The Latest: Trump believes reporting that Iran’s supreme leader is dead ‘is correct’
The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, and U.S. President Donald Trump called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.
Israeli officials told The Associated Press later that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. or Iran on his status.
Earlier, Iran had retaliated to the U.S. and Israeli attacks by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.
Some of the first strikes on Iran appeared to hit areas around the offices of Khamenei. Smoke could be seen rising from the capital as part of strikes that Iranian media said occurred nationwide. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was in his offices when the attack occurred.
Here’s the latest:
Shrapnel from Iranian missile attack injures man in Tel Aviv area
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service says rocket shrapnel from the latest Iranian missile attack has seriously injured a man in the Tel Aviv area. It marks the first serious injury to be reported in Israel since the exchange of missiles began. Magen David Adom says it has also treated 90 casualties, all in mild condition.
No one has been killed in Israel
Israel’s UN ambassador calls condemnation of airstrikes ‘hypocrisy’
Danny Danon told reporters ahead of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that Iran is responsible for escalating actions by its proxies and its nuclear and missile programs, and “now Israel and the U.S. act to prevent an irreversible and immediate threat.”
He did not respond to a question asking whether he could confirm the death of Iran’s supreme leader. But he said: “We will continue to target the leadership of the radical regime and we will do whatever necessary to enable the right conditions for the people of Iran and stability for the region.”
How long will it take? “As long as it will take to achieve the goals,” Danon replied.
Everyone is watching the situation on the ground, he said, and “the time for the Iranian people to take control of the future is very soon.
Most of Iran’s senior leadership is ‘gone’ — Trump
Asked about reports that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in airstrikes on Saturday, President Donald Trump said: “We feel that that is a correct story.”
In a brief phone interview with NBC News, Trump said “a large amount of leadership” of Iran had been killed, adding: “I don’t mean like two people.”
He also said “most” of Iran’s senior leadership is “gone,” including many people who make decisions.
Asked who might now become Iran’s new supreme leader, Trump joked, “I don’t know. But at some point they’ll be calling me to ask who I’d like” before noting he was being “only being a little sarcastic” in suggesting that.
Iran’s defense minister and Revolutionary Guard commander killed, says Israel
Israel’s military has named some of the top members of Iran’s leadership it says were killed in its first round of Saturday strikes on Iran. Neither Iran nor the U.S. commented on or confirmed the claims.
Israel said the strikes killed Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.
The military also said its strikes took out Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Iranian Security Council and a close adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and Mohammad Shirazi, the head of Khamenei’s military bureau.
Khamenei is dead, Israeli officials tell AP
Israeli officials told The Associated Press Saturday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. or Iran on his status.
The assassination of the second leader of the Islamic Republic, who had no designated successor, would throw its future into doubt.
In a nationally televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early Saturday.
Shortly after the address, two Israeli officials said Israel had confirmed his death. The officials both spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement and gave no further details.
Iraqi group claims drone attack on U.S. base in Irbil
A group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq-Brigades of the Guardians of Blood in a statement claimed that it launched a drone attack on a U.S. base in Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region.
Earlier Saturday, a number of missiles and drones were intercepted over Irbil.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that has previously launched attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria.
Iran’s conventional missile capability was an ‘intolerable’ risk, says US official
A senior Trump administration official says Iran’s conventional missile capability presented an “intolerable” risk to the U.S., and that that reality has since been demonstrated by Tehran’s strikes around the region after the U.S.-Israeli attack.
On a call with reporters, the official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had briefed top leaders in Congress. Rubio made it clear then that Iran was ready to use conventional missiles against U.S. forces in the Middle East, the official said.
The official — who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details about Trump’s decision-making process that have not been publicly disclosed — added that Iran’s unwillingness to discuss ballistic missiles in previous negotiations left Trump no option but to proceed militarily.
Separately, Trump administration officials said on a phone call with reporters that they offered Iran many ways to have a peaceful nuclear program that could be used for civilian purposes.
But the officials said it was clear to them that Iran wanted enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. The Trump administration officials said that Iran met their offers with “games, tricks, stall tactics.”
The officials requested anonymity to describe the rationale behind the joint military strikes on Iranian targets by the U.S. and Israel.
Pro-Iran protests in Baghdad
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Baghdad in support of Iran and against the attacks launched by Israel and the U.S.
Demonstrators carried posters of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, slain Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and the high Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Demonstrators clashed with anti-riot police several times in the demonstration that was held near the heavily fortified Green Zone in the Iraqi capital.
