US and Israel launched a coordinated attack on Iran on Saturday morning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has named the project “Operation Roaring Lion.”
“OPERATION ROARING LION: The IDF and the US Armed Forces have launched a broad & joint operation to thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time,” the IDF posted on X.
“The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel. The regime has continued financing, training, and arming its proxies positioned on Israel's borders. These actions constitute an existential threat to Israel and pose a danger to the Middle East and the world as a whole,” it added.
???????? ???? ???????? OPERATION ROARING LION: The IDF and the U.S Armed Forces have launched a broad & joint operation to thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 28, 2026
The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel.…
The codename was chosen by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the IDF's use of a separate internal designation for the operation, reported The Times of Israel.
The IDF also unveiled footage of its strikes in western Iran.
????WATCH: IDF strikes hundreds of targets in western Iran as part of Operation Roaring Lion pic.twitter.com/KYMYVL8DOQ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 28, 2026
The most recent operation by the IDF aimed at Iran, carried out in June 2025, was codenamed “Rising Lion,” added The Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense has called the operation “Epic Fury”.
In a video posted on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said the US has launched “major combat operations” in Iran.
“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground it,” he said.
Before this, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said that “the State of Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel”.
“As a result, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.”
Israel has declared a state of emergency, closing its airspace, suspending most businesses and workplaces, and restricting public gatherings nationwide. Sirens were also activated to urge residents to remain near shelters amid fears of Iranian retaliation.
The Israeli attacks mark the culmination of two years of rising hostilities between the countries, following a series of exchanges in 2024 and a 12-day conflict last year in which the US briefly became involved alongside Israel, reported Financial Times.
Following the strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, blasts were reported in northern Israel as the military attempted to intercept incoming Iranian missiles. The detonations occurred shortly after the Israeli army confirmed it had activated air defence systems in response to the barrage. No casualties or damage have been reported so far, according to Al Jazeera.
As per Reuters, US officials confirmed that the strikes combined aerial and maritime attacks. Blasts were heard near sites connected to Iran's Supreme Leader, but Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly moved to safety just before the assault.
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