Combined US‑Israeli force hit > 2,000 Iranian targets and secured air superiority – A U.S. official told the New York Times the campaign has struck more than 2,000 sites since Feb 28, while the IDF confirmed control of Tehran’s airspace; strikes hit border guard units in West Azerbaijan and Ilam, an IRGC ground forces unit in Zanjan, and Tehran’s Shahr‑e Rey law‑enforcement station, and hackers posted “it’s time for reckoning” on Iranian sites[31][32][1][2][3][5][6][7][8].
Iran imposed a near‑total internet blackout and set up checkpoints to deter protests – Netblocks recorded only 1 % connectivity nationwide; the Wall Street Journal reported LEC checkpoints across Tehran and Basij members staging anti‑U.S. rallies at universities[9][10][11].
Air campaign focused on air‑defense suppression, missile‑site degradation, and naval destruction – The IAF downed an F‑4 and two F‑5 jets at Tabriz, destroyed a mobile radar in Zahedan, hit three drone‑launch complexes near Konarak, and U.S. strikes sank the Bayandor‑class frigates Bayandor and Naghdi and the IRGC frigate Jamaran; President Trump claimed nine Iranian vessels were sunk and CENTCOM confirmed submarine hits[36][40][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][59][63][67][68][70][71].
Iran’s missile barrage against Israel fell sharply while drone attacks surged – IDF alerts showed 20 missile barrages on Feb 28 versus only four on Mar 1, yet the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain reported intercepting hundreds of Iranian drones, indicating a shift to drone‑heavy strike packages[86][87][89][90][91][92].
Axis of Resistance responded with limited Hezbollah rockets and Iraqi militia strikes on U.S. bases – Early reports linked Hezbollah rockets into Israel, and Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem vowed to “confront the aggression”; Iraqi PMF headquarters in Diyala was hit, killing four fighters, and Saraya Awliya al‑Dam claimed drone attacks on Erbil’s U.S. base, while protests erupted around Baghdad’s Green Zone[142][143][144][145][72][74][119][120][121][122][156][157][158].
Regime reshuffled senior clerical leadership after Khamenei’s death – Expediency Discernment Council appointed Ali Reza Arafi to the newly formed Leadership Council alongside President Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Ejei; Larijani and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf delivered televised speeches condemning the killing of the Supreme Leader[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29].