What Happened
- A joint US-Israel military operation (dubbed "Operation Epic Fury") on February 28, 2026 targeted Iran's political, military, and scientific leadership with unprecedented scale and precision.
- The strikes followed the earlier Operation Rising Lion (June 2025) in which Israel had struck Iran's nuclear infrastructure and killed several senior commanders.
- Among those killed in the 2026 strikes: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (86), Defence Minister, the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.
- Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei's death and announced 40 days of national mourning.
- Over 200 people were reported killed across Iran in strikes that hit military compounds, IRGC command hubs, missile sites, and air defence systems.
Static Topic Bridges
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC): Structure, Role, and Power
The IRGC (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami) was established in 1979 immediately after the Islamic Revolution to protect the new theocratic government and serve as a counterweight to the regular military (Artesh), which was associated with the Shah's regime. Over four decades, the IRGC evolved into Iran's most powerful military-political institution, controlling nuclear and missile programmes, proxy networks across the region, and significant portions of the Iranian economy.
- Branches: Ground forces (150,000+ troops), Navy (~20,000 sailors), Aerospace Force (15,000 personnel), Quds Force (external operations and proxy management), Basij paramilitary (can mobilise ~600,000 volunteers).
- IRGC controls Iran's ballistic missile programme — estimated arsenal of over 3,000 missiles (short-range 300-1,000 km, medium-range 1,000-3,000 km).
- Reports directly to the Supreme Leader, not to the President or regular cabinet.
- The IRGC Aerospace Force controls the Shahab-3/3B missile (range up to 2,100 km) and newer systems like the solid-fuelled Qassem Bassir (MRBM, unveiled May 2025).
- US designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) in 2019.
- From 2019 to June 2025: Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami led the IRGC; killed in the June 2025 Israeli strikes (Operation Rising Lion).
Connection to this news: The 2026 strikes targeted IRGC command infrastructure and its top leadership, effectively "decapitating" the organisation. The IRGC commander was among those confirmed killed, dismantling the central nervous system of Iran's military deterrence apparatus.
Operation Rising Lion (June 2025): The Precursor Strike
Operation Rising Lion, launched by Israel on June 13, 2025, was the direct precursor to the 2026 escalation. It represented the first major Israeli military campaign directly targeting Iranian soil — targeting nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure, and senior military commanders.
- Scale: Over 200 Israeli F-35 Adirs and other aircraft struck more than 100 targets across Iran.
- Targets included: nuclear enrichment infrastructure, IRGC missile and launch sites, air defence systems, and senior commanders.
- Deaths in June 2025 strikes: Several IRGC commanders including Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami.
- Iran retaliated with drone and missile barrages toward Israel.
- US B-2 stealth bombers participated in strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
- The operation severely degraded Iran's nuclear programme and military command structure.
Connection to this news: The 2026 follow-up strikes (Operation Epic Fury) targeted the political leadership that had survived or replaced those killed in June 2025, completing the systematic elimination of Iran's security and military decision-making hierarchy.
Targeted Killing vs. Assassination: International Humanitarian Law Distinctions
The deliberate targeting of state and military leaders raises foundational questions under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the UN Charter. International law draws a distinction between "targeted killing" in the context of armed conflict (potentially lawful under IHL if the target is a combatant or "directly participating in hostilities") and political assassination in peacetime (prohibited under international law and most domestic legal systems).
- UN Charter Article 2(4): Prohibits the threat or use of force by one state against another state.
- UN Charter Article 51: Permits individual or collective self-defence in response to an armed attack.
- IHL principles governing targeted killing: Distinction (combatant vs. civilian), Proportionality (collateral damage), Military Necessity, Humanity.
- Heads of state have historically been protected from deliberate targeting even in wartime under customary international law (though IHL does not categorically prohibit killing a head of state who is also a military commander).
- The US has conducted targeted killing programmes since the post-9/11 era (CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia).
- Russia and China both condemned the killing of Khamenei as a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
Connection to this news: Israel and the US justified the strikes under self-defence doctrines (Article 51). Critics — including Russia, China, and most of the Global South — characterised it as a political assassination violating Iran's sovereignty, international norms, and the UN Charter's prohibition on the use of force against sovereign states.
Key Facts & Data
- Operation Rising Lion: June 13, 2025 — first major direct Israeli military campaign on Iranian soil
- Operation Epic Fury: February 28, 2026 — joint US-Israel operation killing Khamenei and top security officials
- IRGC established: 1979, immediately post-Islamic Revolution
- IRGC ballistic missile arsenal: estimated 3,000+ missiles (SRBMs 300-1,000 km; MRBMs 1,000-3,000 km)
- Shahab-3/3B: Range up to 2,100 km — can reach Israel, Gulf states, parts of Europe
- Qassem Bassir: Solid-fuelled MRBM unveiled May 2025
- Basij paramilitary: Claims ability to mobilise ~600,000 volunteers
- US designated IRGC a Foreign Terrorist Organisation: April 2019
- Iran announced 40 days of national mourning after Khamenei's death
- Iranian Red Crescent: 200+ killed across Iran in the February 28, 2026 strikes