US posts aerial footage showing strikes on variety of targets
Aerial footage posted to social media by U.S. Central Command showed U.S. munitions striking what appeared to be a variety of targets from drones to buildings.
The video montage was released Saturday afternoon. It showed black and white aerial footage of what appeared to be a drone on a runway, a radar tower, a missile battery, and a compound of buildings. They were all being struck by what seemed to be bombs or missiles and followed by large explosions.
The footage features the words “unclassified” at the top of the screen and a targeting reticle in the middle.
U.S. Central Command did not provide more details about the video.
EU foreign ministers to hold virtual meeting on Sunday
European Union foreign ministers will meet virtually on Sunday to discuss the unfurling conflict in the Middle East, the bloc’s top diplomat said.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a social media post that she would hold a meet of the Foreign Affairs Council to work towards a deescalation.
“It is essential that the war does not spread any further. The Iranian regime has choices to make,” Kallas said. “The Iranian regime’s indiscriminate attacks against its neighbours carry the risk of dragging the region into a broader war and we condemn this.”
Growing signs that Khamenei ‘is no longer alive’ — Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is growing evidence that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the U.S.-Israeli operation.
Speaking in a nationally televised address, Netanyahu said the strikes had targeted Khamenei’s compound. “There are growing signs that the tyrant is no longer alive,” he said.
Khamenei has not been seen in public since the operation began.
Trump speaks to regional leaders and NATO chief
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on the social media site X that President Donald Trump “has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte” after the strikes on Iran.
The president has yet to detail the strikes and the urgency behind them to the broader public.
Israel closes all crossings into Gaza
The Israeli agency responsible for administering aid to Gaza said it has closed all crossings into the territory, preventing the entry of materials and aid workers.
In a post on X, COGAT said there is sufficient stockpiles of food in Gaza to get Palestinians there through an extended period, without providing evidence.
The agency said the crossings were closed for security reasons owing to the current missile exchange with Iran.
Religious sites in Jerusalem’s Old City close
Israel’s police said the Dome of the Rock compound will be closed for Ramadan due to concerns over missile strikes with Iran.
All religious sites in Jerusalem’s Old City are closed, according to police.
The Israeli military has raised the alert level across the country and canceled all gatherings in public spaces. Schools and many workplaces are also closed.
Vance monitored strikes on Iran from White House
Vice President JD Vance monitored the strikes on Iran from the the Situation Room at the White House and dialed into a conference line with President Donald Trump and his team at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night into Saturday morning, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
Vance was joined by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the person said.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, was at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, a second person familiar with the situation said.
Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The Pentagon did not answer questions about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s whereabouts for the strike.
US targeted Revolutionary Guard command facilities, other sites
U.S. forces striking Iran focused on locations “that posed an imminent threat” including “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement Saturday.
The strikes, which began shortly before 10 a.m. in Tehran, included “precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea” and U.S. Central Command said that they also employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.
According to the military command, the operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” is the “largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.”
US military reports no American casualties so far
About 12 hours after the attacks began, the U.S. military reported no U.S. casualties and minimal damage at U.S. bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.” It said targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
Iran state TV reports more than 200 people killed
Iran’s Red Crescent says Israeli-U.S. airstrikes across Iran have killed 201 people and injured 747, according to comments on Iranian state TV.
The spokesperson for the Red Crescent said the strikes have hit 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The spokesperson said relief operations are ongoing, and that 220 teams were deployed to different sites to respond to the strikes.
Leader of Houthi rebels in Yemen vows solidarity with Iran
The leader of the Houthi rebels in Yemen says they’re ready for “any necessary development” following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s counter attacks against Israel and U.S. interests in the region.
In a pre-recorded speech, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said the rebels “will take action in various activities” in solidarity with Iran. He didn’t elaborate further details.
“The Islamic Republic is waging the battle of the entire Islamic nation against American-Israeli-Zionist tyranny,” he said.
Israeli says some 200 fighter jets took part in initial attack
The Israeli military says some 200 fighter jets participated in the initial attack on Iran, striking some 500 targets that included air defenses and missile launchers.
It says it was the largest “military flyover” in the Israeli air force’s history.
Explosions heard in Tehran near Intelligence Ministry
Witnesses living near the Intelligence Ministry building in Tehran tell The Associated Press that several explosions were heard in the vicinity of the facility. There has been no official statement on the incident in Iranian media so far. Witnesses also reported that air defense systems had begun operating in the area.
Oil price swings expected next week
Oil markets currently closed for the weekend are set to see price swings next week as the impact from the U.S. and Israeli strikes on oil supplies from the Middle East remains unclear.
Scenarios before the latest conflict with Iran foresaw a quick price spike that fades if the attacks didn’t affect oil shipping and infrastructure such as Iranian pipelines and its Kharg island terminal.
However, there would be a bigger price spike and longer-lasting impact if oil infrastructure or supplies were interrupted, for instance because of disruption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
UK calls on Iran to ‘end this now’
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says that while the U.K. didn’t participate in the attack on Iran, its planes provided air defense for its people and allies in the region.
“We’ve stepped up protections from British bases and personnel to their highest level,” Starmer said.
The Iranian leadership is “utterly abhorrent,” has killed its own people and destabilized the region and should never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, Starmer said.
“Iran can end this now,” he said. “They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons program and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people.”
Mideast governments condemn Iran
Across the Middle East, governments moved quickly to condemn Iran’s strikes on Arab neighbors, while staying silent on earlier Israeli and U.S. attacks. Countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Israel — including Morocco, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates — denounced Iranian strikes targeting U.S. military bases including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates.
The 22-nation Arab League — which has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region — called the attacks “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability.”
Saudi Arabia said it “condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of sovereignty.”
The responses broadly mirrored Western reactions, while setting Middle Eastern powers apart from China and Russia’s quick condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli action.
Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel
Israel’s military say that that “dozens” of missiles have been fired by Iran at Israel. While many have been intercepted and no serious injuries have been reported, the missile barrages were continuing after sundown Saturday. Israel’s military chief gave an address on national TV warning that the defenses are not “hermetic” and the public should obey safety instructions and remain vigilant.
Iran calls for ‘immediate action’ from UN
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written to the U.N. Security Council calling for the 15-member body to “take immediate action in response to this breach of international peace and security.”
The council, which is currently under the presidency of the United Kingdom until midnight Saturday, is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran will continue to retaliate by all means necessary and that “all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile forces in the region shall be regarded as legitimate military objectives.”
EU to hold emergency security meeting on Monday
The European Union will hold an emergency security meeting on Monday over the conflict in the Middle East, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Iran’s unjustified attacks on partners in the region,” she said on a Saturday in a social media post.
Egyptian leader speaks with Saudi crown prince
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has spoken by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
El-Sissi expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to “contain the escalation” in the region.
“Continued military escalation will only bring more suffering to the people of the region and undermine development opportunities,” el-Sissi said.
Leading Democrat denounces US strikes on Iran
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia has questioned whether President Donald Trump has learned anything “from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East.”
“For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war — especially wars that aren’t authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don’t have a clear objective,” Kaine said in a statement.
“These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,” he said.
He called for the U.S. Senate to “immediately return” to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit strikes on Iran.
UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting
The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Israel’s U.N. Mission says the meeting will take place at 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) at the request of Bahrain and France.
Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon said Israel “is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat.” Danon also said that “Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the strikes on Iran and the Islamic Republic’s retaliation.
“The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security,” Guterres said in a statement. He also called for an immediate ceasefire and for all parties to return to the negotiating table.
Iran’s supreme leader and its president are alive — minister says
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells NBC News that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are alive “as far as I know.”
Egypt consults with several countries
Egypt’s top diplomat has discussed the military escalation in the Middle East with his counterparts in several regional and European countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany and France.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned that the escalation in Iran will have “dire repercussions” on Mideast security and stability. In a statement, he called for prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to avert a “comprehensive confrontation” in the region.
US Congress was notified before strike, source says
Congress was notified before the strikes on Iran, as required by law.
The notifications mentioned ballistic missiles, but didn’t indicate that the strikes would be so expansive or the goals so broad, according to a person familiar with the notifications who requested anonymity to discuss them.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out personally to some top lawmakers.
Saudi Arabia says it repelled attack by Iran
Saudi Arabia said Iran targeted its capital and its eastern region in an attack.
The government reported the attack in an announcement on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It called the attack “blatant and cowardly” and said it was repelled.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are longstanding rivals, but the country reached a Chinese-mediated detente with Iran in 2023.
US is entering ‘war of choice,’ lawmaker says
One of the senior U.S. lawmakers recently briefed by Trump administration officials on Iran says that the United States is entering a “war of choice.”
“Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame,” said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
He also expressed his concerns to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly that military action in the region “almost never ends well for the United States.”
“It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history,” Himes said.
China calls for halt to military actions
China’s government said it is “highly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military actions and a return to negotiations.
“Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.
Ukraine’s president supports US-led strikes
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced support for US-led strikes on Iran, calling the country “an accomplice of Putin” for supplying Shahed drones and the technology for Moscow to produce them and other weapons in its four-year war against Ukraine.
“Over the course of this full-scale war, Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed-type attack drones against the Ukrainian people, cities, and energy infrastructure. Other nations have also suffered from Iranian-backed terror. Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian leader said the emphasis now should be to save as many lives as possible and prevent any expansion of the war.
“It is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia condemns the US and Israeli strikes on Iran
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.”
It demanded an immediate halt to the military campaign and a return to diplomacy.
In a statement posted to Telegram, the ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change.
It warned the attacks risked triggering a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” in the region and accused the U.S. and Israel of “plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”
British prime minister holds emergency meeting
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee on Saturday morning and planned to hold calls with allies in the coming hours.
“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a U.K. government spokesperson said, reiterating Britain’s support for a negotiated solution to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Britain was not involved in the U.S.-Israeli strikes.
The U.K.’s Foreign Office also updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and urged British nationals in other Middle Eastern countries to “immediately shelter in place.”
Iranians stock up on supplies
In northern Tehran, supermarkets are seeing a surge of customers seeking bread and bottled water. However, supply has been limited, and some of the items most in demand — including bread, eggs, bottled water and milk — are currently unavailable in certain stores.
Long queues have also been observed at gas stations across the city.
State television showed footage from one of Tehran’s highways, Soleimani highway, where extremely heavy traffic was visible on west-to-east routes.
By Amir Vahdat in Tehran.
Pakistan condemns attacks on Iran
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday condemned what he described as “unwarranted attacks” on Iran during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It said Dar called for” an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis.”
Kuwait says it has repelled an Iranian attack
Kuwait’s national news agency says the Gulf country’s air defenses successfully repelled what it called a “heinous Iranian attack” earlier in the day.
Quoting a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the KUNA news agency said Kuwait maintains its right to defend itself.
Kuwait Airways meanwhile says it is temporarily suspending flights in and out of the country.
Smoke and explosions witnessed near a US base in Iraq
Smoke rose from a U.S. base near the airport in Irbil, the regional capital of Iraq’s semiautonomous northern Kurdish region Saturday and an Associated Press journalist in the area heard explosions. Local media reported that missiles were shot down. There was no immediate statement from Iraqi officials or from the U.S.
Iran-backed Iraqi militias had previously threatened to strike targets in the Kurdish region in case of an attack on Iran. Earlier Saturday, a drone strike targeted a headquarters of the Iran-allied Kataib Hezbollah militia southwest of Baghdad, killing two.
EU calls for restraint and diplomacy
European Union leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of “ensuring nuclear safety.”
“Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. “We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law.”
Both said that the EU has pushed to resolve critical issues through diplomacy but also has in place “extensive sanctions in response to the actions of Iran’s murderous regime and the Revolutionary Guards.”
They said Brussels was working with the EU’s 27 member nations to support the bloc’s citizens in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian strikes
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Iranian assaults on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan as a breach of their sovereignty.
The Kingdom confirmed that it fully stands by those countries and warned of the “dire consequences of continued breach of sovereignty and violating international principles.”
Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to take measures to confront the Iranian assaults that are “undermining” the stability and security of the region.
US and Israeli strikes target sites across Iran
Strikes on Saturday are targeting a growing list of cities and sites across Iran, according to Iranian state media. Direct strikes on the capital, Tehran, earlier sent plumes of smokes above its skyline, with reports of explosions in or near the major cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Tabriz.
Blasts were also reported in several western towns as well as around Persian Gulf port cities that are critical to Iran’s major oil trade, including Asaluyeh.
France advises its citizens to exercise caution
France, whose military has bases and a regular presence in the Mideast, has called on French citizens in the region to exercise extreme caution.
“A military escalation is underway … It’s not the time for negotiations. We are in a situation of war,” junior Defense Minister Alice Rufo told France-2 television Saturday, comparing the situation to the 12-day war in June.
“Our priority is the protection of our citizens and protection of our forces in the region,” she said.
