A video clip circulating online purportedly shows the nighttime explosions and plumes of smoke over urban Tehran that followed the February 28, 2026, U.S.–Israeli airstrike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The footage depicts multiple blasts and rising smoke over built‑up areas, consistent with the timing and location of strikes reported by independent international news outlets in the opening phase of the 2026 Iran war. 

While social media videos vary in clarity and origin, the imagery aligns with documented reports of major aerial bombardments in the Iranian capital and surrounding regions in the aftermath of the leadership strike. Major networks and news agencies have also shared photos and video of explosions and widespread damage in Tehran following coordinated air operations by U.S. and Israeli forces. (

The nighttime blasts captured in these clips reflect the intensity of the first days of aerial conflict across Iran, where precision munitions targeted leadership compounds and key infrastructure sites. These events have been widely reported by global media as part of the military campaign that began with strikes on Tehran’s leadership complex, which led to Khamenei’s death and a significant escalation of hostilities in the region. 

As with many rapidly evolving wartime videos, not every clip has been definitively authenticated, but the overall pattern of explosions and smoke in central Tehran corresponds with authoritative reporting on the aftermath of the February 28 strikes.