{"id":2393,"date":"2026-02-27T23:30:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T07:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/us-israel-strikes-iran-operation-shield-judah-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T05:22:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T13:22:01","slug":"operation-shield-of-judah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/operation-shield-of-judah\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Israel Launch Strikes on Iran: Operation Shield of Judah Begins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udd34 BREAKING \u2014 February 28, 2026, ~2:25 AM PT:<\/strong> The United States and Israel have launched a joint military strike on Iran, codenamed <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong>. Explosions have been reported across Tehran and at least four other Iranian cities. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/live-updates\/iran-attack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the attack<\/a> as a <em>&#8220;preemptive strike&#8221;<\/em> to <em>&#8220;remove threats to the State of Israel.&#8221;<\/em> Two US officials confirmed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/live-news\/iran-israel-us-attack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a> that this was <em>&#8220;not a small strike&#8221;<\/em> \u2014 dozens of US attack planes from regional bases and one or more aircraft carriers are involved in <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong>. This is a new article. For the full pre-conflict buildup and diplomatic history, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/us-iran-war-nuclear-standoff-2026\/\">live Iran coverage here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"2024\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 3840 \/ 2024;\" width=\"3840\" controls src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6SZNO54YA2mrxEy2.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-happened\">What Happened: Operation Shield of Judah<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#background\">How We Got Here: Months of Pressure and a Regime on the Brink<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#targets\">Targets: Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Kermanshah, Karaj<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-it-means\">What It Means for Americans: Oil, War Costs, and No Congressional Vote<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#live-updates\">Live Updates<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"959\" height=\"1705\" src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026.jpg\" alt=\"Massive smoke plumes rising over Imam Khomeini Square in Tehran following US Israel Operation Shield of Judah strikes February 28 2026\" class=\"wp-image-2396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026.jpg 959w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026-7x12.jpg 7w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 959px) 100vw, 959px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke rising over central Tehran near Imam Khomeini Square, February 28, 2026. Photo via on-the-ground intel source.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group key-facts-box has-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-color:#cc0000;border-style:solid;border-width:2px;padding-top:20px;padding-right:20px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:20px\">\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.234), 17px);font-weight:700\">\ud83d\udea8 Key Facts \u2014 as of ~2:25 AM PT, Feb 28, 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Israel and the US launched joint strikes on Iran \u2014 codenamed <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> \u2014 late Friday night \/ early Saturday morning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirmed strike locations: <strong>Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Missiles struck areas near Khamenei&#8217;s offices, the presidential palace, and the National Security Council in Tehran. Khamenei is <strong>not in Tehran<\/strong> \u2014 Reuters reports he has been moved to a secure location.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>US officials confirmed &#8220;dozens&#8221; of strikes carried out by attack planes from regional bases and aircraft carriers. Two officials described it to CNN as <strong>&#8220;not a small strike.&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Israel declared a <strong>nationwide state of emergency<\/strong>. Its airspace is closed. Schools, workplaces, and public gatherings ordered closed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Iran&#8217;s communication services across Tehran have been <strong>disrupted<\/strong> following the attacks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some Iranian citizens reportedly <strong>celebrated<\/strong> in the streets, calling the strike location &#8220;the leader&#8217;s house.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) condemned the strikes as <strong>&#8220;acts of war unauthorized by Congress.&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Casualties: Unknown.<\/strong> The situation is ongoing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-happened\">What Happened: Operation Shield of Judah<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-street-smoke-explosion-car-view-feb28-2026.jpg\" alt=\"View from inside a car in Tehran as massive smoke plume rises from strike zone, February 28 2026\" class=\"wp-image-2394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-street-smoke-explosion-car-view-feb28-2026.jpg 960w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-street-smoke-explosion-car-view-feb28-2026-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-street-smoke-explosion-car-view-feb28-2026-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-street-smoke-explosion-car-view-feb28-2026-9x12.jpg 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tehran, February 28, 2026 \u2014 smoke rises from the strike zone as seen from a car on the street.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometime around 2 AM Pacific time on Saturday, February 28, 2026, the world changed. Israel launched what its Defense Minister Israel Katz called a <strong>preemptive attack<\/strong> on Iran \u2014 the opening salvo of <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> \u2014 aimed at removing threats to Israel&#8217;s existence. Within minutes, two US officials confirmed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/live\/2026\/02\/28\/world\/israel-iran-war\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the New York Times<\/a> and multiple other outlets that the United States was also carrying out strikes \u2014 and that this was, in the words of one official, <em>&#8220;not a small strike.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Explosions were reported across Tehran almost immediately. Iranian state-affiliated Fars News Agency confirmed strikes on University Street and the Jomhouri area \u2014 the heart of the Iranian government&#8217;s command center. Separate explosions followed in Tehran&#8217;s northern Seyed Khandan neighborhood. Iranian semi-official Tasnim news also confirmed the blasts. Al Jazeera&#8217;s correspondent on the ground in Tehran reported seeing smoke rising across the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"368\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 848 \/ 368;\" width=\"848\" controls src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/XJhhD9gr3LTxnQCw.