Oops? Hundreds of deaths reported between the US and Israeli armies. Iran launches a lightning retaliation! Hypersonic missiles penetrate Israel's air defense network, with both US and Israeli military confirming "hit, casualties".

At 1:00 PM Tehran time on February 28, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran officially launched a multi-layered attack on Israel and US military bases in the Middle East. Iran employed a saturation attack tactic combining ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and suicide drones. This was a lightning retaliation for the US-Israeli attack on Iran earlier that day.

The IRGC announced that this operation aimed to retaliate against the aggression by the United States and Israel against Iranian territory, and warned that "every US base in the Middle East is a legitimate target." At the same time, the IRGC's Public Relations Department announced that the army's commander-in-chief, Khatami, is completely healthy and is currently directing the troops.

According to the statement released by the IRGC, this operation was named "True Promise 4," and the first wave of attacks already covered multiple strategic targets. It not only included military facilities within Israel but also covered US military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, and other areas.

Foreign media reports stated that the IRGC spokesperson, Mohammad Reza Askari, through a televised speech clearly stated "the strike will not stop," and this operation used multiple types of independently developed precision-guided weapons, implementing asymmetric warfare based on geographical advantages.

Social media videos showing interception revealed that Israel's "Iron Dome," "Patriot," and "Arrow-2/3" anti-missile systems were working full force, but some missiles still managed to break through. The Israeli Defense Forces had to admit that some facilities were damaged, and there were minor injuries to personnel.

Iran's recent retaliatory action demonstrated impressive tactical planning capabilities. The Revolutionary Guards adopted a "saturation attack + precise follow-up" strategy, launching a third wave of attacks after the first two, covering six out of eight core US military bases in the Middle East.

Notably, Iran used hypersonic missiles in this operation. These weapons, with their low-altitude sea-skimming capability and high-speed penetration at the end stage, posed significant challenges to interception systems. A video published by Tasnim News Agency showed that some missiles successfully broke through the US "Patriot PAC-3" anti-missile system interception.

The missile technology capabilities displayed by Iran are inseparable from its long-term accumulation of military industrial foundations. The US Central Command issued a statement saying that most incoming missiles had been intercepted, but admitted "some facilities were damaged, and there were minor injuries to personnel."

Iran's ability to quickly retaliate is closely related to its recent counter-espionage efforts. According to reports, early this month, Iran destroyed a terrorist group in the southeast region, arresting 8 people and killing 3, all of whom were foreign nationals, and seized a large amount of weapons. More notably, on February 24, the IRGC also successfully thwarted an attack by five rebel alliances on the office of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

In January of this year, Iran intercepted a total of 60,000 smuggled weapons in the southern port city of Bushehr, foiling the US-Israeli attempt to create chaos within Iran.

These victories on the internal security front have laid a solid foundation for Iran's willingness to take a firm external response. When a country's internal stability is stronger, its resolve and intensity in external actions will also increase accordingly.

Before this round of conflict, the United States and Israel may have seriously underestimated Iran's response speed and determination to retaliate. Iran has shown that it is no longer a regional power that only engages in indirect confrontation through proxies.

The speed of Iran's retaliation exceeded many observers' expectations. Just two hours after being attacked, Tehran initiated a retaliatory action, demonstrating its readiness and decision-making efficiency, proving that the country is far from as vulnerable as the US and Israel might imagine.

Iran possesses the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East, with thousands of ballistic and cruise missiles in service. Their range extends from hundreds of kilometers up to as far as 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Tehran still has about 2,000 medium-range ballistic missiles, with ranges covering as far as western Turkey, Israel, and US military bases in the Persian Gulf region.

The reason Iran is difficult to conquer lies partly in its unique geographical environment. As a major power in the Middle East, Iran has a land area of 1.6 million square kilometers and a population of over 80 million, possessing strong strategic depth.

To its south and west, there is an unignorable geographical barrier—the Zagros Mountains. Rising from the Iranian coastline, most of them consist of steep rocks, like a natural "wall of stone" stretching across the sky. It was this barrier that blocked the eastward spear of the Roman legions and contained the southward advance of the British and Russian empires.

Iran also has multiple underground fortresses. In recent years, Iran has repeatedly publicly showcased its underground military bases. These underground airbases are built inside mountain bodies, utilizing the hard rock structure to effectively resist the attacks of precision-guided bombs, cruise missiles, and even bunker-busting bombs.

Another focus of international attention is whether Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei will be assassinated. Khamenei has entrusted the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Larijani, to ensure that the Iranian regime continues to function under any circumstances. This institutional resilience combined with Iran's natural geographical barriers and missile strike capabilities makes Iran possibly a formidable opponent that is not easily defeated by the US and Israel.

Although the United States is strong, it fears being dragged into a prolonged war; although Iran is difficult, it can bear the cost of continuing resistance for the sake of national sovereignty and national dignity.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1858375680200711/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.