US-Israeli war on Iran rages, as 2 Gaza babies die of starvation – Not a ceasefire Day 142

US-Israeli war on Iran rages, as 2 Gaza babies die of starvation – Not a ceasefire Day 142

Compilation of news reports – IAK staff

(While a “ceasefire” is ostensibly in place, Israel has continued its assault on Gaza without interruption. If Americans Knew considers the war to be ongoing, and in its 865th day.)

Two Palestinians were killed Sunday by Israeli shelling, while two infants died from malnutrition as the devastated Gaza Strip remains under a deadly siege.

Since the “ceasefire” began on October 11, Israel has killed at least 629 Palestinians. Over 1,693 have been injured. Death toll figures are tentative. 

Israel has so far violated the 11 October ceasefire deal in Gaza at least 1,620 times (as of Feb. 1, 2026). More statistics below.


IRAN NEWS & HEADLINES:

It can not be overemphasized that Israel is behind Trump’s actions against Iran. The war with Iran does not fit with Trump’s stated political ideology, policy goals or campaign promises. He has not explained how such a war could benefit the US, how Iran could have built back so quickly after its nuclear labs were “obliterated,” nor the wisdom of proceeding without full military backing. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the US to attack Iran for years. 

The American people have made clear that they do not want to go to war with Iran, but Israel partisans and the Israel lobby use their massive political clout to bring about whatever is beneficial to Israel – including putting the US military in harm’s way. For more background on Israel’s role in American wars, watch IAK’s short film, “The Israeli Hit List,” and read A timeline of talks and threats leading up to attacks.

Synopsis:

Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes killed dozens and wounded hundreds. Attacks were reported in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Iran reported at least 201 people killed and 747 injured in US-Israel attacks.

In Israel, nine Israelis were killed in an Iranian missile strike; three US service members were also killed.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Sunday that its strikes on American bases across the region resulted in approximately 560 US military personnel killed or injured; US Central Command (CENTCOM), in contrast, confirmed the deaths of three American soldiers and serious injuries to five others.

US-Israeli Attacks on Iran:

Israeli army launches new wave of strikes on Iranian capital: Army says air force is striking ‘in the heart of Tehran,’ as explosions reported in capital.

US-Israeli strike hits Red Crescent building, hospitals in Tehran: No information was yet available about casualties or damage.

US, Israeli strikes hit parts of Iran’s state television headquarters in Tehran, IRGC headquarters, Iran’s ballistic missile facilities, a warship in the Gulf of Oman, numerous other military assets,

Iran actions:

Iranians flood streets in mourning as Tehran confirms assassination of supreme leader: Head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said after Khamenei’s assassination that Israel and US assets in the region will be hit ‘like never before’ (recommended reading: Obituary: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader and dominant political figure for decades).

Iran establishes Temporary Leadership Council to govern following supreme leader’s assassination: The Iranian president, the head of the judiciary, and a cleric of the Guardian Council will govern Iran until a new Supreme Leader is chosen.

Deadly Iranian missile attack hits west of occupied Jerusalem: Nine Israelis were killed and nearly 30 others injured in a settlement west of Jerusalem; several buildings were badly damaged or destroyed, including part of a bomb shelter. 

7 injured in fresh Iranian missile attack on Israel Sunday night

Iran confirms attack on oil tanker for ‘defying orders’ not to cross Strait of Hormuz: The state television reported that the tanker “was illegally attempting” to cross the passage.

Iran strikes have also targeted sites in Bahrain, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar

Iranian military personnel take part in an exercise in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on February 16, 2026.
Iranian military personnel take part in an exercise in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on February 16, 2026. (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Anadolu Agency)

European responses:

Peace ‘not built with mutual threats,’ pope says after US-Israel strikes on Iran: ‘I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence,’ Pope Leo XIV says.

France deploys its aircraft carrier to eastern Mediterranean as tensions escalatePresident Macron says French base hangar in UAE hit in drone attack on Abu Dhabi port, with no casualties reported.

US can use British bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles: Starmer: ‘We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region,’ says British prime minister.

After Starmer okays US use of British bases for attacking Iran, drone reportedly attacks UK base in CyprusA drone attacked a Royal Air Force airbase in Cyprus, the Manchester Evening News reported, shortly after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that his country had approved the U.S. use of British bases to strike Iranian missile launchers or storage facilities.

