Strategic Joint Offensive Codenamed Operation Roaring Lion Targets Tehran as US and Israel Move to Neutralize Regime Threats

Satellite photos show destruction at Khamenei’s compound as US and Israel launch joint strikes on Iran. Regime change mission triggers Middle East retaliation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 28, 2026, 8:26 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Hindustan Times

The Initiation of Operation Roaring Lion

On the morning of February 28, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces and the United States military launched a coordinated, large-scale preemptive strike against sovereign Iranian territory. The operation, referred to by the Pentagon as Operation Epic Fury, represents a significant shift from limited strikes to a broad campaign designed to degrade Iran’s strategic depth and nuclear ambitions. Initial reports confirm that seven missiles struck the Shemiran district of northern Tehran, specifically targeting the official residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the surrounding government nodes. While Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled the strikes a preventive measure to remove existential threats, US President Donald Trump characterized the mission as "major combat operations" intended to topple the ruling clerical government.

Destruction at the Supreme Leader’s Residence

High-resolution satellite imagery captured by Airbus and obtained by the New York Times reveals extensive structural damage to the secure compound of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The photos show multiple collapsed buildings and a thick, black plume of smoke rising from the site, which serves as both a residence and a central hub for Iranian leadership. Despite the visible devastation, the current status and precise whereabouts of the 86-year-old Supreme Leader remain unconfirmed. Some reports suggest he was transferred to a secure location prior to the strike, while Israeli officials have confirmed that both Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the intended targets. The Iranian establishment has acknowledged that several senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and political officials were killed during the bombardment.

Trump’s Call for Regime Change

In a televised statement released shortly after the strikes began, President Donald Trump outlined the ultimate objective of the mission as total regime change. Addressing the Iranian public directly, Trump urged citizens to "take over your government" once military operations are concluded. He issued a stark ultimatum to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, promising complete immunity for those who lay down their weapons while warning that those who resist face certain death. The administration has framed the conflict as an inevitable result of failed diplomatic effo...