Washington calls the opening wave leadership-focused; Tehran vows continued retaliation.
WASHINGTON, DC — Israel said Saturday that the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in the opening wave of coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, as the Trump administration described “major combat operations” aimed at Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure and Iran responded with missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. bases around the Persian Gulf.
The reported death of the Guard’s commander was the clearest claimed blow to Iran’s power structure as the conflict entered a new phase, with both sides signaling the fight would not be contained to a single day. The IRGC is central to Iran’s missile forces, regional influence and internal security, and any leadership loss can shift command decisions at a moment when Iran is weighing how hard to strike back without inviting a broader war. Still, Iran did not immediately confirm the reported killing, and the overall toll among senior Guard commanders remained uncertain amid disrupted communications and competing claims from governments and media outlets.
President Donald Trump said the United States had begun “major combat operations” alongside Israel in an effort he cast as protecting Americans and preventing Iran from advancing nuclear and long-range missile capabilities. A source familiar with the early planning described the first wave as largely focused on senior officials, while Israeli leaders framed the campaign as a pre-emptive effort to remove what they called an existential threat. The Pentagon did not immediately publish a full target list, and U.S. officials offered no public assessment of the damage early Saturday, saying more information would be released as commanders verified results.
Israel’s claim centered on Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, described by Israeli officials and Israeli media as the IRGC commander who was hit during the initial strikes. Iranian officials did not issue a matching confirmation Saturday, and Iranian state media focused instead on the broader scope of the attack, showing smoke over parts of Tehran and reporting strikes in multiple cities. An Iranian source close to the establishment told international media that several senior Revolutionary Guard commanders and political officials were killed, but names were not released in that account, and outside verification was limited as the fighting continued.
The strikes were felt quickly across the region. Explosions were reported in Tehran and near sensitive government areas as Iranian air defenses fired into the sky. In Israel, emergency warnings sent residents toward shelters as air defense systems engaged incoming threats. Iranian retaliatory launches reached beyond Israel, with Gulf Arab states reporting that missiles were aimed toward countries that host U.S. forces, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Governments in the region issued shelter warnings and temporarily restricted flights as they tracked incoming projectiles, and at least one death was reported in Abu Dhabi amid the retaliation.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said U.S. bases and interests in the region were within Iran’s reach and said the retaliation would continue until what it called decisive victory. Bahrain said a U.S. Navy service center linked to the Fifth Fleet was struck, and video from the area showed a plume of smoke rising near the coastline as sirens sounded. Qatar and Kuwait said their defenses intercepted missiles, while Jordan reported downing ballistic missiles over its territory. In Israel, police and local authorities implemented emergency measures that included closing sensitive sites as officials warned of additional barrages.
The push and pull over what is confirmed and what remains uncertain underscored the fog of war surrounding senior Iranian casualties. Israel has an interest in signaling leadership damage to deter Iran and demonstrate operational reach, while Tehran has often limited or delayed public acknowledgment of losses during crises. On Saturday, the uncertainty widened to the status of Iran’s top political leadership as well. Israeli officials said their forces targeted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, but they said the outcome was unclear. A source with knowledge of the matter said Khamenei had been moved to a secure location, and Iranian media reported Pezeshkian was safe.
Even without a public Iranian confirmation, the focus on the IRGC’s top command highlighted how central the organization is to Iran’s military posture. The Guard oversees key missile and drone units, maintains powerful intelligence and internal security arms, and plays a major role in Iran’s relationships with aligned armed groups in the region. U.S. forces have faced rocket and drone attacks during previous surges in violence, and regional security officials have long warned that a direct fight between Iran and Israel can trigger attacks on American troops and infrastructure, even if Tehran seeks to calibrate the intensity. On Saturday, officials in Iraq and elsewhere warned that Iran-aligned groups could also respond in their own way.
Markets and governments also watched the Persian Gulf’s shipping lanes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow choke point that is critical for global oil flows. Even a short spike in conflict can disrupt shipping schedules, raise insurance costs and force airlines to reroute around contested airspace. Flight tracking maps showed large gaps over Iran as carriers avoided the region. In Gulf capitals, residents described hearing loud booms and receiving phone alerts instructing them to shelter, a rare experience for cities that typically emphasize stability and safety. Energy traders and analysts warned that any sign of sustained escalation could push prices higher and complicate supply routes.
Inside Iran, reports of casualties and damage were difficult to confirm independently as the day wore on. Iranian media reported deaths in multiple locations and described strikes hitting civilian areas as well as military sites. U.S. and Israeli officials emphasized that their objectives were tied to military capabilities and leadership nodes, but they did not provide detail about how they assessed collateral damage or what safeguards were used in dense urban environments. Residents in Tehran described panic buying and long lines at banks and gas stations, and some worried about a communications clampdown that would make it harder to contact family members abroad.
International reaction was swift. Russia condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes as unlawful and warned that attacks near nuclear-linked sites could risk a broader catastrophe. Other governments urged restraint and called for steps to prevent civilian casualties while preparing for potential spillover onto their territory. Diplomatic efforts that had shown signs of movement earlier in the week appeared to collapse as the strikes began, with officials acknowledging that future talks would be shaped by battlefield realities. Iran’s leaders said they would raise the issue at the United Nations, while U.S. officials framed the operation as a response to what they described as imminent threats.
In Washington, the operation revived a fierce debate over strategy, oversight and the risk of a prolonged conflict. Some lawmakers demanded immediate briefings on objectives and legal authority, warning against open-ended escalation. Others backed the administration’s claim that military action was necessary to prevent Iran from gaining momentum in nuclear and missile work. The administration pointed to failed indirect negotiations and said the campaign was intended to change Iran’s calculations, though Trump’s comments encouraging Iranians to “take over” their government fueled questions abroad about whether the operation’s aims included regime change.
The central question heading into the next phase is whether Iran chooses a measured response or expands its retaliation in ways that raise the risk to U.S. troops and regional infrastructure. Iran has options that range from continued missile launches and drone attacks to actions against shipping, covert operations and cyberattacks. Israel, for its part, indicated the campaign was planned for months and suggested it could involve multiple waves aimed at preventing future strikes. As both sides assessed the first day’s damage, the reported killing of the IRGC commander, if confirmed by Tehran, would stand as a major marker of how far the conflict has escalated.
By Saturday night, Israel’s claim about the IRGC commander’s death remained the most specific public statement about senior Guard losses, while Iranian officials had not publicly confirmed names. Officials across the region said they expected more briefings and additional missile launches over the coming days as militaries measured the results of the opening strikes and prepared for the next round.
Author note: Last updated February 28, 2026.