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3. CENTCOM Confirms Launch of Operation “Epic Fury” Against Iranian Targets

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched Operation “Epic Fury” on February 28 on orders from the President of the United States, striking key elements of Iran’s security apparatus.

According to CENTCOM, U.S. and allied forces began attacks at 1:15 a.m. ET (06:15 GMT), targeting Revolutionary Guard command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military air bases deemed to pose an imminent threat.

Following the initial wave, CENTCOM said its forces repelled hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks. No U.S. combat-related casualties were reported, and damage to U.S. facilities was described as minimal.

The operation employed precision munitions from air, land and sea, as well as low-cost one-way attack drones used in combat for the first time. CENTCOM described it as the largest regional concentration of U.S. firepower in a generation.

Iran’s Regional Retaliation

Within hours, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory campaign targeting U.S. and Israeli installations across the region.

The IRGC said missiles and drones struck the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, American bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as military and security sites inside Israel.

Explosions were reported in Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and across parts of Israel as air defense systems engaged incoming projectiles. In Israel, emergency services reported injuries as sirens sent residents into shelters nationwide.

UAE: Interceptions, Fire in Dubai, Civilian Casualties

The United Arab Emirates confirmed that its air defense systems intercepted ballistic missiles and drones launched toward its territory.

The Ministry of Defense described the attack as a “flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law” and said the armed forces remain fully prepared to confront further threats.

Debris from intercepted missiles fell in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. A fire broke out in a residential building on Palm Jumeirah after fragments reportedly struck the area. Authorities confirmed four injuries in Dubai and at least one civilian fatality in Abu Dhabi.

Bahrain, Qatar and Gulf Capitals on Alert

In Bahrain, the interior ministry said residential buildings in Manama were targeted during the Iranian barrage, with civil defense units responding to affected areas.

Residents and correspondents in Doha and Manama reported multiple rounds of explosions as air defense systems were activated. In Qatar, witnesses described a projectile striking a residential neighborhood.

Across the Gulf, governments moved to heighten security posture amid fears of further escalation.

Airspace Closures and Hormuz Tensions

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE, and Israel partially or fully closed their airspace, while international airlines suspended flights across the region.

The European Union’s naval mission reported intercepted communications indicating that Iran warned vessels that the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil supply transits, had been shut. Maritime traffic disruptions remain under assessment, but any sustained closure would carry significant global economic consequences.