NPR News: 02-28-2026 9PM EST

0:00The U.S. launches a military operation against Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. On State of the World, we'll bring you the latest on the operation, as well as reaction from the region and around the globe. Listen to State of the World on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Iran's State TV confirms Iran's Supreme Leader has died and the U.S. Israeli strikes on the country. His daughter and a grandchild were also killed. Empire's Jackie Northam has more. I had told a harmony held a take grip on power since 1989 and was unwavering in his antipathy to the U.S. and Israel. Harmony lacked religious credentials when he became a supreme leader, but was cunning and able to outwit other senior political figures in the Islamic Republic and build up his power base to become the longest serving leader in the Middle East. Harmony's close ties to the revolutionary guards allowed Iran's

1:04military to develop a vast commercial empire in control of many parts of the economy. Harmony also build up Iran's defensive policies, such as developing proxies like Hasbulla and Hamas and its huge arsenal of ballistic weapons. His Supreme Leader Hamony also had the final word on anything to do with Iran's nuclear program. Jackie Northam in P.R. News. And Iran's ambassador to the U.N. says the strikes killed more than 100 students at a girl school. Empire's Ayyabatrawi has more. Iran's State News Agency Erna says 170 students were present in the school when it was hit by what the governor says was, quote, the American Zionist aggression. The State News Agency posted this brief clip from the scene showing a damaged, low-rise building with smoke rising and people standing around as a woman wails. The primary school is located in Minab, a city and southern Iran that's close to the strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil passes. It's also near to U.S. positions in Gulf Arab states that

2:07Iranian missiles have targeted today. The attacks began this morning with Israel striking Iran first and the U.S. announcing its involvement. Iran, a nation of 90 million, has closed schools and universities until further notice. The Israeli U.S. attacks came on the 10th day of Ramadan, a holy time from Muslims and when much of the region is fasting. Ayyabatrawi, and P.R. News, Dubai. British Prime Minister Kier Starmer says the U.K. wasn't involved in the strikes on Iran. Filamarks has more. In a statement, Starmer said Iran's government has been a destabilizing force and warn that Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. He condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks across the region that followed U.S. and Israeli air strikes on a large number of sites in Iran. He also expressed support for countries affected by the strikes, particularly in the Gulf region. British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional, defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies.

3:07The British need a call on Iran to halt further strikes, abandon its weapons programs, and return to negotiations to avoid wider conflict. For NPR News, I'm Bela Marx. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Iran says its waterway that's crucial to the world's oil trade is closed because of the U.S. Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran says no ships of any kind are allowed to pass through the strait of Hormuz, and that it plans to launch drone strikes on commercial vessels. The narrow waterway, which is controlled by Iran, connects the biggest Gulf oil producers with the export route to outside markets. And on the say, closing the strait could lead to higher oil prices. Colorado health officials have changed their rules for obtaining a birth certificate long after a child is born. Colorado Public Radio's Dan Boyz says the previous rules were among

4:07the country's most restrictive. The current rules require at least one official government document from the first 10 years of a child's life to get what's called a delayed birth certificate. But if a child's parents didn't register their kids for government documents, that child would never have a way to get a birth certificate or a social security number. New rules were passed unanimously by the Health Board. Applications will now allow certain more recent documents. Colorado Legal Services Attorney Casey Sherman. I cannot overstate what a massive change this will be for our parents. It essentially unlocks all the benefits to American citizenship with that door was previously closed to people. It's huge. The rules go into effect on March 20th. For NPR News, I'm Dan Boyz in Colorado Springs. And I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe.

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