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The United States and Israel carried out coordinated military strikes against Iran on Saturday following weeks of warnings from President Donald Trump regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, dramatically escalating tensions across the Middle East.

According to reports, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike conducted with U.S. backing. Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed his death.

Israeli and American forces began the operation with a series of air and missile strikes targeting key Iranian sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the purpose of the joint campaign was to quote “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”

In a video message, Netanyahu added: “Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”

A person briefed on the military effort said the campaign was expected to continue for several days, with Israel’s armed forces concentrating on dismantling Iran’s missile infrastructure.

President Trump addressed the operation in a video posted to Truth Social at 2:30 a.m. ET, describing what he called “major combat operations” that are “massive and ongoing” in Iran. He said the mission was aimed at “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats” from Iran.

The attacks followed a week of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear activities. A third round of talks on Thursday involving Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough.

According to individuals familiar with the operation, the strikes specifically targeted Iran’s top leadership, including Khamenei and the Iranian president, in what was described as an attempt to eliminate them. Trump later announced on social media that Khamenei had been killed, stating that he could not evade U.S. intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Sources briefed on the matter said Israeli assessments concluded that Khamenei had been struck, and NPR later reported being told by a person informed about the strike that he had died.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that one of the U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a girls school, killing at least 53 young female students and injuring dozens more.

In the aftermath of the operation, Trump urged Iranian civilians to act against their leadership. He encouraged innocent Iranians to “take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations” once what the Pentagon is calling “Operation Epic Fury” concludes. Trump has previously cited the Iranian regime’s treatment of protesters as a potential justification for U.S. military action.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the airstrikes as a “gross violation” of national sovereignty and vowed a forceful response.

Regional fallout followed quickly. The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry reported that Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the country, which hosts U.S. forces at multiple bases.

Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan were all reportedly targeted by Iranian missiles. Each of those countries hosts American troops. Bahrain’s government said the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet service center in Manama was struck, while other nations reported intercepting incoming missiles. The UAE said debris from a missile interception killed an Asian migrant worker. Loud explosions were reported over Dubai by a correspondent on the ground.

President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that the United States could pursue what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, saying the island’s government is in serious trouble and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is handling discussions at a senior level.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House before departing for Texas, Trump said Cuba’s leadership has been engaging with Washington as the country faces severe economic hardship.

“The Cuban government is talking with us, and they’re in a big deal of trouble,” Trump said. “They have no money. They have no anything right now, but they’re talking with us, and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

Trump portrayed Cuba as a struggling nation in need of change and said he has long been aware of its difficulties.

“I can see that happening. Marco Rubio is dealing on it and at a very high level,” he said. “They have no money, they have no oil, they have no food. And it’s really right now a nation in deep trouble and they want our help.”

Cuban officials have publicly stated that they are not engaged in formal high-level negotiations with the United States. However, they have not directly rejected reports suggesting that U.S. officials may be holding informal discussions with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban President Raul Castro.

Reports indicate that Rubio has been involved in discreet contacts related to Cuba, including recent meetings between U.S. officials close to him and Rodriguez Castro during a regional Caribbean Community conference in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Relations between Washington and Havana have intensified in recent days following a deadly maritime incident. Cuban forces this week killed four exiles and wounded six others after a Florida-registered speedboat entered Cuban waters and opened fire on a Cuban patrol. Rubio denied that the episode was a U.S. operation and said no U.S. government personnel were involved.

The incident occurred as the United States has sharply restricted oil shipments to Cuba, increasing economic pressure on the Communist government.

Last month, U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, removing a key ally of Cuba from power.

Rubio has been sharply critical of the Cuban government in recent weeks, arguing that the current situation on the island is unsustainable and that Cuba must change “dramatically.”

Many Cuban exiles, particularly those concentrated in Miami, have long hoped for the collapse or overthrow of the government established by the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Trump referenced the large Cuban-American community, suggesting that a U.S. role in Cuba could be beneficial.

“We have people living here that want to go back to Cuba, and they’re very happy with what’s going on,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Several countries on Friday cautioned their citizens against traveling to Israel and Iran as regional tensions intensified and President Donald Trump weighed the possibility of military action against the Islamic Republic.

France’s Foreign Ministry renewed its advisory urging French nationals to avoid travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria, including for tourism or family visits, citing the current security climate.

French officials also called on citizens already in the region to exercise “great vigilance and prudence,” steer clear of protests and large gatherings, and familiarize themselves with the locations of nearby shelters.

The United Kingdom announced that it had temporarily moved some diplomatic personnel and their family members from Tel Aviv to another site within Israel as a precautionary step amid escalating tensions. Britain’s Foreign Office said its embassy in Tel Aviv remains fully operational but warned that the security situation “could escalate quickly” and that border crossings by air and land might close without advance notice.

British authorities further advised against all but essential travel to Israel and continued to recommend avoiding certain areas entirely.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry issued what it described as an “urgent” warning against travel to Israel.

