The strikes, which hit multiple sites in Tehran and other cities, including areas near senior leadership compounds, mark a dramatic escalation that has effectively ended an ongoing diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran. At least 51 students were killed in a strike on a girls’ school in the south.
Tehran condemned the attacks as a joint US-Israeli “act of aggression” and invoked its right to self-defence under the UN Charter, launching waves of missiles and drones at Israel and targeting US military assets in the Gulf.
Missiles were intercepted over Israel and several Gulf states. Bases hosting US forces in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar were reportedly targeted.
International reaction was swift and divided. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting. Russia condemned the strikes as a “dangerous adventure,” while Pakistan denounced the attacks on Iran.
Egypt and Oman warned of the risk of wider regional chaos and called for an immediate halt to military operations as airspace closures and flight suspensions rippled across the Middle East.
Sunday, 1 March
03:40 Iranian state television on Sunday confirmed the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The state announced 40 days of mourning, seven public holidays over his death.
02:45 Iranian media reported on Sunday that the daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in US and Israeli strikes.
"After establishing contact with informed sources in the supreme leader's household, the news of the martyrdom of the daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter of the Revolutionary Leader has unfortunately been confirmed," Fars news agency and other Iranian media reported.
00:30 Israel's emergency service said that a woman was killed in the Tel Aviv area after Iran fired a barrage of missiles towards Israel. "Paramedics have confirmed the death of a woman in her 40s with severe injuries," the statement read. Israel said it evacuated 20 other casualties to the hospital, including one man in serious condition.
00:10 Gulf states on Saturday condemned Iran's attacks in response to US and Israeli strikes in a joint statement read by Bahrain's ambassador during an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council.
Saturday, 28 February
23:55 French shipping group CMA CGM issued a statement Saturday asking its vessels in the Gulf to "take shelter" and suspending any passage through the Suez Canal because of the conflict in the region.
23:45 US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in air strikes, though there has been no confirmation from Tehran.
23:40 The Israeli army said it had deployed forces to multiple impact sites across Israel after Iran launched a new barrage of missiles.
"Soldiers of the Home Front Command, both active and reserve, are deployed and operating at several impact sites simultaneously, conducting extensive search and rescue efforts," the military said.
23:00 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched strikes on Israeli military bases and installations.
In a statement, the IRGC said it targeted Ramat David Airbase as well as the Ministry of Defence complex in the HaKirya area of Tel Aviv.
It also said to have struck the Beit Shemesh and Ashdod military industrial complexes, along with an Israeli naval base and a military shipyard in Haifa.
22:50 The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that six people were injured after Iranian missiles struck Tel Aviv, including one person in serious condition.
22:45 US President Donald Trump said he believes multiple reports that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in air strikes are true, but stopped short of directly confirming the news.
"We feel that that is a correct story," he was quoted as saying by NBC News.
22:30 AFP journalists heard a series of blasts in Jerusalem, central Israel, and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, with a journalist in Tel Aviv reporting a large explosion.
The blasts followed sirens after the military said it had identified a new round of missiles launched from Iran.
A military projectile is seen over the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Compound in the old city of Jerusalem. AFP
22:15 Israeli officials told AP that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was dead. Neither Iran nor the US has confirmed the reports.
The Israeli military said it had killed seven senior Iranian officials, including the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Pakpour.
Among those killed were Ali Shamkhani, senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, and Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a televised statement, showing photographs of some of the individuals.
22:10 Donald Trump told ABC News the US-Israeli attack on Iran was going "very well."
Asked how long it would last, Trump said, "As long as we want to, actually. But it’s done such damage already. It’s like—they are incapacitated, essentially—as long as we want to."
Asked whether Iranian leaders were believed to have been killed, Trump said, "A lot of it is, yeah. But we don’t know all. But a lot of it is. It was a very powerful strike."
Asked about potential new leadership, Trump said, "Yes. We have a very good idea."
This handout satellite image, courtesy of Vantor, shows smoke billowing from a naval base in Konarak, in southern Iran. AFP
22:05 Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence said the Mohammed Al-Ahmad Naval Base was targeted by a drone, adding that air defences were responding to the threat.
In Qatar, at least eight people were injured after the country was targeted by 44 missiles and eight drones during Iranian attacks, a diplomat briefed on the situation told ABC News.
22:00 At least four large oil tankers turned around before passing through the Strait of Hormuz after reports of an Iranian warning that ships should not transit the strait, according to shipping data firm Kpler.
21:50 The office of Iran’s Supreme Leader said the “American-Zionist enemy has resorted to psychological warfare,” urging the public to remain vigilant, according to Al Jazeera.
Separately, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said Tehran would make the “criminal Zionists and Americans regret” their actions, adding that Iran’s armed forces would deliver the “criminal enemies a lesson they will not forget.”
21:45 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran had killed senior officials in the Islamic Republic and warned that thousands more targets would be struck in the coming days.
"This morning we eliminated senior figures in the Ayatollahs' regime—commanders in the Revolutionary Guards and senior officials in the nuclear programme—and we will continue," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
Netanyahu also claimed there were signs that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in an attack on his compound.
