Joint U.S.-Israel military operations Feb. 28 against Iran have already escalated into a broader regional confrontation and mark the onset of a sustained, multitheater conflict, but even this level of escalation remains unlikely on its own to trigger near-term regime collapse in Tehran. The United States and Israel jointly launched military operations against Iran on Feb. 28. Israel described the opening strikes as preemptive and aimed at degrading Iran's ballistic missile capabilities , air defense systems and leadership. U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28 announced that the United States had begun a "massive" military campaign against Iran, stating that the objective is to eliminate imminent threats to the American people by destroying Iran's missile forces, missile production industry, naval capabilities, nuclear program and proxy networks.