US, Israel Launch Decapitation Strike on Iranian Leadership—How It Unfolded

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and 47 other top Iranian military and intelligence officials were killed in the opening attack, Trump said.

A satellite image shows black smoke rising and heavy damage at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound, following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, in Tehran, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Pleiades Neo (c) Airbus DS 2026/Handout via Reuters)

United States and Israeli forces carried out a combined strike on Feb. 28 that killed Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and took out the senior military leadership of the Persian state.

The strike was part of the opening salvo of a larger combined operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. government and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel.