"Shield of Judah": Biblical name given to operations against Iran
A joint Israeli–US military operation against Iran has received a code name referencing the biblical forefather of the Jewish royal line.
On the morning of February 28, 2026, Israel, with US support, launched a large-scale military operation against Iran under the code name “Magen Yehuda” – “Shield of Judah.” Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, announced the start of the attack. A state of emergency has been declared in the country, and air-raid sirens are sounding nationwide.
According to Israeli and international media reports, the first wave of strikes hit more than 30 targets inside Iran, including the presidential complex, the intelligence headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Tehran’s airport. Explosions were also heard in Qom and Isfahan. Unconfirmed reports claim that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been evacuated from the capital.
Later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renamed the operation “Roar of the Lion,” yet the original title, “Shield of Judah,” had already entered international media circulation.
Judah is the fourth son of the patriarch Jacob and the forefather of the tribe from which Israel’s kings descended, including David and Solomon. The word “magen” – “shield” – echoes the name of the best-known Jewish symbol, the Magen David (“Shield of David,” or the Star of David). In other words, the operation was framed from the outset not merely as a military campaign, but as one carrying historical and religious-national meaning: Israel presents its actions as the defense of the Jewish people in the spirit of biblical tradition.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that a UN commission accused Israel of genocide in Gaza.
