The military conflict between the Iranian regime and the coordinated forces of the United States and Israel has entered its second day on March 1, 2026. The conflict erupted in the early hours of Saturday, February 28, when the US and Israel launched massive preemptive airstrikes across more than 20 Iranian provinces. The decapitation strikes successfully targeted the highest echelons of the regime’s leadership, completely destroying the compound of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and confirming his death, alongside several senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

As the Iranian regime reels from the sudden loss of its supreme leader and top military brass, it has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against Israel and US bases across the Gulf, expanding the conflict into a broader regional war.

Roundup: Key developments for today

Interim leadership formed: Following the death of Ali Khamenei, the regime has formed a temporary leadership council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and Guardian Council cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.

Top regime officials confirmed dead: Regime media confirmed the deaths of Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh, senior official Ali Shamkhani, and senior Intelligence Ministry official Mohammad Baseri.

New IRGC commander appointed: Ahmad Vahidi has been named the new commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

Fresh strikes rock Tehran: Israel launched a new, broad wave of strikes targeting the regime’s sites in Tehran to achieve “air superiority,” causing massive explosions across the capital.

Regime escalates regional attacks: The IRGC announced the sixth wave of its operations, claiming to have struck 27 US bases across the Middle East, as well as key Israeli military and defense headquarters in Tel Aviv. Explosions and fires were reported in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE.

US President issues warning: President Donald Trump warned the regime of an unprecedented use of force if they continue to retaliate, while simultaneously offering immunity to regime military and security forces who lay down their arms and defect.

Nationwide internet blackout: Internet connectivity in Iran has been down for over 24 hours, heavily restricting the flow of information amid the crisis.

First US casualties reported: The US Central Command confirmed that three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded during “Operation Epic Fury.”

Deadly regime strike on Israel: An Iranian missile strike hit a public bomb shelter in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh, killing eight people and injuring over 20 in the regime’s deadliest retaliatory attack so far.

US sinks regime warship: US forces sank an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette at a pier in Chabahar, with CENTCOM urging regime forces to abandon ship and lay down their weapons.

IRGC threatens Iranian citizens: Fearing nationwide uprisings, the IRGC Intelligence Organization issued a stark warning against any “street riots,” threatening that protesters will face an “iron fist” and be treated as cooperating with the enemy.

International support for a Democratic Republic: Western leaders and prominent politicians voiced support for a free, democratic Republic of Iran, strongly condemning opportunistic attempts by the son of the ousted Shah, Reza Pahlavi, to declare himself a “transitional leader.”

Regime open to de-escalation amid heavy losses: While the IRGC falsely claimed to have targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln, regime Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Omani mediators that Tehran is open to de-escalation efforts. US President Donald Trump stated the military operation is “ahead of schedule.”

21:00 CET – First US casualties reported; US sinks regime warship; IRGC Intelligence threatens public amid fear of uprisings

As the conflict intensifies into Sunday evening, the military toll has grown on all sides, while the Iranian regime’s internal security apparatus exhibits mounting panic over the prospect of domestic rebellion.

First US casualties and deadly strikes in Israel

The US Central Command confirmed the first American casualties of the conflict, announcing that three US service members were killed in action and five seriously wounded as part of “Operation Epic Fury.” Minor injuries were also sustained by several others. US President Donald Trump acknowledged the losses, stating, “That often happens in war. But we are doing this not for now, we are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission.” Despite the casualties, Trump told CNBC that the joint military campaign against the “violent regime” is moving “ahead of schedule” and evolving in a “very positive way.”

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime’s retaliatory attacks inflicted civilian casualties in Israel. According to Israeli medics, an Iranian missile struck a public bomb shelter in the town of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, killing eight people and injuring more than 20. It marks the deadliest attack by the regime so far.

US sinks regime warship as IRGC makes false claims

The US Central Command announced it successfully sank an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette at a pier in the port city of Chabahar. Echoing earlier calls for regime forces to defect, CENTCOM posted on X: “As the President said, members of Iran’s armed forces, IRGC and police ‘must lay down your weapons.’ Abandon ship.”

The IRGC claimed via state media that it had launched four ballistic missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. However, the US military quickly debunked the claim, stating the vessel was not hit and the regime’s missiles “didn’t even come close.”

Despite the regime’s public posturing, back-channel diplomacy indicates desperation. According to Oman’s foreign ministry, regime Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart that Tehran is open to “serious efforts at de-escalation.” Domestically, regime President Masoud Pezeshkian appeared on state TV to confirm that the three-member interim Leadership Council has officially started its work to fill the massive power vacuum left by Ali Khamenei’s death.

