Iran Launches Widespread Attacks Across Middle East After US and Israel Strike Leadership and Military Sites

On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against multiple sites inside Iran, targeting leadership compounds, missile infrastructure, and key security installations in Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, and other strategic cities.

Within hours, Iran retaliated with missiles and drones aimed at US-linked bases and allied countries across the Gulf, including Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan, transforming the region into a live battlefield of air defenses, sirens, interceptions, and civilian fear.

What unfolded is not a shadow war. It is a confrontation between state powers.

How the Strikes Began

US President Donald Trump announced that “major combat operations” were underway inside Iran. The operation was described as a sustained campaign to degrade Iran’s missile and nuclear-linked capabilities while exerting maximum pressure on the regime.

Israeli officials said the strikes were months in preparation. According to military briefings, three separate locations where high-ranking Iranian officials were gathered were hit simultaneously. Several senior regime figures were reportedly killed.

Satellite imagery later showed severe structural damage at the compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in Tehran. Blackened rooftops, debris fields, and smoke plumes underscored both the operational precision and the symbolic weight of the attack.

Soon after, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared all US assets in the region to be “legitimate targets,” marking a shift from deterrent rhetoric to overt confrontation.

Iran’s Retaliation: Missiles Across the Gulf

Iran responded with a rolling wave of missile and drone strikes aimed at locations hosting US forces or closely aligned governments.

In Dubai, a major explosion was captured near the Fairmont The Palm hotel in Palm Jumeirah. UAE authorities confirmed injuries after an incident in the area, while air defense systems intercepted additional incoming projectiles. Smoke rising above the skyline stunned a city long positioned as a regional haven.

In Doha, explosions were reported near Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East. Footage showed plumes of smoke and civilians rushing for cover.

Elsewhere across the region:

Bahrain reported a missile strike targeting a US naval facility.
Kuwait confirmed intercepts near its international airport, with minor injuries reported.
Iraq saw drones shot down near US positions in Erbil.
Jordan intercepted ballistic missiles crossing its airspace.

Meanwhile, Israel’s missile defense architecture, including Iron Dome and Arrow systems, was activated nationwide as sirens echoed across urban centers.

The confrontation is now regional in scope, not localized.

Diplomatic Shockwaves

Global reaction was immediate.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that British aircraft were operating over the Middle East as part of “coordinated regional defensive operations.” He warned that Iran “can end this now” by halting attacks and returning to negotiations.

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was convened in New York.

European powers, including the UK, France, and Germany, urged de-escalation and a revival of diplomacy. However, analysts argue the scale and targeting of the strikes suggest a shift from a containment strategy toward weakening, or even destabilizing, the Iranian regime.

In London, Iranian expats gathered outside the Iranian embassy, some celebrating the strikes and calling for regime change. The conflict is not only geopolitical; it is also deeply political within Iran’s diaspora.

Strait of Hormuz: The Economic Pressure Point

Iran-linked outlets warned that the Strait of Hormuz could be restricted or closed. This narrow maritime corridor carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies.

Any disruption could:

Trigger sharp oil-price spikes
Disrupt global supply chains
Draw naval forces into confrontation

Energy markets are already on edge. For economies dependent on Gulf exports, escalation carries immediate financial consequences.

What This Means for the Middle East

This is no longer a proxy or covert exchange. It is a direct military confrontation between Iran and a US–Israel axis, with Gulf states and regional actors caught in the crossfire.

For residents of cities like Dubai, Doha, and Kuwait City, the perception of insulation from regional warfare has been shattered.

Strategically, three possible paths lie ahead:

Contained Escalation–Limited exchanges followed by diplomatic backchannels.
Regional War–Expanded engagement involving proxies and allied states.
Negotiated Reset–Emergency mediation leading to a ceasefire framework.

The direction will depend on military calculations, domestic political pressures inside Iran and Israel, and whether Washington views this as a punitive strike or the opening phase of a broader strategic objective.

Final Analysis

The coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel, followed by Iran’s sweeping retaliation, represent one of the most significant escalations in Middle Eastern geopolitics in recent years.

Air defenses remain active. Military rhetoric is intensifying. Diplomatic channels are strained but not entirely closed.

Whether this crisis stabilizes or spirals into a wider regional conflict will shape not only Middle East security but also global energy markets, great-power rivalry, and the political future of Iran itself.

The next 72 hours may determine whether this becomes a contained confrontation or the beginning of a new regional war.