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3 Mar 2026 8:22
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  •   Home > News > International

    Weekend of war: Key moments from the first 48 hours of strikes in the Middle East

    As the war in the Middle East escalates, ABC NEWS Verify has gathered verified video and satellite imagery in an early attempt to piece together some of the key events of the past 48 hours.


    Iran, Israel and the United States are now engaged in war, with the fallout spreading across the region.

    Strikes have been reported in at least 18 provinces of Iran.

    Retaliation from Iran has reportedly been directed towards Israel, Iraq, Syria, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

    There have also been strikes between Israel and the Iran-aligned Lebanese militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    ABC NEWS Verify has gathered verified video and satellite imagery in an early attempt to piece together some of the key events of the past 48 hours. 

    Saturday, February 28

    The first reports of explosions in Tehran came at about 10am local time and Israel soon confirmed it had launched what it claimed were "pre-emptive" missile strikes against Iran.

    Verified video filmed from the shopping street of Jomhuri Avenue in central Tehran showed smoke rising from a strike near Leadership House, the compound of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    Israel triggered sirens across its territory, warning residents to prepare for possible retaliation.

    US President Donald Trump announced the US had also launched strikes.

    "A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran," he said in a video uploaded to Truth Social.

    "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world."

    US Central Command, which runs military operations in the region, labelled the action Operation Epic Fury.

    Multiple airlines began scrambling to reroute and cancel flights as airspace closed, leaving travellers stranded across the globe.

    Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reported that a girls' school in Minab in the country's south had been hit, with a number of children killed.

    The school is located next to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) base.

    Footage later released by Mehr news agency showed the building partially collapsed, with people and excavators searching through the rubble.

    Iran has claimed more than 165 people including more than 100 children were killed in the strike.

    The conflict began to spread across the Middle East as Iran retaliated.

    Bahrain's Defence Force General Command announced its air defence systems had successfully intercepted a hostile missile attack launched from Iran.

    Other countries like the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar — all of which host a US military presence — were also targeted throughout the afternoon.

    But it wasn't just military installations.

    Footage later uploaded to X showed what appears to be an Iranian drone striking the Era Tower in Manama, Bahrain.

    In Qatar, verified video showed a projectile fragment falling from the sky into the middle of a road.

    In the United Arab Emirates, the Fairmont Hotel was hit in Dubai.

    Dubai International Airport was damaged in a strike by Iran.

    The airport's media office later said four staff were injured, but that most passengers had left the area before the strike.

    A clock visible in verified vision shows the strike occurred sometime around midnight in Dubai.

    Dubai is a major hub for tourism, and its airport is one of the world's busiest, which has caused travel chaos in many places.

    Sunday, March 1 

    Some Iranian missiles slipped through Israel's missile defence systems. 

    ABC News reporting showed emergency services arriving at a damaged location in Tel Aviv, as buildings smouldered nearby. 

    Iran's state media confirmed the death of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

    It announced 40 days of mourning and said he died in the "Leader's Office". 

    Satellite imagery examined by ABC NEWS Verify shows the aftermath of the deadly bombing and the scale of destruction to the compound in central Tehran. 

    The Israel Defense Forces released footage of a bombing in Tabriz, in north-west Iran. 

    It said it destroyed two Iranian F4 and F5 fighter jets. 

    Many other military sites have also been hit, including facilities in Konarak. 

    Satellite imagery has since revealed the scale of destruction at many of these military sites. 

    An Iranian attack on the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh killed at least nine people.

    Local media reported it was a direct ballistic missile impact into a suburban area.

    Reuters reported an Israeli strike hit a hospital in Tehran's Ghandi Street area.

    Verified vision from the facility posted on X shows damage including significant amounts of broken glass.

    Reuters later reported that Tehran was hit throughout the evening with a wave of strikes.

    Monday, March 2 

    Donald Trump confirmed the first deaths of US service members.

    "Earlier today [US Central Command] shared the news that three US military service members have been killed in action," he said.

    Israel Defense Forces reported that sirens were sounding in northern Israel after projectiles were fired from Lebanon.

    Iran-aligned Lebanese militia Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.

    The IDF said it was striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon in retaliation.

    Lebanon's prime minister condemned Hezbollah's attack, calling it "irresponsible".


    ABC




    © 2026 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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