The briefing for Saturday, February 28.

The United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran early Saturday morning, with President Trump announcing 'major combat operations' targeting the country's nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. Explosions were reported in Tehran near Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's offices, as well as in Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah, Kandahar, and Paktika. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the strikes as a 'pre-emptive attack' aimed at removing threats, while Trump stated the objective was 'to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.'

Trump's video address accused Iran of continuing to develop its nuclear program despite the destruction of facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan during Operation Midnight Hammer last June. According to AP, the first apparent strike hit near Khamenei's compound in downtown Tehran, though it remains unclear whether the 86-year-old leader was present. Iran responded by launching missiles toward Israel and reportedly striking the US Navy 5th Fleet service center in Bahrain. Both Israel and Iran closed their airspace to civilian flights, with Israeli authorities warning citizens to shelter and avoid gatherings through Monday evening.

The operation follows months of escalating tensions after satellite imagery analyzed by AP showed new activity at two of Iran's previously bombed nuclear sites, suggesting attempts to assess or recover material. Trump appealed directly to the Iranian people in his address, urging them to 'take over your government' and calling it 'probably your only chance for generations.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this message, thanking Trump and calling on Iranians to 'throw off the yoke of tyranny.' Both leaders emphasized that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, with Trump warning of 'major civil and criminal consequences' if Iran doesn't comply with American demands.

Pakistan's defence minister declared the country in "open war" with Afghanistan after the Taliban launched a major offensive on Thursday night, resulting in tit-for-tat airstrikes across their 2,600-kilometer border on Friday morning. Both sides claim significant military victories with casualty figures in the dozens to hundreds, though independent verification of these claims remains unavailable, and diplomatic efforts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran are underway to contain the escalation.

Netflix withdrew its bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery after Paramount Skydance raised its offer to approximately $111 billion, positioning Paramount to win control of one of Hollywood's largest studios and CNN. The deal faces regulatory scrutiny from California, the DOJ, and European authorities, with concerns raised about political influence from President Trump and his associates' financial backing of Paramount's offer.

President Trump ordered all federal agencies to immediately cease using AI company Anthropic's technology and phase it out over six months, escalating a dispute over whether the Pentagon should have unrestricted access to the company's AI tools for military and surveillance applications. Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei had refused Pentagon demands for unfettered access over concerns about mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, leading Trump to threaten use of presidential power and accuse Anthropic of being a 'woke' company, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly supported Anthropic's position on ethical guardrails.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced provisional implementation of a massive EU-Mercosur trade deal covering 700 million people and 110 billion euros in annual trade without waiting for European Parliament approval, drawing swift condemnation from French President Macron, environmental groups, and labor organizations who view the move as a democratic violation. The deal aims to strengthen EU economic resilience amid U.S. tariff pressures and Chinese supply chain restrictions, though its final legal status depends on parliamentary ratification.

Chief Federal Judge Patrick Schiltz formally warned Minnesota's U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and ICE officials that they must comply with court orders or face criminal contempt charges, citing 97 documented violations of court orders in immigration cases and documenting 113 additional violations—a rare judicial escalation that reflects broader tensions between federal courts and the Trump administration's immigration enforcement crackdown.