In a dramatic break from conventional military practice, the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran early Saturday, targeting the heart of the Islamic Republic’s command structure in broad daylight. The operation, which military analysts say closely follows the “centers of gravity” air power theory refined by retired Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula during the 1991 Gulf War, appeared designed to decapitate senior leadership and neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal before expanding to secondary targets.
Explosions rocked Tehran and other cities at daybreak local time, catching Iranian officials off guard as they gathered for what Israeli and U.S. sources described as a meeting of senior political and military leaders. Strikes hit the Supreme Leader’s compound, the presidential palace and sites linked to the Supreme National Security Council. Israeli officials reported several high-ranking figures killed, though the fate of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained uncertain hours later. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the supreme leader was alive “as far as I know,” while Israeli media cited intelligence suggesting he may have been among those targeted or affected.
