Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin-February 28, 2026

Good evening,
This morning, the IDF launched, together with the United States military, Operation “Roaring Lion.”
This is an unprecedented, coordinated, integrated, and significant operation in both scope and intensity.

The objective of the operation is to severely degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and remove existential threats to the State of Israel over time.

The Chief of Staff is personally commanding the operation together with IDF Commanders, in coordination with the Heads of Israel’s Security Organizations and in close coordination with his counterparts in the United States military.

We opened the operation by utilizing an operational opportunity — striking simultaneously two separate gatherings of senior officials within the Iranian terrorist regime.

The first senior leadership meeting we struck was convened at the “Defense Council” compound in Tehran.
It can now be confirmed that in this strike, several senior officials in the Iranian terror ministry were eliminated, including:

Mohammad Pakpour - Commander of the IRGC
Saleh Asadi - Senior Intelligence Officer of the High Command
Aziz Nasirzadeh - Iranian Defense Minister
Hossein Jabal Amelian - Chairman of the SNPD Organization, responsible or the military-defense industry
Ali Shamkhani - Advisor to Khamenei on issues of defense, and Secretary of the Defense Council
Mohammad Shirazi - Head of the Military Bureau of the Iranian Supreme Leader

The second meeting we struck was a gathering of the Iranian Ministry Leadership, which serves as the central intelligence office of the terror regime and possesses its most advanced intelligence capabilities.

The ministry promotes Iranian terrorist operations, operates espionage infrastructure in countries around the world, and suppresses the Iranian people. In this strike, we eliminated the Heads of its Departments and the Leadership of the Ministry.

All the senior officials who participated in these gatherings were responsible for and signed off on numerous acts of terror against the State of Israel, the entire world, and the Iranian people in particular — and today we eliminated them.

This is proof that no terror leader who seeks to harm Israeli civilians has immunity — not in the heart of Tehran, and not anywhere else.

Throughout the day, Israeli Air Force aircraft completed the largest strike sortie in the history of the Israeli Air Force.
Approximately 200 aircraft dropped more than 550 munitions simultaneously on over 500 targets of the Iranian terror regime.

We struck the regime’s strategic air defense systems and targets within its missile array in western and central Iran.

The degradation to Iran’s air defense systems enables us to expand our aerial superiority over Iranian skies and strike the regime’s most central offensive capability — launch sites and surface-to-surface missiles.

These strikes are led with courage by Israeli Air Force Pilots.

The strikes were preceded by a comprehensive process of preparation, planning, and coordination led by the Operations Directorate, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force, working in full synchronization with our partners in the United States military.

It is important for me to explain why we launched this campaign at this time.

The Iranian terrorist regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel.
Recently, we identified continued concealment, production, and financing of its nuclear program, missile production, in financing and arming its proxies, and in attempts to rehabilitate its missile production process.

Missiles that constitute a real and existential threat to the State of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world.

The regime’s missile production rate has recently stood at dozens of surface-to-surface missiles per month.
The ministry intended to increase the missile production rate to hundreds of missiles per month.

The offensive we launched this morning is a necessary one.

We are obligated to operate against anyone who attempts to harm the security of the State of Israel, threatens its civilians, and to stop the threat as it develops.

In parallel with the strikes, we reinforced all Sectors and Regional Commands and carried out a large-scale reserve mobilization.

As the Chief of the General Staff stated — we are determined and prepared until victory.

Citizens of Israel,
I am aware of your concerns and worries.
Complex hours and days lie ahead, and we are required to stand firm — together.

I want to emphasize — your protection and security, citizens of Israel, are our highest priority.

We must not become complacent. Strict adherence to Home Front Command instructions is a central component of the campaign’s success.

Home Front Command guidelines save lives.

I would like to reiterate, do not document and publish the locations of impact sites and our troop’s operations. We know the enemy is following and analyzing those publications to increase its accuracy.

Even now, the IDF continues to strike terror targets across Iran — this will continue as long as needed.

We have one main objective — the security of the civilians of the State of Israel and their protection. For that goal, we recruited today thousands of Reservists working together side by side with intel operations and logistics, Soldiers and Commanders of the Home Front Command, Air Force Staff, and Combat Soldiers on land, air, and sea.

Citizens of Israel, the whole of the IDF along with First Response Units, are committed to your safety and to win the war.

I will keep on being here with you and to update as needed.