US/Israeli Strikes Iran, Iran Retaliates on Israel and other Middle East Countries

0:02After weeks of military buildup, the U.S. and Israel have launched a major combat operation in Iran. It's a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon. I'm Ayesha Roscoe. And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News. The Defense Department calls this mission Operation Epic Fury and has targeted Iran's leadership. President Trump is calling on the Iranian people to, quote, take over your government. In a moment, details from NPR's Greg Myrie. Iran has retaliated by launching a missile attack on Israel. Israel's air defense systems are responding. We'll hear from our correspondents in the Middle East.

0:45So please stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your weekend.

0:56Large explosions were reported in Tehran as the U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran began early Saturday morning. It followed weeks of escalating tension in the Middle East. And Paranational Security Correspondent Greg Myrie is with us. Thanks for being with us, Greg. Hi, Scott. And what can you tell us about this military operation? Well, first of all, this is a massive operation, and that's based on the extent of the initial strikes and in the way President Trump is describing this. There was a lot of speculation beforehand whether he might opt for a short, sharp attack or a longer one. The initial impression is that the president chose to go very big.

1:38These strikes began after sunrise in Iran. Huge explosions rang out in the capital, Tehran. Iranians posted videos on social media that showed large plumes of thick smoke. There are preliminary reports of strikes in many parts of Iran, though we don't have word on the full extent of damage on specific targets like the country's nuclear facilities. President Trump posted this eight-minute video on Truth Social. Here's part of it. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Greg, did the president offer any details about the operation itself?

2:24A bit. He said the U.S. would destroy Iran's missile program and its navy. So these are parts of the Iranian military that could hit U.S. ships or military bases in the region. So it makes sense that they'd be a priority in the early days of the campaign. Now, he also said Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program, the same one he said the U.S. obliterated last year. And nuclear analysts have said they haven't seen that rebuilding, but it's something President Trump keeps citing. What does Iran say today? Yeah, the foreign ministry calls the airstrikes a gross violation of its national sovereignty.

3:02The statement said the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes hit both military and civilian targets. Iran said it will defend itself, adding that schools and universities will be closed, and it warned Iranians to avoid crowded areas. Before the strikes began, the president didn't say much about what his ultimate goal might be in Iran, but that's changed today, hasn't it? Yeah, that's right, Scott. And really the most striking part of his video came right near the end when he spoke directly to the Iranian people. He said, you know, they said, stay inside and shelter now. Bombs would be falling everywhere.

3:37But then he added, quote, when we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. So this is really hugely significant. He's encouraging Iranians to directly confront the very same government that killed thousands of demonstrators in mass street protests just last month. Now, Trump is explicitly calling for regime change. He's not describing a limited operation, and he wants Iranians themselves to oust the Islamic clerical regime that's ruled for 47 years. One final point, though. We should stress that there's no sign the U.S.

4:15will send ground troops into Iran. And it's not clear how much the U.S. will weaken the government with air power alone. So at this stage, it's just impossible to say whether the leadership might be vulnerable to the kind of domestic uprising that Trump is calling for. And Piers Greg Myrie, thanks so much. Sure thing, Scott.

4:40Israelis woke up this morning to air raid sirens.

4:48Iran has fired dozens of missiles toward Israel so far, according to the Israeli military. No significant hits have been reported. And Israel has tried to assassinate Iran's top leaders, according to a person briefed on the operation who spoke with NPR. We're joined now from Tel Aviv by NPR's Daniel Estrin. Daniel, thanks for being with us. Thank you, Scott. Give us a sense of what it's like right now where you are. Well, I can't say this was a complete surprise. I mean, Israelis have been anticipating military action for many weeks now. And yesterday, the U.S. ambassador to Israel told his embassy staff if they wanted to leave Israel, then yesterday was the day to do it.

5:27And since this morning, there have been several waves of air raid sirens. I've been tape recording them from my balcony. The air raid siren goes quiet. And then you hear this. Boom outside the window. That's Israel's air defense system intercepting incoming missiles. And you can see the trail of smoke in the sky over Tel Aviv. Right now, I'm in a safe room, a protected, sheltered room. And the airport in Israel has been closed to all flights. Public shelters are open across the country. Cafes are closed. So the streets are quiet. But in between air raid sirens, I was out on the street and I met a woman walking her dog, Racheli Aharoni.

6:09And she says she doesn't have a protected room in her apartment. I feel bad also. I feel very bad. Very bad, because I don't know what will be, you know, if I know, you know, if people know what to do, people know what to do. So a lot of uncertainty and apprehension you hear there. And she says she just doesn't really know what to make of the decision to strike Iran because she said the people in charge, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she called them crazy people. And how does Netanyahu make the case for why Israel and the U.S. are attacking Iran now? Netanyahu put out a video saying Iran was trying to rebuild its missile and nuclear capacities since the Israeli war on Iran last June, which the U.S.