Regime panics over street protests; International leaders reject return to monarchy

The regime’s deepest fear remains the Iranian people. Following widespread reports of public celebrations over Khamenei’s death, the IRGC Intelligence Organization issued a terrified warning via the Tasnim News Agency. The statement warned against any “street riots,” absurdly labeling potential protests as the “next step” of the enemy’s bombing campaign. The IRGC threatened that any anti-security movements would be considered “direct cooperation with the enemy” and met with an “iron fist.”

Fears of the regime’s terrorism are also echoing globally. German intelligence officials warned that Iranian sleeper cells may attempt retaliatory terrorist attacks in Europe.

At the same time, the prospect of a free Iran is gaining international support, with leaders explicitly rejecting the opportunistic maneuvering of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted Shah. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani strongly condemned Pahlavi’s attempt to declare himself a “transitional leader,” describing him as the “heir to a regime of corruption and brutality” who has lived off stolen wealth. Giuliani warned that Pahlavi has “next to no support inside the country” and that a return to a tyrannical monarchy would be a “formula for disaster.”

This sentiment was echoed by Charles Michel, who stated that the world must stand with the Iranian people to build a “free and democratic Republic of Iran,” emphasizing that the choice moves “From dictatorships to freedom.” Former US Vice President Mike Pence also celebrated the demise of Khamenei, expressing hope for the “Dawn of a Free and Democratic Iran.”

14:00 CET – Regime scrambles to fill leadership void amid massive strikes on Tehran and regional escalation

As the conflict enters its second day, the Iranian regime is struggling to project stability following the unprecedented decapitation strikes that eliminated its highest-ranking figures.

Regime leadership in crisis

State media and regime-affiliated outlets, including the Shargh daily, confirmed the casualties among the regime’s top military and intelligence apparatus. The casualties include Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh, former SNSC secretary Ali Shamkhani, and senior Intelligence Ministry official Mohammad Baseri. An intelligence source told CBS News that approximately 40 Iranian officials were killed overall, including Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild.

In a desperate bid to maintain control, the regime announced the formation of a temporary Leadership Council. According to the Guardian Council and the government’s Telegram channels, the interim council consists of regime President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and Guardian Council cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi. Furthermore, Ahmad Vahidi has been swiftly appointed as the new commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

Regime officials pleaded for internal unity amid the chaos. Former Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stated, “You burned our hearts. It is not like the enemy strikes and the story is over… Today is not the day to settle differences.” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf attempted to downplay the loss of the Supreme Leader, claiming that the country’s military and management structure has “moved away from being individual-centric” and urging officials not to “play in the enemy’s court.”

Fresh Israeli and US strikes target Tehran

The bombardment of the regime’s infrastructure continued into Sunday morning. The Israel military announced a “broad wave of strikes” toward targets in Tehran, stating the operations were designed to achieve air superiority.

Eyewitnesses in eastern and northwestern Tehran reported massive, back-to-back explosions that violently shook buildings, with one resident noting the blasts were “worse than yesterday’s.” Plumes of dark smoke were seen billowing across the capital.

US President Donald Trump released a statement celebrating the death of Ali Khamenei, calling him “one of the most evil people in History” and describing his elimination as the “single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.” Trump issued a direct warning to the regime’s security apparatus, offering immunity to IRGC, military, and police forces who refuse to fight and merge with the Iranian people, while warning that the heavy and pinpoint bombing will continue uninterrupted. He also posted on X, warning the regime that any further retaliation would be met with “a force that has never been seen before.”

To suppress domestic unrest during the strikes, the regime has imposed a near-total internet blackout, which the monitoring organization NetBlocks confirmed has now exceeded 24 hours.

Regime retaliates across the Middle East

The regime’s Supreme National Security Council announced that its armed forces have begun a “crushing response.”

The IRGC issued its “Statement No. 6,” announcing the sixth wave of “Operation True Promise 4.” The regime claimed it launched widespread missile and drone attacks against 27 US military bases in the region, alongside Israeli targets including the Tel Nof base, the Hakirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, and a major defense industry complex. State news agency IRNA also claimed that regime fighter jets successfully bombed US bases in Gulf countries and the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

The regional fallout is escalating rapidly. Continuous loud explosions were reported for a second day in the Qatari capital of Doha, where thick smoke was seen billowing near the Barwa area. Explosions and fires were also reported in Kuwait, Bahrain’s capital Manama, the Jebel Ali port in Dubai, and an Omani commercial port following a drone attack. Qatari officials stated that the regime launched at least 65 missiles and 12 drones, resulting in injuries and damage, while the Iraqi government declared three days of public mourning in response to the regional events.

© Eurasia Review