UK, France, Germany vow defensive action against Iran’s missile, drone capabilities: Leaders agree to work closely with US, regional allies to address situation.

Hezbollah enters the fray:

Hezbollah claims responsibility for projectiles launched from Lebanon toward IsraelIn a statement, Hezbollah said the attack was carried out “in revenge for the blood of the leader of the Muslims.”

Trump on Iran

Trump interview in NYT, Sunday: Regarding loss of American lives, “Three is three too many as far as I’m concerned. If you look at projections, they do projections, it could be quite a bit higher than that.” He added, “We expect casualties.” He refused to say how — or if — his administration would defend the Iranian people he has said should overthrow the current government: “I don’t make a commitment one way or the other; it’s too early. We have work to do and we’ve done it very well. I’d say we’re quite ahead of schedule.”

Trump says he agreed to talk to Iran amid strikes: Report: US president does not rule out halting strikes on Iran during talks ‘if they can satisfy us’ (Iran has reportedly rejected talks).

Trump says strikes against Iran will take ‘four weeks or less’US president says Iran is ‘a big country,’ but operation could wrap up in less than a month.

Trump waxes eloquent on Truth Social: Trump asserted Sunday that military action against the Iranian regime was “the duty and the burden of a free people,” and called on all Iranian people who “yearn for freedom” to “be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back [their] country. America is with you,” he assured. “I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you, but we’ll be there to help.”

Trump calls on Iranians to ‘seize the moment,’ claims military commanders seeking immunity: US president urges Iranian forces to lay down their arms or ‘face certain death.’

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House following a press conference in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House following a press conference in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. (Stringer – Anadolu Agency)

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Western media tries again to fool us on Iran

Once again, the U.S.-Israel Axis has launched an unnecessary, unprovoked, and deeply immoral attack against the sovereign nation of Iran. But what is largely missing from Western corporate media coverage of the attack is that it is also an entirely unlawful, indeed criminal act. And that the armed Iranian response, as a matter of international law, is both justified and entirely lawful (continue reading here).

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US Calls Iranian Retaliatory Strikes “Unprovoked”

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz used the word “unprovoked” to describe Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US military bases in the region. “Indiscriminate and unprovoked attacks by the Iranian regime today against our regional partners — Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and others — reinforce exactly why such actions are necessary,” Waltz told the UN.

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Trump and Netanyahu’s attack on Iran is an illegal act of aggression

In his video justification for the war, Trump spoke of Iran’s “imminent threat”, but there is no evidence to support it. He recited a litany of past attacks that he attributed to Iran, but none of them is ongoing or imminent. At best Trump sought to prevent future harm – Netanyahu used the term “pre-emptive” – but prevention is no justification for war because it would open Pandora’s box to countless armed conflicts.

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Poll suggests only a quarter of Americans support attacks on Iran

Lindsey Graham met Saudi leader to ‘bring him on board’ a week before Iran attack

US troop deaths ignite anger over ‘war for Israel’

How US-Israel attacks on Iran threaten the Strait of Hormuz, oil markets

Trump vows to continue attacks on Iran – a “righteous mission” – says more US troops ‘likely’ to die

Energy markets on edge as US-Israel war on Iran threatens oil and gas supplies

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commences Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commences Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026. (US CENTCOM/Handout – Anadolu Agency)

 


NEWS & HEADLINES FROM GAZA & OCCUPIED WEST BANK/EAST JERUSALEM

(For some basic info on the Palestine-Israel conflict, go here. For more critical context, skim thisthis, and this. To read about a remarkable but underreported, 20-month-long peaceful protest in Gaza against Israel, go here.

Every day, Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem endure dozens of incidents like the ones below, at the hands of Israeli soldiers and/or settlers. For background on the West Bank, read this and thisFor information on the significance of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, read this and this.)

Gaza: Israeli Shelling Kills Two, Two Infants Die Amid Deadly Siege

Two Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Sunday evening when Israeli artillery shelled the al‑Joren area of Jabalia town in northern Gaza, while two infants died from malnutrition as the devastated Gaza Strip remains under a deadly siege amidst constant Israeli violations.

Wassim Hammouda, 1, and two‑month‑old Sanad al‑Sharif, died from malnutrition at Al‑Aqsa Hospital in Deir al‑Balah, in central Gaza.

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Israel closes Gaza’s Rafah crossing*, claims Gaza has plenty of food

COGAT (Israeli government’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) claimed without evidence, “The substantial quantities of food that have entered since the beginning of the ceasefire amount to four times the nutritional needs of the population. Therefore, the existing stock is expected to suffice for an extended period…the closure of the crossings will have no impact on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.”

