We had planned to go to the beach this weekend, to meet up with a friend, her wife, and their newborn baby boy. The bags of snacks were ready, and we were finishing our breakfast when the sirens went off.
We knew what it meant. Our plans were canceled. At least we had our snacks. So instead of a day at the beach, we had a day in the bomb shelter as sirens sounded across the country.
The war with Iran was a long time coming. The talks in Geneva were just another deception. But unlike Operation Rising Lion, Operation Lion’s Roar (or for the American’s, “Epic Fury”), is targeting the Islamic Republic’s regime.
And the regime, knowing this is its last chance, is firing missiles and drones toward American targets all over the region, including military bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and the 5th fleet in Bahrain.
Iran won’t go down without a fight. But the Americans have amassed enough firepower in the region to strike Iranian targets and intercept hostile aerial targets fired by the Islamic Republic.
A morning of strikes
Iranian retaliation did not only focus on Israel. It included missile and drone strikes aimed at US military bases across multiple Gulf states. According to multiple reports, Tehran explicitly stated it was targeting American bases in Gulf countries as part of its response to the coordinated US/Israeli strikes.
Explosions were seen in Bahrain (home to the US Navy 5th fleet), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The war has led to widespread airspace shutdowns and emergency responses across the Gulf, underscoring the scale of the escalation.
There were no fatalities in Israel, though one person was killed in Abu Dhabi.
Iranian strikes on American bases in the Gulf represent a significant escalation, as these installations are central to American logistics, surveillance, and rapid-response capabilities in the Middle East.
Iran made it clear, prior to the Saturday strikes, that the American bases were a target, and several of these bases were evacuated, such as Al-Udeid in Qatar.
In January 2020, Iran fired over a dozen ballistic missiles toward Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq. This was Iran’s direct retaliation for the US killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani days earlier. While no American troops were killed, service members began showing symptoms consistent with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs).
Though that 2020 strike led to significant injuries, it was limited. The Iranian retaliatory strikes on Saturday were much wider. They hit areas that had not previously been targeted.
The US-Israel operation against Iran marks one of the most expansive coordinated military actions in years, raising the risk of prolonged confrontation.
Regional governments are bracing for additional attacks, and airspace restrictions across the Gulf reflect fears of further missile or drone activity.
As the United Stares and Israel struck their targets, Iranian citizens were filmed cheering them on.
Don’t forget, this round began when thousands of Iranians took to the streets demanding freedom from the regime of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The government, aided by the Basiji, has murdered thousands of innocent Iranians.
On Saturday, over a month after the first riots broke out, in the streets of Iran, the regime is feeling the noose tighten around its own neck, instead of around the necks of innocent Iranians.