Asked if French forces were involved in the U.S. and Israeli strikes or targeted in retaliatory strikes, French military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet said: “The French armed forces continuously adapt their posture to threats and implement measures to ensure the surveillance and protection of military installations where French soldiers are deployed.”
He would not elaborate.
“Our military presence guarantees France’s independent assessment of the situation,” he told the AP.
Israeli president salutes attacks on Iran
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has welcomed the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran.
Herzog says he hopes the operation “will bring a historic change and a better future for the whole Middle East and the entire world.”
Khamenei’s whereabouts unknown
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not made a public appearance in the days before the attack and hasn’t been immediately seen after. During the 12-day war in June, he was believed to have been taken to a secure location away from his Tehran compound.
Qatar says it repels second wave of Iranian attacks
Qatar’s Defense Ministry says the military has successfully repelled the second wave of Iranian attacks that targeted several parts of the nation.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, calling them a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty. It added that Qatar has been always among the sides calling for a dialogue with Iran.
The Foreign Ministry said that the targeting of Qatar by a neighbor “cannot be accepted under any justification or pretext” as the gas-rich Gulf nation has always distanced itself from regional conflicts.
Syria closes airspace
Syria’s civil aviation authority announced the closure of airspace in southern Syria Saturday, while a number of airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, Qatar Airways, and Pegasus canceled all flights to Lebanon.
Emirates Airlines says flights are disrupted
Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, says several of its flights have been affected by the airspace closure in the United Arab Emirates.
The carrier is based at Dubai International Airport, the busiest hub for international travel. It says it is working with local officials and adjusting its operations, and it urged passengers to check their flight status online.
Emirates transported 53.7 million passengers during its last fiscal year. Many of those passengers, like those of fellow regional carriers Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, were transiting the region for destinations elsewhere.
US-Israeli attacks are expected to continue, AP told
A person briefed on the military plans says Saturday’s operation was planned by the U.S. and Israel for months and closely coordinated.
The person says the attacks are expected to continue for several days.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
By Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv.
Iran says Israeli-US airstrikes kill 5 at girls’ school
Iran on Saturday said Israeli-U.S. airstrikes in southern Iran killed five students at a girls’ school, the first confirmed fatalities in the operation.
The state-run IRNA news agency reported the strike happened in Minab in Iran’s Hormozgan province. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has a base in the city.
Neither the U.S. nor Israel has offered any details on the campaign so far.
Impact wounds 1 in Israel
Israel’s national rescue service MADA said one man was lightly wounded from an impact in northern Israel.
Fire and rescue services said an apartment on the 20th floor of an apartment building suffered a direct hit. It was not clear if it was struck by a missile or debris from an interception.
Iran confirms attacks on US sites
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says that in its retaliation against Israel and U.S. attacks on Iran, the military struck several facilities in the region.
The Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that in the first phase of retaliation, named “Truthful Promise 4,” Iran’s military struck the command of the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain as well as U.S. bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and military targets in Israel.
There have been no reports of damage in these areas apart from one death in the United Arab Emirates.
The Guard said Iranian attacks with missiles and drones are continuing and more information will be released later.
Bahrain condemns Iranian attack on US fleet
Bahrain’s ambassador in the U.S. says attacks occurred against “sites within the Kingdom,” without giving further details. Writing on X, Abdalla Al-Khalifa said the attacks were a “blatant violation of sovereignty.”
Iran has apparently attacked the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks in Tehran. The Bahraini diplomat said that Bahrain “reserves the right to respond” to attack on its territory.
Qatar Airways suspends flights
Qatar Airways says it is temporarily suspending flights at its Doha hub because of the closure of the Gulf nation’s airspace.
The airline says it is working with local authorities to support passengers affected by the stoppage, and that it expects delays once flights eventually resume. It did not predict when that might be.
Government-owned Qatar Airways is one of the Middle East’s largest airlines, funneling tens of millions of mostly long-haul passengers through Qatar to destinations on six continents.
Iranian missile shrapnel kills 1 in UAE
Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed one person Saturday, authorities in Dubai said.
The state-run WAM news agency reported the fatality, the first known in the Iranian counterattack after the United States and Israel launched a major airstrike campaign targeting Iran.
Attacks on Iran risk wider war and higher energy prices
Within hours of the joint U.S. and Israeli strike in Iran, Ali Vaez, who directs the Iran Project at the Crisis Group think tank, warned that the war could likely escalate.
