Israel & the United States at War with Iran

Special Update from Israel

March 1, 2026

Prepared by and sent from Jewish Federation of North America's Israel Office 

• Day 2 of the US/Israel War with Iran
• Nine Israelis were killed and many more were injured, as Iran fires dozens more missiles at the Jewish state.
• Significant attacks targeting the Islamic regime continue

With our readers' permission, I will briefly move into the first person to recount the last half an hour.

I live in Bet Shemesh with my wife and children.  When sirens sounded for the fifth time today, I stopped writing this update, and we all ran to our safe room. Instead of the typical “booms,” this time there was an enormous explosion, the likes of which we’d never heard before. The whole house shook. We quickly learned there had been a direct missile strike on a public shelter quite close to our house. Many of our neighbors have shattered windows; our synagogue is damaged. Early reports say there are nine people killed and at least 15 injured. As I write, sirens and ambulances are everywhere, and the damage seems quite substantial.  Scary and extremely jarring. Physically, my family and I are fine. Our prayers and tears are with the victims and their families.

Briefing: Israel & the United States at War with Iran
Sunday, March 1 at 12pm ET

Join Jewish Federations of North America for a special briefing on the rapidly unfolding conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran. We’ll be joined by Haviv Rettig Gur, who will provide timely analysis of the latest developments.

See Jewish Federations’ Joint Security Guidance for Jewish Institutions Following Strikes on Iran

Iran

• Iran confirmed that Supreme Leader Ali Khameini was killed in an air strike. A 40-day mourning period has been declared; businesses, schools, and government offices have been closed for seven days, presumably to keep protestors off the streets. This marks the first time Israel has eliminated an enemy head of state.
• Iran announced that an interim leadership council will soon be formed. The president, the head of the judiciary, and a jurist from the Guardian Council will assume responsibility until the next leader is elected. Read: How does Iran's theocratic system of power work?
• In a statement, the Israeli Air Force said, “Ali Khamenei was targeted in a precise, large-scale operation, carried out by the Israel Air Force, guided by accurate IDF intelligence, while he was in his central leadership compound in the heart of Tehran, where he was together with additional senior officials.”
• Iranian TV also said that the country’s armed forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi was killed. Mousavi was among some 30 key Iranian regime leaders and military chiefs reportedly targeted in yesterday’s initial joint US-Israel strikes.
• In addition, Iran’s judiciary confirmed that strikes killed the chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, General Mohammad Pakpour and Ali Shamkhani, the head of the National Defense Council.
• The IDF says that some 40 top Iranian officials were killed in just 60 seconds at the opening of the war.
• US and Israeli forces continue to carry out a repeated wave of airstrikes against targets of the regime in Tehran and across Iran.
• According to the IDF, Air Force fighter jets dropped over 1,200 pieces of munition during strikes in Iran on the war’s first day. The strikes have hit hundreds of Iranian military targets, including ballistic missile launchers and air defense systems. Watch this video explaining the stages of the Israeli campaign and see these photos of pilots preparing to depart on a mission to Iran.
• The IDF published this footage of an airstrike against a “headquarters of the Iranian terror regime” in Tehran this morning. The video shows two buildings in the Iranian capital being destroyed in strikes.
• Also today, the Israel Air Force struck two Iranian regime F5 and F4 fighter jets at the airport of Tabriz in western Iran, as the jets were preparing for takeoff.
• While it is unclear how long the war will last, many Israeli and US experts have estimated that the attacks will last for around a week.

Israel's Home Front

• Following the announcement of the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to punish the “murderers,” promising what it says will be the “most ferocious offensive operation in history” against US bases and Israel. “The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation for a severe, decisive, and regrettable punishment for the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah will not let go of them.”
• The previous 30 or so hours have seen an all-time record number of Israeli citizens needing to shelter from rockets, UAVs, and missiles – outnumbering even the attacks of October 7, 2023. Across the country, including many of the largest cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa, sirens have sounded at least 10 times per day.
• Last night, a direct hit on a residential building in Tel Aviv killed one woman and injured many more. The missile’s warhead carried several hundred kilos of explosives and destroyed the building, which, like many older structures, did not have its own shelters. Residents were told to shelter in a nearby safe area, but the victim, a 50-year-old caregiver from the Philippines, did not make it in time. Instead, she remained with the elderly Israeli woman for whom she worked, who was rescued uninjured from the rubble.
• As mentioned above, nine people were killed and at least 15 others injured in the direct missile strike on a neighborhood in Bet Shemesh in the country’s center.
• Earlier today, a woman in her 60s, who was taken to the ER at Ichilov Medical Center suffering from shortness of breath during a rocket attack, died this morning. The Health Ministry says that 456 people have been evacuated to hospitals, of whom 86 are currently either hospitalized or in the ER since the start of Roaring Lion. One person is in serious condition, but not as a direct result of a missile strike; 19 are in moderate condition, 92 are in good condition, three are suffering from anxiety, and one is undergoing medical evaluation. ERAN Emotional First Aid has reported a 40% increase in calls since the start of the war.
• Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency, with the Home Front Command instructing civilians to remain close to protected spaces. All public gatherings have been banned, at least until 8 pm on Monday. All schools, businesses, and workplaces are closed, except for essential services.
• Israel’s airspace has been closed, and no civilian flights are entering or leaving the country.
• Israeli air carrier Arkia announced that it will start to operate special flights from Athens in Greece to Taba in Egypt today to help stranded travelers return home via the land border crossing. The Arkia flights will fly passengers from Athens to Taba International Airport, from where they can cross the Taba land border with Egypt into Israel. Travelers can also depart Israel via the same route.

