US, Israel jointly strike on Iran

• Israel and the United States began a series of strikes against Iran on February 28 targeting the country’s leadership, security forces and nuclear programme and missile sites.

• In response, Iran has launched a series of counter-strikes against Israel, US military bases in the region, and military and civilian locations in Arab states that house US forces. 

• Iran fired missiles at several Arab Gulf cities. Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, all of which have a US military presence, intercepted Iranian missiles. Jordan also intercepted missiles.

• UNESCO said that the bombing of a primary school during the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law.

• The missiles destroyed a girl’s primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing around 150 and wounding almost 100. 

• The strikes follow the failure of recent indirect talks between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear programme in early February.

• The US told the UN Security Council that the action was taken under Article 51 of the UN charter (referring to self-defence until the council takes action) and that Iran had been in breach of several UN Security Council resolutions, such as those limiting its nuclear programme.

• Iran has long said the country will never seek to build a nuclear bomb.