6:56also took part in. And he said if Iran was not stopped now, they would become immune to attack. And he said Iran was trying to buy time with talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program. He called that a futile and deceptive negotiation. And he said that Israel would not stand by while, quote, the shadow of annihilation hangs over Israel. So he said the ultimate goal was to help Iranians topple their own government. Here's a bit of what Netanyahu said.

7:29So he's saying there in Hebrew, now Iranians have the chance to take their destiny into their own hands. What has Israel struck so far? I spoke to a person briefed on the operation who said that Israel did try to assassinate Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian president as well. Netanyahu said that Israel has been targeting regime figures, also sites of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the besieged paramilitary forces. And he said Israel, together with the U.S., was striking ballistic missile sites. Daniel, what are you going to be looking out for in the coming hours and days ahead?

8:07Well, first of all, the Israeli military says that it's going to be calling up about 70 ,000 reservist soldiers and fortifying its borders, especially along the Lebanese and Syrian borders, because there's a lot of concern here that Iran's proxy militia Hezbollah could join in in the retaliation, firing rockets or even storming the border into Israel like Hamas did on October 7, 2023. NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, thanks so much for being with us. You're very welcome.

8:42NPR's Jane Arath is in Amman, Jordan, monitoring the developments in the region. She joins us now. Jane, thanks for being with us. Thank you. Iran has retaliated to the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Tell us what you know. Well, I can tell you what I'm seeing and hearing here in Jordan where there's the sound of jet fighters and missiles being intercepted. And it's an indication that this is having immense repercussions across the region. So in addition to those strikes on Israel, Iran has declared all U.S. and Israeli interests a target. And what that means is pretty much all the U.S. bases that are dotted in this region in any country are fair game.

9:31There have been attacks by Iran so far in Bahrain, the UAE, and Qatar. There have been missiles launched into Jordanian airspace. And the spokesman for Iran's military general staff says their armed forces will teach America and Israel a big lesson. In terms of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, do we have any sense yet of where the bombs have fallen and the casualties and what's being targeted? Well, there's no word on casualties or damage yet in the strikes near the Supreme Leader's residence or the presidential palace that were part of the focus of these attacks this morning. But Iran says there was a direct hit on a girls' elementary school in southern Iran, where it says more than 50 of the students have been killed.

10:19And it says another 50 plus are still buried under that rubble. We have to remember, Scott, that these attacks began at the beginning of the work and school week in Iran. So lots of people in schools, at offices. The government, though, believes that strikes in Iran will be focused on the capital. And it has advised citizens to leave Tehran and other major cities. It's closed schools and universities. And this morning we spoke to two Tehran residents before communications were cut. They described panicked people rushing home and terrified children pouring out of classrooms. One of the people who we've spoken to over the last few months says she's been protesting and she has been hoping for the end of the regime.

11:07She hopes this is it. But a lot of Iranians fear the uncertainty and the danger that would also come. And how is this playing out across the region? Airspace has been closed. There have been flights canceled. The U.S. has advised Americans, for instance, here in Jordan to shelter in place. And normally Jordanians go to the rooftops to watch missiles flying when tensions arise like this. But this feels more serious. Jane, only yesterday, literally yesterday, there was talk of a possible deal between Iran and the U.S. What do you foresee in the days ahead? It's really hard, Scott, to see how this could return to diplomacy or anything approaching it.

11:49Even Oman's chief diplomat, and he's been the one mediating these talks between the U.S. and Iran, says these attacks by the U.S. and Israel don't serve U.S. interests or the interests of global peace. Iran has been calling for an urgent meeting of the Security Council, but it's not clear what that would even do. And one of the things that deeply worries governments and people in this region is it's hard to see how this would remain in control. President Trump is calling for regime change, but what happens next? What comes next? All of that is so uncertain that people here are deeply worried. And there's Jane Araf and Amon Jordan.

12:29Jane, thanks so much for being with us. Thank you.

12:36And that's up first for Saturday, February 28th, 2026. I'm Aisha Roscoe. And I'm Scott Simon. Andy Craig produced today's podcast. Our editors are Andrew Sussman, Tara Neal, Martin Patience, and Melissa Gray. Our director is Michael Radcliffe. Our technical director is David Greenberg, with engineering support from Simon Laszlo Jansen, Zoe Vankenhoven, and Jay Sizz. Shannon Rhodes is our senior supervising editor. Our executive producer is Evie Stone. And Jim Kane is our deputy managing editor. We will continue following developments in the Middle East today on NPR.org and on the radio. You can find your local station at stations.npr.org.

13:19Thank you for being with us.