Leaders

• US President Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iran with unprecedented force if it strikes in the coming hours. “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
• Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said that “justice has been served” after an IDF airstrike killed Iran’s Supreme Leader in Tehran yesterday. “The tyrant Khamenei was eliminated in the opening strike of Operation Roaring Lion, along with other senior figures in the Iranian terror regime’s stronghold. Whoever worked to destroy Israel was destroyed. Justice has been done, and the axis of evil sustained a crushing blow.”
• Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, published an op-ed outlining a plan for a democratic transition in Iran following the death of Khamenei, arguing that the country can avoid a post-war power vacuum through a structured roadmap he calls the Iran Prosperity Project. He said he is prepared to lead a transitional government, draft a new constitution, and hold free elections under international oversight, while pledging that a future Iranian government would recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations. Pahlavi also praised US President Donald Trump for the recent US-Israel military action and for publicly supporting the Iranian people.

Fighting Spreads

• Iran has continued to fire at multiple US allies in the region.
• The United Arab Emirates reports that three people were killed in an Iranian attack.  In one strike, a terminal at Dubai International Airport was hit.
• Iran has also expanded its range, targeting Cyprus in the Mediterranean.
• Oman’s Duqm commercial port was hit by two drones, injuring one expatriate worker, while debris from another drone fell in an area near fuel tanks.
• Further Iranian attacks have also been reported in Doha and in the Bahraini capital Manama.
• Earlier today, there were reports of loud explosions near Erbil Airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. One journalist reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the airport area. Yesterday, US-led coalition forces downed several missiles and explosive-laden drones over Erbil.
• In the past 24 hours, an Israeli journalist noted, Iran has attacked more Arab states than Israel has in its entire history.
• Most countries in the region have closed their airspace.

Jewish Federations and Partners

Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel office has activated our emergency protocols and is in close contact with the government of Israel and our partners.

• Jewish Federations’ Israel office, as well as our Security Director, Yehuda Gershonovitz, have been in touch with all Federation missions now in Israel. We are confident that everyone is safe and working together to carefully plan a return home as quickly as possible. In addition, our Israel Educational Travel Alliance (IETA) is in contact with all organizations on all trips, and there is a form to submit to ensure that we are tracking any trip in which anyone in our communities may be involved.
• Due to the security situation, Jewish Federations have made the difficult decision to cancel the National Young Leadership Cabinet’s First Year Israel Experience Mission that was slated to travel later this month.
• Please see the important joint security guidance that our team developed with all the Jewish security organizations. It is important that every Federation takes all necessary steps to make sure that every community institution and event is protected in the coming days. This is especially true in anticipation of Purim, which begins tomorrow night.

Some Jewish Federations partner updates:

• The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) is distributing mental health guidelines and recommendations for the emergency situation in multiple languages. See here for guidelines in English and please feel free to distribute to anyone who may find this information helpful.
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC):
  Local first responders throughout the country are using the emergency supplies and training provided by JDC during the last war with Iran. The medical and field hospital supplies that were distributed to municipalities, along with relevant training, are in service in areas impacted by attacks. In the last war with Iran (in June), these saved lives throughout the North.
  
  JDC’s National Mental Health initiative has placed mental health specialists in 200 municipalities, and has provided accredited mental wellness interventions country-wide.
  
  JDC has widely deployed its digital emergency response and mental health resources to help Israelis, including Nafshi – JDC’s comprehensive digital platform offering some 800 vetted mental health services; Hackaveret Innovation Hub Entrepreneurs – Providing rapid-response lectures and training for parents, foreign care workers, occupational therapists, and health professionals; VIVID – An online support app for parents and children, available in Hebrew and Arabic; Safe Space – Emergency coping content disseminated in partnership with leading Israeli media outlet Walla; Bokra – A dedicated Arabic-language portal aggregating emergency resources and guidance; and Digital Emergency Library – A centralized repository of professional emergency-related information.
  
  Should the need arise, JDC is also prepared to prioritize service delivery in impacted cities, focusing on older adults, people with disabilities, evacuees, and families at risk as well as those who have lost homes or livelihoods. This includes “All the Way Home (Ad Habayit)” – JDC’s initiative supporting vulnerable Israelis whose homes were damaged or destroyed, prepared to assist an additional 300 individuals immediately; Mobile Benefit Units – In the event of evacuation, deployable units will help displaced Israelis navigate employment rights, disability benefits, legal aid, financial assistance, and emotional support services; the Emergency Workers Platform for rapid recruitment and deployment of essential workers during emergencies; and the Emergency Assistance Package for War-Affected Municipalities.
   
• The Jewish Agency for Israel:
  
  The Jewish Agency’s Situation Room has been operating continuously to ensure that all participants and residents of Jewish Agency programs and facilities are accounted for, in protected spaces as required, and receiving the support they need. These include 20,000 beneficiaries in Israel —Olim in absorption centers, elderly residents in Amigour homes, 5,000 Masa participants, and other young people in immersive Israel programs.
  
  The Agency has also established a task force to assist all educational groups currently in Israel, including those not under direct Agency responsibility, to provide coordination and guidance.

See Jewish Federations’ Joint Security Guidance for Jewish Institutions Following Strikes on Iran.

Jewish Federations continue to monitor the situation on the ground very closely and will report as needed.

For more information, please contact: Jewish Federations of North America’s Dani Wassner dani.wassner@jewishfederations.org. Subscribe to this weekly update here.