Iran live updates: 7th killed service member is identified

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, was killed in Saudi Arabia.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Kevin Shalvey, Leah Sarnoff, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, and Bill Hutchinson ABCNews logo
Last updated: Monday, March 9, 2026 3:00PM GMT
ABC News Live

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.

Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen on Sunday to succeed him.

Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

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Feb 28, 2026, 4:13 PM GMT

Iran says death toll in strike on elementary school rises to 85

The toll from a strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, has risen to 85 students dead and 60 others injured, according to Iran's semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, which cited the local governor.

Iran claims the school was struck during the U.S.-Israeli military operation on Saturday.

It was unclear whether any teachers had been killed or injured, the Tasnim News Agency reported, citing the Minab governor.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a photo on X purportedly showing the aftermath of a strike on a girls' elementary school in the south of Iran on Saturday.

Araghchi said the school was "bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils."

"Dozens of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone," he added. "These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered."

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Feb 28, 2026, 3:59 PM GMT

Israel claims it 'eliminated ... several senior officials' in Iran

Israel said it struck three sites where gatherings of the Iranian regime were taking place, claiming it "eliminated" what it called "several senior figures essential" to the regime, according to an Israeli military official.

Israel worked for thousands of hours to build as valuable and extensive a target bank as possible, according to the official.

"The [Israel Defense Forces] have begun a flyover and is currently striking missile launchers in Iran to thwart the threat posed to the State of Israel," according to an Israeli military official.

Feb 28, 2026, 3:16 PM GMT

Iran says death toll in strike on elementary school rises to 64

The toll from a strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab in southern Iran has risen to 64 dead and 92 injured, according to Iran's semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, which cited the local governor.

Iran claims the school was struck during the U.S.-Israeli military operation on Saturday.

Feb 28, 2026, 2:33 PM GMT

Rubio made rounds to Gang of 8 Friday after classified briefing last week

Sec. Rubio told lawmakers in a Gang of 8 classified briefing last week that President Donald Trump had not made up his mind about potential military action against Iran, two sources told ABC News.

One source said there were still several outstanding questions during last week's briefing including whether this would be a joint military operation and whether the U.S. would be able to coalesce other nations.

Rubio made the rounds on Friday to members of the Gang of 8 to inform them the operation was in fact a go, sources said.

The Gang of 8 is comprised of leaders from both parties from the Senate and House of Representatives and the chairs and ranking minority members of the Senate and House committees for intelligence.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Anne Flaherty