Breaking News: February 28, 2026 — Iran War, Dubai Hotel Hit, 201 Dead, and More Top Stories Right Now
Saturday, February 28, 2026 is one of the most consequential news days in years. The US-Iran war is dominating every headline, but breaking stories are simultaneously unfolding across India, Lebanon, NASA, and Washington. Here is every major story breaking right now.
BREAKING: 201 Dead Across Iran as US-Israel Strikes Enter Hour 8
Iranian media reports, citing the Red Crescent, say at least 201 people have been killed across 24 provinces in Iran since US and Israeli strikes began early Saturday morning. The death toll is rising rapidly and is expected to climb significantly as damage assessments reach more remote provinces struck in the early hours of Operation Epic Fury.
Explosions have been reported in multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Tabriz, Karaj, and Bushehr. Several senior Revolutionary Guard commanders and political officials were killed in the opening salvo, according to sources close to the Iranian establishment. Iran's internet remains at 4% of normal capacity as a near-total government blackout continues.
BREAKING: Dubai Prominent Hotel Directly Hit by Iranian Missile
In Dubai, a prominent hotel was hit by an Iranian missile strike Saturday as Iran retaliated against US and Israeli operations. In Israel, officials reported only light injuries despite a barrage of Iranian missiles targeting the country. The hotel strike is the first confirmed direct impact on a major civilian hospitality property during the entire crisis and signals a significant escalation in Iran's targeting choices. No casualty figures from the Dubai hotel strike have been officially confirmed.
BREAKING: Khamenei Status — Growing Israeli Optimism He Was Hit
There is growing optimism in Israel about the attacks, which targeted the Supreme Leader and other top figures in the regime, although there has so far been no final confirmation about whether Khamenei has been killed. Satellite imagery circulated by Airbus shows Khamenei's Tehran compound severely damaged with multiple buildings destroyed and a visible black smoke plume. Iranian state media has not produced any video or audio of Khamenei since the strikes began.
BREAKING: Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon Again, Violating Ceasefire
Israeli air strikes targeted Blat and Wadi Barghouti in several strikes in southern Lebanon's Iqlim al-Tuffah region, in the latest violation of a ceasefire reached in November 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah. The Israeli military said its forces were launching attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The strikes come as Israel simultaneously conducts its largest military operation ever inside Iran — raising serious questions about whether the Lebanese ceasefire can survive the broader regional war.
BREAKING: Bill Clinton Grilled by Congress Over Epstein Ties
Former President Bill Clinton told members of Congress on Friday that he "did nothing wrong" in his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and saw no signs of Epstein's sexual abuse, as he faced hours of grilling from lawmakers over his connections to the disgraced financier from more than two decades ago. The hearing, largely overshadowed by the Iran crisis, nonetheless marked the first time Clinton has been questioned under congressional authority about his relationship with Epstein.
BREAKING: NASA Artemis II Rocket Rolled Back After Helium Issues
NASA teams detected issues with the helium flow in the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and removed it from the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's new moon plan now looks more like the Apollo missions of the 1960s — instead of landing on the surface on Artemis III, NASA hopes to do so on Artemis IV. The rollback is the latest in a series of technical setbacks for the Artemis program, which was already behind schedule heading into 2026.
BREAKING: India Firecracker Factory Fire Kills 18 in Andhra Pradesh
Eighteen people have died after a fire broke out in a firecracker manufacturing unit in Vetalpalem, Kakinada district, in Andhra Pradesh, India on Saturday, February 28. The fire spread rapidly through the facility, trapping workers before emergency services could respond. State authorities have launched an investigation into safety conditions at the plant, and the Andhra Pradesh government has announced compensation for the families of the deceased.
BREAKING: Oil Prices Set to Spike at Monday Open
Brent crude topped $70 a barrel on February 18 for the first time since July. On Friday, Brent crude rose 2.87% to $72.87 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained 2.87% to $67.02 a barrel. Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group, said investor reactions to the strikes "will be an all skate" and expects that crude "will roof on the open." Analysts warn that any Iranian move to close the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world's oil flows — could send prices above $100 per barrel when markets reopen Monday morning ET.