Two Israeli television networks reported that Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes, while there was no confirmation from Tehran.
21:40 Trump told Axios that he has several "off-ramps" from the US military campaign against Iran launched early today.
"I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: 'See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs],'" Trump said in a phone interview from Mar-a-Lago.
"In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack," he predicted.
The US-Israeli operational plan envisions the bombing campaign lasting at least five days, a senior US official told Axios.
Trump cited two main reasons for launching the strikes: the failure of negotiations led by his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and Iran's conduct over recent decades.
"The Iranians got close and then pulled back, close and then pulled back. I understood from that that they don't really want a deal," he said.
21:25 Trump spoke with the NATO secretary general and leaders of three Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the White House said.
"President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.
The three Gulf nations host major US military bases, and Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on such facilities following the initial strikes.
Meanwhile, the United States urged its citizens worldwide to exercise increased vigilance.
"Following the launch of US combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide—especially in the Middle East—should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest US embassy or consulate," the State Department wrote on X.
It additionally advised Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.
21:20 Iran's judiciary said the death toll from a strike that hit a school in the country's south has risen to 85, following US and Israeli attacks.
The site of a strike on a girls' school in Minab, in Iran's southern Hormozgan province. AFP
21:10 Israel closed Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt after launching a joint attack on Iran with its US ally, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli agency in charge of civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said.
"Several necessary security adjustments have been implemented, including the closure of the crossings into the Gaza Strip, among them the Rafah Crossing," COGAT stated, adding that the rotation of humanitarian personnel in Gaza was "postponed at this stage."
The Rafah crossing, the only gateway to the outside world for Gazans that does not pass through Israel, had reopened for the movement of people on 2 February, nearly two years after Israeli forces seized control of the Palestinian side during its genocidal war on Gaza.
21:00 US forces striking Iran focused on locations “that posed an imminent threat,” including “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and control facilities, Iranian air defence capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields,” US Central Command said in a statement.
The strikes, which began shortly before 10am in Tehran, included “precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea,” and US Central Command said that low-cost one-way attack drones were used for the first time in combat.
According to the army, the operation, dubbed Epic Fury, is the “largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.”
The Pentagon said the US attack on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes caused no American casualties, adding that damage to US installations was "minimal" despite a barrage of Iranian air assaults.
Following the initial US and Israeli strikes, "CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks," the command said.
"There have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries. Damage to US installations was minimal and has not impacted operations."
In this screen grab obtained from video released by the US Central Command on their X account @CENTCOM, shows smoke rising from an Iranian facility after it was destroyed by strikes carried out by US and Israel against Iran earlier in the day.
20:40 Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, said the group “will take action in various activities” in solidarity with Iran, without providing further details.
“The Islamic Republic is waging the battle of the entire Islamic nation against American-Israeli-Zionist tyranny,” he said in a pre-recorded speech.
In Iraq, several hundred people protested against US-Israeli strikes near the US embassy in Baghdad, AFP journalists reported.
Protesters gathered near Baghdad's Green Zone and attempted to push past security forces, but were blocked. They waved Iranian, Iraqi, and pro-Iran armed group flags and chanted slogans, including "death to Israel," "death to America," and "for you Khamenei," referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
19:57 The Iranian Red Crescent reported that at least 201 people were killed and 747 wounded in US and Israeli strikes.
The organization said "24 (of Iran's 31) provinces were affected and the Red Crescent is in a state of alert," according to the ISNA news agency. This is the first official Iranian casualty toll from the strikes.
19:52 Iran called on the UN Security Council to take "immediate" steps to halt the “illegal aggression” by the United States and Israel.
In a letter to the UN secretary-general, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the council must "address the US and Israeli regime's acts of aggression" and "take the necessary and immediate measures to halt this unlawful use of force."
Iran also called for an emergency meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog to discuss "baseless" US and Israeli claims against its atomic programme, one of several justifications cited for the military action.
19:49 The Palestinian Authority (PA) "strongly condemned" Iranian attacks on Arab countries, including several Gulf nations.
"The State of Palestine strongly condemned the Iranian attacks on the sister Arab countries...stressing its complete rejection of any infringement on their sovereignty or aggression against them by any party," the PA said.
19:42 Three Kuwaiti soldiers were injured by shrapnel after a base housing US personnel was targeted, a Kuwait defence ministry spokesman said.
"Shrapnel fell at Ali Al Salem Air Base after air defence forces engaged ballistic missiles and drones, resulting in minor injuries to three members of the armed forces and some material damage," Colonel Saud Al-Atwan said.
Residential buildings in Bahrain were also hit, the interior ministry said.
"Several residential buildings in Manama were targeted. Civil Defence continues firefighting and rescue operations at the affected sites," the ministry added.
19:33 Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas shipments, is unsafe due to US and Israeli attacks and was therefore closed to ships on Saturday, local media reported.
"The IRGC has warned various ships that due to the insecure atmosphere around the strait because of the military aggression by the US and Israel and Iran’s responses, it is not safe to pass through the strait at the moment," the Tasnim news agency reported. "With the cessation of passage of ships and tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the strait has been basically closed."
