 2026
- Operation targeted Iranian leadership including Khamenei and the president
- Attacks followed failed diplomatic negotiations over Iran's nuclear program
- Iran has vowed to respond to what it calls violation of sovereignty
- Missiles have been launched at neighboring countries hosting US troops
📖 Full Retelling
The United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran on Saturday, February 28, 2026, after weeks of escalating tensions and failed diplomatic negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, with President Donald Trump announcing what he called 'major combat operations' that are 'massive and ongoing' in a video posted at 2:30am ET. The joint operation, named 'Operation Epic Fury,' specifically targeted Iranian leadership including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi in an apparent assassination attempt, according to sources briefed on the matter. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the objective was to 'remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran' and create conditions for Iranian citizens to 'take their destiny into their own hands.' The attacks followed the collapse of a third round of indirect negotiations between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, which failed to produce a diplomatic solution. Israel's military is focusing on degrading Iran's missile capabilities during what officials expect will be a multi-day operation. Iranian authorities report that the strikes hit a girls school in Tehran, killing at least 53 young female students and wounding dozens more, while explosions were seen rising over the city skyline. In response, Iran has launched ballistic missiles at neighboring countries hosting U.S. troops, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, with the UAE reporting that debris from an intercepted missile killed an Asian migrant worker. Iran's foreign ministry has condemned the airstrikes as a 'gross violation' of national sovereignty and vowed decisive retaliation, while President Trump encouraged Iranian citizens to 'take over your government' once the operation concludes.
🏷️ Themes
Military Conflict, Diplomatic Relations, Regional Security
📚 Related People & Topics
Nuclear program of Iran
Iran's nuclear program, one of the most scrutinized in the world, has sparked intense international concern. While Iran asserts that its nuclear ambitions are purely for civilian purposes, including energy production, the country historically pursued the secretive AMAD nuclear weapons project (stopp...
2026 Israeli–United States strikes on Iran
Ongoing military operation
On 28 February 2026, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on various targets in Iran. The operation, codenamed Roaring Lion (Hebrew: מִבְצַע שְׁאָגַת הָאֲרִי, romanized: mivtsá she'agát ha'arí) in Israel, Operation Epic Fury by the United States Department of Defense, began with a se...
Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for Nuclear program of Iran:
🌐
Enriched uranium
6 shared
🌐
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
6 shared
👤
Donald Trump
5 shared
👤
Ali Khamenei
4 shared
🏢
Diplomacy
3 shared
Original Source
World Why is the U.S. attacking Iran? Six things to know February 28, 2026 9:36 AM ET By NPR Staff Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday. AP hide caption toggle caption AP The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday after weeks of threats from President Donald Trump over Iran's nuclear capabilities Here's what you need to know about the US and Israeli attacks on Iran: Israel and the US launched military strikes against Iran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the joint US Israeli strikes is to quote "remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran." Netanyahu said in a video: "Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands." A person briefed on the operation told NPR it was expected to last a few days, with Israel's military focusing on targeting Iran's missile program. Trump announced what he called "major combat operations" President Trump announced what he called "major combat operations" that are "massive and ongoing" in Iran in a video posted to Truth Social at 2:30am ET. He said the objective was to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from Iran. Attacks came after a week of US-Iran negotiations over the country's nuclear program A third round of indirect negotiations between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to produce a diplomatic solution on Thursday. The Israel strikes targeted Khamenei and the Iranian president The Israel strikes targeted Khamenei and the Iranian president, trying to assassinate them, a person briefed on the operation told NPR's Daniel Estrin. A person briefed on the matter told NPR that Israeli assessments are that Khamenei was hit. Iran's news agency IRNA says the US-Israeli strikes hit a girls school, killing at least 53 young female students and wounding dozens more. Trump encourages overthrow Trump encouraged innocent Iranians ...
Read full article at source