“Travel to Israel and East Jerusalem is urgently discouraged,” the ministry stated in an advisory posted on its website.

Italy’s Foreign Ministry, for its part, urged its citizens to leave Iran and advised heightened caution across the broader Middle East.

“Italians in (Iran) for tourism or whose presence is not strictly necessary are urged to depart,” the ministry said, adding that travel to Iraq and Lebanon is also strongly discouraged.

Italian officials also advised nationals currently in Israel to exercise maximum caution and remain alert.

The wave of advisories followed an announcement by the U.S. Embassy in Israel that it was evacuating non-essential staff and their family members due to “security risks.”

At the same time, the U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory and encouraged American citizens to consider departing Israel.

Trump addressed the rising tensions on Friday, saying he had not yet made a final determination on whether to launch a strike against Iran. He expressed dissatisfaction with Tehran’s conduct in negotiations but indicated that further diplomatic discussions were planned.

“I haven’t made a decision on Iran. I am not happy with how they negotiate,” the President said, adding that additional talks would take place on Friday.

When asked about the possibility of military action, Trump responded, “I don’t want to, but sometimes you have to.”

{Matzav.com}

IAEA Says It Cannot Verify Iran’s Nuclear Activity After Denied Access to Bombed Sites

A confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, distributed to member states and obtained Friday by The Associated Press, states that Iran has refused to grant inspectors access to nuclear facilities that were struck by Israel and the United States during last June’s 12-day war.

According to the document, the agency’s inability to enter the damaged sites has left it unable to determine whether Tehran has halted uranium enrichment or to accurately evaluate the size and status of its enriched uranium reserves.

While Iran has four declared enrichment facilities, the IAEA reported that it “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran.”

The report warned that the ongoing “loss of continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s nuclear program presents an urgent concern for international oversight.

In correspondence dated February 2, Iran informed the agency that standard safeguards were “legally untenable and materially impracticable” in light of threats and what it described as “acts of aggression.” The report added that, since June 2025, Iranian authorities have permitted inspectors at least one visit to facilities not impacted by the strikes, with the exception of a power plant under construction in Karun.

Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran is required to cooperate with the IAEA. However, following the June conflict, Tehran suspended its formal collaboration with the watchdog agency.

The IAEA estimates that Iran currently holds 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — a level close to the 90 percent threshold considered weapons-grade. Experts have indicated that such a stockpile, if further refined, could theoretically be sufficient for as many as 10 nuclear weapons. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has previously stated that Iran does not presently possess nuclear bombs.

Ordinarily, uranium enriched to such high levels would be subject to monthly verification. But because inspectors have been denied physical access to the sites since June, the agency has instead relied on commercially available satellite imagery to track developments.

Satellite images of the Isfahan facility, roughly 350 kilometers southeast of Tehran, show what the agency described as “regular vehicular activity” near a tunnel complex believed to house enriched material. Activity has also been detected at the Natanz and Fordow enrichment plants, though without on-site inspections, the IAEA says it cannot determine the purpose or nature of what is taking place there.

The report further noted that Grossi took part in U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations held in Geneva on February 17 and February 26, during which he “provided advice” related to verification measures for Iran’s nuclear program.

Although no agreement was announced after Thursday’s round of talks, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said progress had been made and confirmed that “technical talks” would continue next week in Vienna, Austria. U.S. officials told Axios that the discussions were positive.

{Matzav.com}

IDF Spokesperson Effie Defrin sought to reassure the public on Friday as regional tensions mounted and speculation grew about a possible strike on Iran, stating that the military remains on heightened alert but that no changes have been made to civilian instructions.

In a message posted to social media shortly before the start of Shabbos, Defrin addressed growing public unease.

“I am aware of the sense of uncertainty and the tension prevailing in the public due to the regional developments. The IDF is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and is on high alert and ready to defend you. There is no change in the guidelines; if there is any change, I will be here, and we will warn accordingly. Shabbat Shalom to everyone,” he wrote.

His remarks followed a series of diplomatic and security developments earlier in the day.

Hours before Defrin’s statement, the U.S. Embassy in Israel announced that it was evacuating non-essential staff members and their families because of “security risks.”

At the same time, the U.S. State Department revised its travel advisory and encouraged American citizens to consider departing Israel.

The heightened tensions come after U.S. and Iranian officials met Thursday in Geneva for another round of negotiations, as the United States continues a significant military buildup in the region surrounding Iran.

Although no agreement was reached at the conclusion of the talks, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said progress had been made and confirmed that “technical talks” would resume next week in Vienna, Austria. U.S. officials told Axios that the discussions were positive.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel next week for high-level discussions focused on Iran and other key regional issues, the State Department announced Friday, as Washington continues to expand its military presence in the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Tehran.

According to the State Department, Rubio’s trip will take place March 2-3. During his visit, he is expected to hold talks on Iran as well as broader regional matters, including developments in Lebanon and President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

A shmuess delivered by Rav Simcha Klein.

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