Vaez on social media stressed that Iran had been preparing for the conflict and that wider war could break out across the Middle East.
He also stressed that the war could lead to higher energy costs, which would undercut one of Trump’s domestic political messages that gasoline prices have been lower since his return to the White House.
“Iran sits along the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes,” Vaez posted. “Even limited disruption could spike energy prices, fuel inflation, and rattle global markets.”
EU calls Iran a threat to global security
The European Union’s top diplomat called the conflict in the Middle East “perilous” and said she was working with Israel and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.
“Iran’s regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, along with support for terror groups, pose a serious threat to global security,” said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc, in a post on social media.
She said the EU was evacuating some staff in the region and keeping in place a maritime mission in the Red Sea.
The EU recently put fresh sanctions on Iran and leading figures, prompting retaliatory sanctions by Tehran.
Turkish Airlines suspends flights
Turkish Airlines says it is suspending flights to multiple Middle Eastern countries. Flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan will be suspended till March 2, an official said on X.
Meanwhile flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and Oman will suspended till Feb. 28. Further cancellations may be announced, the official said.
US 5th Fleet plays important role in securing shipping lanes
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet command that host nation Bahrain said was targeted by a missile attack is responsible for securing the shipping lanes around the oil-rich Middle East.
Those waters include the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region contains three key chokepoints: the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb on either end of the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to shut the strait if attacked. Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen have said they will resume attacks on shipping routes and on Israel.
The extent of the damage on the 5th Fleet headquarters wasn’t immediately clear. The base is located just to the southeast of central Manama, the island nation’s capital.
Drone strikes Iran-linked militia HQ in Iraq
A drone strike Saturday hit a headquarters of the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq, in the Jurf al-Sakhar area southwest of Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding four others, two militia officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
There was not immediate comment from the U.S. or Israel.
Prior to Saturday’s strikes on Iran, the group had threatened to join the fray should Iran be attacked.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a statement that he received a call from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in while Araghchi said Iran would target U.S. bases in the region out of self-defense.
“He clarified that these attacks were not targeting the countries involved, but were limited to military sites,” the statement said. It added that Hussein urged deescalation.
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By Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad.
Israel says Iran was stepping up missile program
In a briefing with reporters, an IDF official said Israel has identified “a sharp acceleration” in Iran’s missile program.
The official says Iran was beginning to make dozens of ballistic missiles a month. He also said there had been no significant hits in Israel. He spoke just before noon, roughly four hours after the operation began.
By Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv.
Iran confirms response to attacks
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed its armed forces had “commenced a decisive response to these hostile acts.”
In a statement, it warned the Iranian people to travel to areas not included in the zones being targeted and said the government had made “prior arrangements” to ensure the supply of basic necessities.
Schools and universities were ordered to close while the statement said banks would continue to operate.
Germany says it was told of Israeli strikes in advance
The German government was informed in advance this morning about Israel’s military strikes on Iran, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Germany is in close consultation with its European partners, the spokesman said. Its crisis management team will meet at noon to discuss Iran.
The government urged German citizens in Iran, Israel, and the wider region to register on the official system for citizens abroad and follow the instructions of the local authorities for their own protection.
The foreign ministry said it was in “close and constant” contact with the embassies in Iran and Israel, as well as other missions in the region.
Iran makes plans with Iraqi militias, sources tell AP
Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told The Associated Press that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target U.S. forces and interests in Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.
U.S. troops have vacated bases where they were previously stationed in Iraq in areas under the control of the central government in Baghdad. This followed an agreement to end the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, but U.S. forces remain in the Kurdish region.
One of the most prominent Iraqi militias, Kataib Hezbollah, on Thursday issued a public statement urging its fighters to “be prepared to engage in a war of attrition that may be prolonged and exceed the expectations of the U.S. administration.”
It also issued a warning to the Kurdish regional government in Iraq “against collaborating with hostile foreign forces” that “could threaten its security and future.”
By Qassim Abdul-Aahra in Baghdad.
Israeli media show images of damaged building
Israeli media showed images of damage to an apartment building in northern Israel, reportedly from impact with parts of an interceptor.
Israeli police said shrapnel fell in multiple sites. Rescue services said there were no known injuries from the missile barrages launched on all parts of the country.
Israel warns Iranians near military sites to evacuate
The Israeli military issued a warning for the immediate evacuation of areas near weapons production and military facilities in Iran.
“Your presence in these locations puts your lives at risk,” the military said on its Persian-language X account.