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/world\/live-news\/iran-israel-us-attack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN confirmed the attack<\/a> as <strong>coordinated between Israel and the US<\/strong>, planned for months, with the specific launch date decided weeks ago. Dozens of US strike aircraft \u2014 operating from bases across the Middle East and from one or more aircraft carriers \u2014 are involved. The Israeli Air Force and the US Air Force and Navy are all participating in <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AP News<\/a> and Reuters are also confirming US military participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Israel simultaneously declared a <strong>nationwide state of emergency<\/strong>, closed its airspace, and instructed its population to stay near bomb shelters. Air raid sirens are sounding across Israel in anticipation of Iranian retaliation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters<\/a> reports the US Embassy in Qatar ordered shelter-in-place for all personnel and issued the same recommendation to American citizens in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"background\">How We Got Here: Months of Pressure and a Regime on the Brink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-dual-smoke-columns-street-feb28-2026.jpg\" alt=\"Dual smoke columns rising over Tehran streets following US Israel Operation Shield of Judah strikes February 28 2026\" class=\"wp-image-2395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-dual-smoke-columns-street-feb28-2026.jpg 960w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-dual-smoke-columns-street-feb28-2026-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-dual-smoke-columns-street-feb28-2026-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-dual-smoke-columns-street-feb28-2026-9x12.jpg 9w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two smoke columns rise over a Tehran street, February 28, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This moment has been visible for months \u2014 documented in <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/us-iran-war-nuclear-standoff-2026\/\">our Iran live coverage<\/a> since early 2026. Here&#8217;s the compressed timeline that led to tonight:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>December 2025 \u2013 January 2026:<\/strong> Nationwide anti-regime protests erupted across Iran following the collapse of the rial and deepening economic crisis. By Trump&#8217;s own count on February 27, <strong>at least 32,000 protesters were killed<\/strong> by the Iranian regime \u2014 making this the deadliest government crackdown since the 1979 revolution. The protests spread to over 100 cities. The regime responded with internet blackouts and massacre-level violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>January 13, 2026:<\/strong> Trump told Iranians to <em>&#8220;keep protesting&#8221;<\/em> and that <em>&#8220;help is on its way.&#8221;<\/em> On January 23, he announced a US <em>&#8220;armada&#8221;<\/em> deploying to the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>February 13\u201314, 2026:<\/strong> Trump said regime change in Iran <em>&#8220;would be the best thing that could ever happen.&#8221;<\/em> Reuters reported exclusively that the US military was preparing for <em>weeks-long sustained operations<\/em> against Iran \u2014 not a limited strike. Targets would include state and security infrastructure, not only nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>February 24\u201327, 2026:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/iran-offered-zero-accumulation-enriched-uranium-us-inspectors-2026-02-27\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters reported exclusively<\/a> that Iran offered <em>&#8220;zero accumulation, zero stockpiling&#8221;<\/em> of enriched uranium \u2014 and <em>American inspectors<\/em> \u2014 in the most significant concession in years. Trump said he was <em>&#8220;not happy&#8221;<\/em> and maintained his demand for zero enrichment entirely. Scavino posted a B-2 bomber image on social media. Admiral Cooper was confirmed to have briefed Trump on strike options. F-22s were at Ovda Air Base in Israel. US refueling aircraft repositioned from Qatar to Ben Gurion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tonight, the buildup ended and the strikes began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"targets\">Targets: Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Kermanshah, Karaj<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026.jpg\" alt=\"Al Arabiya flight tracking map showing Tehran airspace closed with massive air traffic diversion around Iran February 28 2026\" class=\"wp-image-2397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/iran-airspace-closed-empty-tehran-flight-diversion-feb28-2026-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Real-time flight tracking \u2014 Iran&#8217;s airspace completely closed, all commercial flights diverted. Al Arabiya English, February 28, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on confirmed reporting as of this article&#8217;s publication, strikes have been confirmed across five Iranian cities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tehran:<\/strong> The primary target. Missiles struck the area near Supreme Leader Khamenei&#8217;s offices, the presidential palace, and Iran&#8217;s National Security Council. Additional strikes were reported at University Street, the Jomhouri area, and the northern Seyed Khandan neighborhood. Khamenei is confirmed to have been evacuated from Tehran before the strikes. Communications across the city have been disrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Isfahan:<\/strong> Isfahan hosts Iran&#8217;s primary nuclear research facilities and ballistic missile production infrastructure, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iaea.org\/newscenter\/focus\/iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">uranium conversion facility monitored by the IAEA<\/a>. It was the site of repeated Israeli strikes in previous rounds of the Iran-Israel conflict. Its targeting during <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> indicates a renewed focus on dismantling Iran&#8217;s nuclear program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Qom:<\/strong> A deeply significant symbolic and strategic target \u2014 home to Iran&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fordow_Fuel_Enrichment_Plant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">underground Fordow uranium enrichment facility<\/a>, which was built inside a mountain specifically to survive aerial bombardment. Reports of explosions in Qom during <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> suggest this hardened site may be among the targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"848\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 464 \/ 848;\" width=\"464\" controls src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/VvFgLfocnV0tl6eX.