In Dubai (UAE), Iranian strikes have caused a fire to break out on the artificial island of Palma Jumeirah, injuring at least four people, the Dubai government’s press office said. Media outlets are publishing a video showing a huge column of smoke rising above the famous Dubai landmark.
Meanwhile, airlines halted flights across the Middle East, particularly to and from the world’s busiest tourist centre Dubai, after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran and Iran retaliated with strikes against Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.
Flight maps showed the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain virtually empty after the strikes began.
At the same time, Radio Liberty’s Iranian service received reports of more explosions in Tehran, Karaji and Garmdar on the evening of 28 February.
Iranian news agencies reported that a loud explosion was heard in the Iranian capital. According to independent news sources, similar explosions were reported from several other cities across Iran.
On the morning of 28 February, the Israeli military struck Iranian territory. Hours after Israel announced what it called a “pre-emptive strike”, US President Donald Trump said Washington had launched “massive combat operations” against Iran.
Iranian media reported explosions in several cities, notably Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Qumi, Lorestan and Chabahar. In Tehran, the strikes targeted Iran’s top leadership. Missiles reportedly hit the dwellings of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Massoud Pezeshkian in the city centre. News agencies citing informed sources wrote that both leaders were moved to safe places.
Meanwhile, Reuters, citing two sources familiar with Israeli military operations and a regional source, reported that Iranian Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour were believed to have been killed in the Israeli attacks. The Times of Israel reported earlier that Israeli officials estimated that Pakpour, Nasirzadeh and Iran’s intelligence chief were likely killed in the strikes.
Sirens sounded across Israel after the strike-the Israel Army (IDF) urged residents to stay close to shelters. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded to the US and Israeli strikes by launching several waves of drones and ballistic missiles into Israel.
Iran has also launched missiles at several Middle Eastern countries where US Armed Forces bases are located. Explosions were reported in Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
One civilian reportedly died in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, after being struck by falling debris during the first wave of retaliatory attacks from Tehran.
Senior U.S. officials told reporters in Washington that there were no reports of U.S. casualties as a result of Iranian retaliatory strikes on U.S. military installations.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials and state media said a likely U.S.-Israeli strike on a girls’ school in Minab, in southern Iran, killed between 40 and 85 people, mostly girls, and video footage showed ruins and scattered backpacks.
Embed share US and Israel attacked Iran, Tehran hit back. What is known? Radio Liberty video Embed share The code has been copied to your clipboard. width px height px The URL has been copied to your clipboard
No media source currently available
0:00 0:00:56 0:00 0:00 DOWNLOAD
- 240P | 1.5MB
- 360P | 1.9MB
- 480P | 2.8MB
- 720P | 10.8MB
- 1080P | 7.6MB
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has condemned what he called a “barbaric act” that has “deeply hurt the hearts of the Iranian nation”.
However, accounts in opposition to the government claimed that the strike was actually a failed launch of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) missile. According to some news reports, there is a queer base in Minab.
In addition, there are reports that footage widely circulated on X purporting to show the aftermath of the strike is actually showing the aftermath of a Taliban attack on a military school in Peshawar, Pakistan, in the