The world tilted on its axis Saturday as President Donald J. Trump sat locked in at Mar-a-Lago, eyes fixed, jaw set, while U.S. forces unleashed what the White House dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran — a day nearly 37 years in the making since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took power as Iran’s supreme leader in 1989.
The images are historic. Inside a darkened room at Mar-a-Lago, transformed into a working situation room, heavy black curtains block out the Florida sunlight. A large operations map stands behind the president, marked with strategic indicators. Secure phones sit within arm’s reach. Briefing folders are spread across the table. Trump sits at the head, wearing a white USA cap, leaning slightly forward as updates come in.
President Donald J. Trump Monitors U.S. Military Operations in Iran: Operation Epic Fury, February 28, 2026 pic.twitter.com/OfnMkmBZ8G
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2026
Around him, senior advisors are tightly packed, some clasping their hands, others focused on intelligence screens out of frame. Aides line the wall, arms folded, listening. No one is smiling. No one looks relaxed. It is command in motion.
February 28, 2026 unfolded rapidly. U.S. military strikes targeted Iranian regime infrastructure in coordination with Israeli military actions. Explosions were reported in multiple locations across Iran as sites tied to the regime’s security and military apparatus were hit.
President Donald J. Trump Monitors U.S. Military Operations in Iran: Operation Epic Fury, February 28, 2026 pic.twitter.com/st88hbLrpY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2026
Then came the development that sent shockwaves around the globe. Israeli officials said the body of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been located following the strikes and that he was confirmed dead. U.S. officials indicated they were aware of the reports and were assessing the intelligence as information continued to come in. If confirmed, Khamenei’s death would mark the most consequential leadership rupture in the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.
Since assuming power in 1989, he has overseen Iran’s nuclear ambitions, its regional proxy network, and its decades-long confrontation with the United States and Israel.
Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet Secretaries in the Situation Room, February 28, 2026 pic.twitter.com/x3AFYv3fyH
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2026
Inside the Mar-a-Lago situation room, the imagery captures a president monitoring every development as the day intensified. Advisors studied maps. Secure lines remained active. The atmosphere appears disciplined but heavy — the kind of quiet intensity that accompanies irreversible decisions. Iranian state media had not publicly confirmed Khamenei’s death as of publication. Regional tensions remain elevated as governments worldwide assess the fallout and military forces reposition across the Middle East.
Operation Epic Fury now stands as one of the most aggressive direct military actions against the Iranian regime in modern history. What follows could redefine the balance of power in the region — and close a chapter that has shaped global politics for nearly four decades.