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kermanshah:<\/strong> A major military base in western Iran, historically used to station IRGC forces and missile batteries closest to Iraq and Israel&#8217;s approach vectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Karaj:<\/strong> Home to Iranian defense industry facilities and the Alborz Mountains radar and missile defense infrastructure west of Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The IDF confirmed the strikes focused on <em>&#8220;Iran&#8217;s nuclear program, missile capabilities, and key military bases.&#8221;<\/em> Israel has labeled <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> a 4-day campaign. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/liveblog\/2026\/2\/28\/iran-attack-live\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Al Jazeera&#8217;s correspondent on the ground<\/a> in Tehran reported seeing smoke rising across the city. Casualties are unknown at this time. The situation is rapidly evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-it-means\">What It Means for Americans: Oil, War Costs, and No Congressional Vote<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1429\" src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"US military command center tactical screens showing Middle East strike planning for Operation Shield of Judah\" class=\"wp-image-2388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-1024x572.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-768x429.jpg 768w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-1536x857.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-2048x1143.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/us-military-command-center-iran-strikes-operation-planning-2026-18x10.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For the roughly 340 million Americans who went to sleep Friday night not expecting to wake up to a US war with Iran, here is what this means in practical terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Oil prices:<\/strong> Iran sits on the Strait of Hormuz, through which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=61002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">roughly 20% of the world&#8217;s oil supply passes<\/a> according to the US Energy Information Administration. Any Iranian retaliation that threatens tanker traffic \u2014 or any strike on Iranian oil infrastructure \u2014 will send oil prices spiking within hours of markets opening Monday morning. Gas prices, already elevated, will likely rise further. The economic shock is real and immediate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>No congressional authorization:<\/strong> Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) immediately condemned the <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> strikes as <em>&#8220;acts of war unauthorized by Congress.&#8221;<\/em> He is correct as a constitutional matter. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/93rd-congress\/house-joint-resolution\/542\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">War Powers Act of 1973<\/a> requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing US forces to hostilities and gives Congress 60 days to authorize or halt military action. It has not been invoked effectively since the 1970s. This war, like most American wars of the past 40 years, is starting without a declaration of war. The <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/immigration-policy-failures-united-states-history\/\">bipartisan war powers push<\/a> that was building in Congress has not yet produced binding legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1280\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 720 \/ 1280;\" width=\"720\" controls src=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/RdzcRjCwegiaotxj.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Regional escalation risk:<\/strong> Iran&#8217;s regional proxies \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/backgrounder\/irans-regional-proxies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, and militia groups in Iraq<\/a> \u2014 have previously retaliated against US and Israeli targets when Iran was struck. The 12 Day War last June gave a preview. <strong>Operation Shield of Judah<\/strong> is described as broader and more sustained than that round. Israel&#8217;s nationwide state of emergency and closed airspace reflects exactly that expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The cost to working Americans:<\/strong> The US military&#8217;s involvement follows a pattern that <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/american-infrastructure-crisis\/\">decades of Boomer-era foreign policy<\/a> established \u2014 wars started by the generation that had the most political power, funded by debt that younger generations will repay, with the human cost borne disproportionately by working-class service members. The <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/opioid-crisis-who-is-responsible\/\">opioid epidemic<\/a> was fueled in part by veterans of the last generation of Middle East wars. The <a href=\"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/millennial-retirement-savings-crisis\/\">retirement savings crisis<\/a> was deepened by the economic disruptions and defense spending of those conflicts. History may be repeating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"live-updates\">Live Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This article will be updated as the situation develops. Newest updates at top. All times Pacific.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd34 <strong>Feb 28, 2026 \u2014 ~2:25 AM PT<\/strong> \u2014 US and Israel confirm joint strikes on Iran underway. Explosions reported in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Kermanshah, and Karaj. Israel declares nationwide state of emergency. Khamenei evacuated from Tehran. US officials confirm &#8220;not a small strike&#8221; \u2014 dozens of attack aircraft involved. Operation Shield of Judah confirmed. <em>[Article published \u2014 situation ongoing]<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83d\udd34 BREAKING \u2014 February 28, 2026, ~2:25 AM PT: The United States and Israel have launched a joint military strike on Iran, codenamed Operation Shield of Judah. Explosions have been reported across Tehran and at least four other Iranian cities. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the attack as a &#8220;preemptive strike&#8221; to &#8220;remove threats [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,29],"tags":[9,151,150,66,148,143,11,149],"class_list":["post-2393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-news","category-foreign-wars","tag-breaking","tag-current-news","tag-foreign-wars","tag-iran","tag-israel","tag-politics","tag-video","tag-war"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tehran-iran-strike-smoke-imam-khomeini-square-feb28-2026.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2393"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2422,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393\/revisions\/2422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/boomersbrokeamerica.com\/ro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}