*NOTE: COGAT’s claim seems far-fetched: the UN reports that, since the latest so-called ceasefire began in October 2025, 14,876 truckloads of humanitarian aid have been offloaded – but Israel had committed to 600 per day – over 85,000 total by the end of February. World Central Kitchen, one of the few NGOs left, may close its soup kitchens across Gaza because Israel has been blocking most of its supply trucks. WCK previously served 1 million meals a day.

RELATED: Under the shadow of the Iran war, Israel finds another way to punish Gaza
Palestinians, including children, gather during the food distribution in Gaza city center on September 10, 2025.
Palestinians, including children, gather during the food distribution in Gaza city center on September 10, 2025. (Moiz Salhi – Anadolu Agency)

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‘Not again’: Gaza rushes to stockpile amid Iran war, crossing closures

Crossing closures following the Israel-US war with Iran lead to panic buying in Gaza, where residents fear food shortages.

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Months after ‘ceasefire’, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has destroyed every sphere of life

Children, universities, libraries, livestock, crops and even cemeteries were targeted in a systematic campaign of annihilation that has left no part of Palestinian life untouched.

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25-year-old Mohammad Jihad Masalmeh, died March 1, 2026 of injuries sustained Feb.28.
25-year-old Mohammad Jihad Masalmeh, died March 1, 2026 of injuries sustained Feb.28. (IMEMC)

Palestinian Man Dies of Injuries Near Hebron, the Second in 24 Hours

A Palestinian man died Sunday morning, less than one day after occupation soldiers shot him with live ammunition in the town of Doura, southwest of Hebron in the southern West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry announced that 25-year-old Mohammad Jihad Masalmeh succumbed to critical injuries after Israeli soldiers shot him in the abdomen with live rounds on Saturday evening.

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Israel closes Al Aqsa Mosque

Israeli forces have prevented worshippers from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque since the attack on Iran began Saturday morning, citing a state of emergency. They also prevented Palestinians from entering the mosque’s courtyards.

The closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque coincides with the Israeli army’s announcement of a closure of the West Bank, hours after a large-scale attack launched by Israel and the United States against Iran.

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Israeli Forces Invade West Bank Districts, Abduct Dozens


OTHER NEWS & HEADLINES:

Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say

Trump administration officials acknowledged ‌in closed-door briefings with congressional staff on Sunday that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack U.S. forces ⁠first, two people familiar with the matter said.


ICYMI, A SELECTION OF YESTERDAY’S HEADLINES:

(Read yesterday’s daily update here.)

‘The most bitter news’: Iran reels as more than 100 children reportedly killed in school bombing
Timing of US-Israel attack on Iran bears symbolic meaning in Judaism as Netanyahu references holiday of Purim
Oman’s Foreign Minister Said US-Iran Deal Was ‘Within Our Reach.’ Then Trump Started Bombing
West Bank: Palestinian Teen Dies of Previous Injuries
Smoke rises from the area targeted in Tehran, Iran on March 01, 2026.
Smoke rises from the area targeted in Tehran, Iran on March 01, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency)

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – MARCH 1, 2026*:

  • At least 73,212 Palestinians killed, 182,784 injured – including:
  • At least 72,096 killed, 171,791 injured in Gaza (~22,000 children, 33,000 women and girls)
  • At least 1,118 killed, 11,000 injured in the West Bank (~232 children)

*NOTE: Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 8,000 more are still buried under rubble (some sources put the number of missing as high as 14,000); 3,000 more are reportedly missing.

Additionally, the numbers of injured and starved are very conservative estimatesOnly the dead who are brought to hospitals are included in the official fatality count.

At least 25 Palestinians in Gaza have died due to the extreme cold, including 21 children, since the start of Israel’s genocidal war in October 2023. At least 11 Palestinian children have died of extreme cold this winter (2025-26).

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – March 1, 2026: ~1,661 – including ~1,139** on October 7, 2023 (~36 children), 472 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza, about 52 military and civilians (by one count, there have been 59 victims) in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel. 

By one count, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 281 Palestinian journalists and media workers (as of Jan. 21, 2026); Palestinians have killed 4 Israeli journalists (other groups have tallied between 215 and 333 Palestinian journalists killed – depending on the criteria used).

**NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers. Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org

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