Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-28 at 22:01

HEADLINESKhamenei Dies as Tehran Struck by US-IsraelIran Drone Shot Down Amid Israel ClashesMost Destructive Offensive Warned by GuardsThe time is now 10:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, Israeli military officials say warnings were activated after a hostile aerial intrusion into northern Israel, and one unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Iran was shot down under policy. Civilians are urged to continue following the instructions from the Home Front Command and the guidance being broadcast. In a development reported by Iranian state media, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for 36 years, has died at age 86 in air strikes that hit his central Tehran compound, carried out by Israel and the United States after decades of attempts to resolve the nuclear dispute diplomatically. The death of Iran’s top leader is likely to alter regional calculations and could influence Iran’s approach toward the United States and Israel as leadership dynamics shift.In Iranian Retaliation, the Revolutionary Guards warned that in moments the most destructive offensive in the history of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces would begin, signaling a severe escalation in the crisis and a message from Tehran about its perceived resolve in the face of external actions.In Regional Impacts, Kabul heard blasts and gunfire on Sunday as fighting between Afghan and Pakistani forces entered a fourth day. Explosions echoed across parts of the city before sunrise, followed by bursts of gunfire; there were no immediate confirmations of targets or casualties. Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the sounds were from Afghan forces targeting Pakistani aircraft over the capital, and air defense attacks were reported in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft as residents were urged not to worry. A separate red alert was issued at 04:20 for the border area near Gedar, directing people to immediately enter protected spaces.In US Policy Concerning Israel, officials describe the operation as the United States and Israel’s most ambitious attacks on Iran in decades, an effort that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The move is framed as a decisive step in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. President Trump has said Iran must never have a nuclear weapon, calling the strikes a major policy move and noting that Tehran had reportedly attempted to rebuild its program after earlier actions. Trump characterized the operation as the boldest foreign-policy gambit of his presidency, undertaken after years of diplomacy efforts failed to resolve the standoff, and he asserted that the action would shape the trajectory of US-Iran and Israel-Iran relations going forward.Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.SOURCEShttps://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1290394https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/02/irans-ali-khamenei-who-based-iron-rule-fiery-hostility-us-and-israel-dies-86https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1290393https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/02/blasts-heard-kabul-amid-clashes-between-afghan-pakistani-forceshttps://t.me/Newss0nline/60021https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/02/explainer-why-us-attacking-iran