US, Israel strike Iran's top leaders in Operation Roaring Lion

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel and the US launched a major joint strike on Iran on Saturday, with waves of attacks on sites across the Islamic Republic. US and Israeli officials confirmed that this coordinated strike has been months in the making.

Fabian updates us that strikes targeted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, alongside other top regime and military commanders. We hear what we currently know about the strikes' results, even as Iran has retaliated with some 40 ballistic missiles so far.

Schools have been canceled for the near future and medical centers around Israel have switched to emergency mode, moving critical patients and operations to underground complexes or protected spaces.

Finally, Borschel-Dan asks Fabian what he knows about a projected timeline for the war, based on what he is hearing from the IDF.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

US and Israel launch major joint assault on Iran; Trump indicates goal is to topple regime

Full text of Trump’s declaration of ‘major combat operations’ against Iran

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj.

IMAGE: Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026.(AP Photo)

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