Tel Aviv, 28 February 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The Israeli military operation launched against Iran early on Saturday is dubbed "Lion's Roar," local media reported, citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

US and Israeli forces launched joint strikes against Iran on Saturday morning, in what marked a major escalation in a long-running dispute over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

While Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke of a pre-emptive strike, US President Donald Trump said the country's military has launched "major combat operations" to eliminate "threats by the Iranian regime."

The latest round of talks between US and Iranian officials on Tehran's nuclear program ended without a breakthrough on Thursday.

Last year, Israel also attacked Iran amid ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, and the US later joined the strikes to target key Iranian nuclear facilities.

That Israeli military operation was dubbed "Rising Lion."

At the time, Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles at Israel in what would result in a 12-day war.

Photo: epa