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U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran
U.S. and Israeli forces carried out a major coordinated strike campaign on Iran.
“Iran vowed revenge after U.S. strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with the defense ministry saying there would be “no mercy or forgiveness” and announcing attacks on commercial shipping and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Media and officials said the campaign targeted senior military and government sites.
The strikes prompted immediate claims that Iran’s supreme leader had been killed.
Several outlets reported that Iran’s state media announced the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and that Iran declared national mourning.
U.S. and Israeli leaders framed the operation as aimed at debilitating Iran’s military capabilities.
Operation and U.S. casualties
President Donald Trump publicly defended and described the operation as necessary.
In filmed remarks he acknowledged U.S. combat casualties while warning the campaign will continue, saying the U.S. would "avenge" the fallen and that "there will likely be more" deaths as operations continue.
U.S. Central Command and multiple outlets reported that three American service members were killed in the fighting, a development the White House said would not halt combat operations.
Strike campaign on Iran
U.S. officials said the campaign — described in U.S. and Israeli statements as an effort to destroy Iran's missile, air-defence and command infrastructure — struck hundreds of targets in the opening phase.
“Shortly before 10 a.m. in Tehran, U.S. and Israeli forces launched a major strike campaign called “Epic Fury” against Iran, targeting IRGC command-and-control sites, air defenses, missile and drone launch areas, and military airfields with precision munitions from air, land and sea; reports said low-cost one‑way attack drones were used in combat for the first time.”
One account said nearly 900 strikes were carried out in the operation's first 12 hours.
Another account named the campaign "Operation Epic Fury."
Leaders described a high-volume, multi-domain assault that included precision munitions, cruise missiles and one-way attack drones to degrade Iranian capabilities.
Civilian harm and disruption
The strikes and Iran’s subsequent counter-attacks produced heavy civilian harm and widespread regional disruption.
Iranian state and emergency agencies reported scores or hundreds of civilian deaths across multiple provinces, including a particularly deadly hit on a girls’ school in Minab that Iranian officials and BBC-verified footage said killed dozens of children.
Major Gulf shipping and aviation hubs reported damage, airspace closures and disrupted trade, and Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.
International response and disputes
The military campaign and the president’s declaration have produced urgent international concern and political debate.
“International responses included an emergency U.N. meeting addressed by Secretary‑General António Guterres and an upcoming virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers calling for de‑escalation.”
The U.N. and EU called for de-escalation.
Emergency talks were convened.
Analysts warned the strikes are a high-risk gamble with unclear legal and political foundations.
Some lawmakers and opposition figures demanded briefings or questioned whether congressional authorization had been sought.
Many key claims, notably precise casualty tallies and some leadership deaths, remained contested or not independently verified.