Speed, planning and teamwork give The Associated Press a decisive advantage in covering the Iran war in its earliest hours

By Middle East, Washington Teams and Colleagues Across the AP

AP’s comprehensive coverage of the Iran war demonstrated the power of preparation, coordination and global reach. From the moment the first explosion in Tehran was confirmed on Feb. 28, bureaus across the Middle East, Washington and multiple time zones moved in lockstep to deliver fast, authoritative reporting.

Teams issued dozens of news alerts and moved the first video and photos out of Iran, ensuring customers and global audiences had reliable information in the critical opening hours. Reporters and visual journalists inside Iran, Israel, Lebanon and across the region continued working as missiles and drones fell, delivering essential frontline reporting under extraordinary conditions.

AP was among the first to confirm the death of Ali Khamenei and had a full obituary prepared and ready to publish. Exclusive reporting revealed months of coordination between the U.S. and Israel ahead of the attacks, and AP was among the first to report that the Trump administration had briefed congressional leaders that it did not have intelligence indicating an imminent threat — a key detail that shaped understanding of the unfolding conflict.

Audience response underscored the impact: millions of views on the first-day live blog and extraordinary customer uptake. AP video was carried by nearly every major broadcast network worldwide.

Judges called the coverage a masterclass in cross-format breaking news — fast, coherent and indispensable.

For outstanding work under intense pressure, numerous reporters, editors, photographers, videographers, producers, graphics and live blog teams win this week’s Best of AP — First Winner.