JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Following weeks of rising tensions and military buildup within the Middle East, the United States and Israel have recently launched missile strikes against Iran this past Saturday.
In the morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 28, President Donald Trump publicly announced the U.S. military, alongside Israel’s military, have moved forward with a major attack against Iran and its governing regime, stating the attack was conducted to destroy the nation’s various missile sites in a move to cripple Iran’s military and ruling government. He stated the core objective is to protect America and its allies from Iran and its nuclear program, claiming despite previous strikes made against the country’s three nuclear and military sites in June 2025, Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, the regime made attempts to rebuild its nuclear program.
“It’s menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world,” Trump said. “For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted ‘Death to America’ and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and innocent people in many, many countries.”
Many of the strikes against Iran were directed to the nation’s capital city Tehran and across five other cities, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian being major targets during the attack. During his announcement of the strikes against Iran, dubbed by the Pentagon Operation Epic Fury, Trump warned all members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and other Iranian military personnel to surrender or “face certain death”. Additionally, he stated towards the citizens of Iran to seek shelter during the ongoing attacks, commenting that once the dust settles the citizens should turn to overthrowing the regime, remarking on the widespread protests which have occurred throughout much of the country prior to the missile strikes.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump stated. “This will probably be your only chance for generations.”
The next day, it was confirmed Khamenei was killed during the attack, with President Pezeshkian surviving the attack. A total of over 200 deaths were confirmed across 24 provinces within Iran, alongside a reported 747 injuries and counting. In retaliation towards the U.S. and Israel, the Iranian military fired long range missiles towards Israel and a number of nearby U.S. Embassies located in neighboring countries, including striking the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters stationed in Bahrain. On Monday, March 2, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed four American service members were killed.
Many world leaders reacted to the news of the ongoing conflict, each who have since shared their thoughts as to the U.S. and Israel’s decision of striking Iran. Some such as U.N. Secretary General António Guterres publicly condemned the attack, commenting the conflict as undermining international peace and stability. Others such as Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed support of the U.S.’s strike against Iran, citing the act as a means to further prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear arms and thus becoming a major threat to international security.
“Canada’s position on the developments in the Middle East remains clear. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East,” Carney said. “It has one of the worst human rights records and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons.”
This is a developing story