7 Missiles Strike Tehran Residence as US and Israel Launch Massive Joint Attack

Joint United States and Israeli forces have launched a massive military attack against multiple targets across Iran, including a missile strike on the residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The escalation comes just hours after Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, had announced a “very important breakthrough” in nuclear deadlock negotiations held in Geneva.

Albusaidi, acting as a mediator, had expressed optimism that all issues would be resolved “amicably and comprehensively” within three months, noting that Iran had agreed not to stockpile enriched uranium.

‘Massive and Ongoing Operation’

The diplomatic optimism was shattered on Saturday, 28 February, when US President Donald Trump confirmed the military action in a video message.

“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America,” he stated.

Trump vowed to “raze” Iran’s missile industry to the ground, alleging that Tehran was attempting to rebuild its nuclear programme following a previous joint attack in June. Experts suggest the current strikes specifically target Iran’s missile stockpiles.

Strikes on the Capital

Reports from Iranian state-affiliated outlets indicate that at least seven missiles targeted the Pasteur district in Tehran, where the Supreme Leader resides.

Mohammed Eslami, a political scientist at the European University Institute, suggested the strikes involved American cruise missiles and may have killed high-ranking officials within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army.

In Tehran, political analyst Ali Akbar Dareini reported hearing several explosions, which appeared to be air-launched missiles originating from Iraqi airspace.

Fears of Regional Escalation

The IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency has stated that Iran is “preparing for revenge and a crushing response to the Zionist regime.”

Mr Eslami predicted that Tehran could begin launching missile barrages within “hours or even minutes,” noting that while diplomats hoped for a settlement, the armed forces remained ready. Last year, Iran retaliated against similar strikes by hitting a US military base in Qatar.

Internal Unrest and National Unity

The atmosphere in the capital is a mix of defiance and anxiety. An anonymous Tehran-based journalist reported anti-government slogans being chanted amidst traffic chaos, predicting a “long war.”

However, analysts remain divided on the internal impact:

• The Opposition: Some reports indicate a “loud minority” of protesters in the streets.
• The ‘Silent Majority’: Mr Eslami suggests the majority of the population will “rally the flag” in a show of national unity.
• The Regime: Observers believe the Islamic Republic will survive, with the journalist warning that the government “will not back down,” even if it means putting “the whole region on fire.”

The scale of the “beat” received by Iran remains under assessment, and Mr Eslami suggested that the leadership might undergo selection changes if necessary.

Source: TRTWorld