Shortly before 1:00 am local time, at least three rockets were fired from south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon into northern Israel. One of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, while the others fell in open areas, causing no casualties or damage. Shortly afterward, two drones were launched and intercepted over the town of Shlomi in the Western Galil region, damaging two houses. Hizballah later claimed responsibility for the attack “as revenge for the pure blood of the Muslim leader,” referring to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel, which views the Lebanese government as responsible for any attack carried out from its territory, is likely to retaliate harshly against the group in an attempt to deter it from opening another front.

At about 1:58 am local time, a gunman opened fire near Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin, Texas. The area is popular with nightlife patrons and university students. The shooter, who reportedly wore clothing bearing the words 'Property of Allah' and an Iranian flag emblem, was later identified by law enforcement sources as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal. He drove a large SUV around the area before stopping and firing into crowds with a handgun from his vehicle, then continued to fire with a rifle after exiting the vehicle. Responding officers engaged the suspect and fatally shot him at the scene. Two people were killed in the attack and 14 were wounded, three of them critically. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the investigation, with officials stating they found indicators on the suspect and in his vehicle suggesting a potential link to terrorism, though authorities cautioned that it is too early to determine the motive and that the investigation is ongoing.

On the second consecutive day of a major regional conflict, the United States and Israel continued intensive military strikes across Iran, extending a campaign that began with a large-scale bombardment on 28 February and significantly escalating tensions in the Middle East. The joint offensive continued to target ballistic missile storage and launch sites, as well as naval infrastructure and government and military facilities in major cities across Iran.

In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military bases and strategic locations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with explosions and air defense interceptions reported in Tel Aviv and other areas. President Donald Trump signaled a willingness to engage in future dialogue with emerging Iranian leadership figures even as military actions continued. Iranian officials vowed revenge and declared national mourning, with public demonstrations both in support of and against the conflict occurring domestically and in cities worldwide. The extensive fighting has disrupted regional travel and heightened fears of a protracted war, drawing international concern and diplomatic responses from allies and adversaries alike. Since the operations against it were launched, Iran has fired over 280 ballistic missiles and more than 550 drones toward Gulf states, with the majority directed at Israel.

At around 9:30 am local time, the United States and Israel launched major coordinated aerial, and missile strikes on Iran following the collapse of diplomatic talks in Geneva, Switzerland. According to US and Israeli officials, the strikes dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” and “Operation ‘’Lion’s Roar’’ respectively, targeted Iranian officials, military infrastructure, missile storage and launch facilities, air defense systems, and other sites associated with Iran’s security apparatus. Explosions were reported in and around Tehran, Isfahan, Natanz, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Qom, and other cities. Casualty numbers among Iranian security forces were not immediately known, but initial estimates were in the hundreds.

Iran acknowledged damage to military and governmental installations, issued condemnations, and vowed to retaliate. Within hours of the initial attacks, Iran launched a wide retaliatory campaign of ballistic missile and drone strikes across the Middle East, declaring that all United States and Israeli military assets in the region were legitimate targets.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said missiles were fired at multiple countries hosting US forces. Bahrain reported that its air defense systems intercepted missiles targeting the headquarters of the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE. Most locations saw successful interceptions, with limited verified physical damage to facilities. The IRGC attacks also targeted civilian installations, including Kuwait International Airport, a residential building in Manama, Bahrain, and the Fairmont Hotel Dubai on Palm Jumeirah, where one individual was killed.

Governments in the affected countries condemned the missile strikes as violations of sovereignty and called for restraint and a return to diplomatic engagement, even as they strengthened defensive postures and continued to assess damage and casualties.

Air defense systems in Jordan and other Gulf states also engaged incoming missiles, with no confirmed casualties reported there. Iran also launched missiles at Israeli territory, triggering nationwide air defense alerts and interceptions. Israeli officials reported incoming projectiles resulting in limited structural damage and no fatalities. Regional airports temporarily closed airspace amid the escalation as governments issued safety warnings.

The situation remained highly fluid, with ongoing exchanges and a continued risk of further escalation depending on additional military actions and any diplomatic efforts in the coming days.

Israeli officials claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial wave of coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting his compound in Tehran, though neither Iranian authorities nor the United States confirmed his death. According to Israeli media outlets, photos of his body being evacuated from the compound were shown to Prime Minister Netanyahu, who shared them with President Trump. Footage circulating online showed missiles striking near the compound, but Iranian state media did not immediately verify his status, leaving uncertainty over the fate of the 86-year-old leader. Hours later, speaking to reporters, President Trump confirmed on social media that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed, adding it was “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.” The reported killing would mark a dramatic escalation in the conflict and a historic turning point for Iran’s leadership, as officials in Tehran vowed a crushing response while international observers awaited formal confirmation of Khamenei’s condition.