Hardline Iranian political figures have threatened to close the strait in the event of a US attack, but no official decision has been taken.
File Photo: A motorboat cruises along the shore off the town of Al Jeer on the Strait of Hormuz in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, with a tanker seen in the background. AFP
19:18 The Israeli army said around 200 fighter jets took part in an "extensive attack" on Iran, describing the air raids as the largest in its history.
"Fighter jets dropped hundreds of munitions targeting approximately 500 objectives, including aerial defence systems and missile launchers," it added.
18:30 An official from the EU naval mission Aspides told Reuters that vessels have been receiving VHF transmissions from Iran's Revolutionary Guards, stating that "no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz."
Meanwhile, the US Transportation Department urged commercial vessels to stay away from the Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea are subject to "significant military activity," and "it is recommended that vessels keep clear of this area if possible," the department's Maritime Administration said.
US-flagged, owned, or crewed ships should also remain 30 nautical miles away from any US military vessel to avoid being mistaken for a threat.
The Strait is the world's most vital oil export route, connecting major Gulf producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the UAE, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
18:25 US President Donald Trump is "closely" monitoring the Iran situation "throughout the day," the White House said.
Americans hold signs as they take part in a "March 4 Democracy" protest in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2026. AFP
18:20 Israeli Channel 13 reported that 220 missiles have been launched from Iran towards Israel since the morning.
The Iranian Armed Forces vowed to carry out more painful and costly attacks, a spokesperson for the IRGC said.
The spokesperson confirmed attacks would continue with increased intensity and that results would be announced shortly.
18:15 The UAE Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems successfully intercepted additional Iranian missiles and drones, with no casualties reported.
Meanwhile, Jordan's armed forces intercepted 13 ballistic missiles in an operation that caused damage but no casualties.
17:55 Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the "barbaric" attack on a school in the south, which Iranian state media said killed at least 85 people and wounded dozens more.
"This barbaric act is another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors," he said.
17:50 The US military used new capabilities in its strikes on Iran, including the deployment of explosive drones for the first time in combat operations, a military source told Fox News.
A video shows Israeli-US aircraft bombard a depot site in Zanjan, Iran.
17:45 The Iranian Armed Forces launched a hypersonic missile targeting sites in Israel, Iranian state television reported.
17:40 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, according to Israeli Channel 12.
17:30 Lebanon's Hezbollah called for regional solidarity in response to the attack on Iran, urging nations and peoples in the region to stand firm against an "aggressive plot" and warning of severe consequences if left unchallenged.
17:25 Two witnesses told AFP they heard an explosion and saw smoke rising from Dubai's Palm Jumeirah.
One witness saw thick black smoke rising from a hotel and heard ambulances rushing to the scene. Residents and AFP correspondents reported hearing several loud bangs following the explosion.
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media shows smoke rising above Dubai, as Iran carried out retaliatory strikes in the Gulf following US and Israeli attacks. AFP
17:20 A drone struck Kuwait International Airport, causing minor injuries.
"A drone targeted Kuwait International Airport, resulting in minor injuries to several employees, in addition to limited material damage to the passenger terminal," the authority said.
Fresh explosions were also heard over central Doha. Iranian missiles were intercepted overhead by missile defence systems.
Qatar temporarily suspended maritime transport in its territorial waters as Iran targeted US military bases across the Gulf, including Al Udeid near Doha.
"In the interest of public safety, the Ministry of Transport calls on all maritime vessels to temporarily suspend navigation," Qatar's transport ministry said.
17:15 The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "has started a new wave of missile attacks against American bases," state television reported, citing the IRGC.
17:10 Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country's supreme leader and all high-ranking officials were alive.
He told NBC News that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was alive "as far as I know," adding that "all high-ranking officials are alive."
Araghchi said he had been in contact with Gulf states and "explained to them that we have no intention to attack them, but we are targeting American bases in an act of self-defence."
He added that while there was currently no communication with Washington, "if Americans want to talk to us, they know how they can contact me. We are certainly interested in de-escalation."
An Israeli military official claimed that several senior Iranian figures were "eliminated" on Saturday in strikes targeting gatherings of top officials of the Islamic Republic.
"Three sites where gatherings of the Iranian regime were taking place were struck simultaneously, and several senior figures essential to the management of the campaign and the regime's governance were eliminated," the official said.
17:00 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British warplanes were "in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies."
The British leader said in a short televised statement that this was "in line with international law."
He made the comments after holding an emergency meeting with senior ministers and officials in response to the evolving conflict in the Middle East.
16:50 Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart and several regional diplomats about ways to "end the attacks" triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, a ministry source said.
During his talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, "the latest developments in our region were discussed and possible steps to end the attacks," the source said, adding that Fidan also held discussions with counterparts from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Syria, Egypt, and Indonesia.
16:45 The United Nations (UN) called for an emergency Security Council meeting following the strikes on Iran.
The session, due to start at 4pm (2100 GMT), will address "the situation in the Middle East," the United Nations said. The meeting was requested by France and Bahrain, according to the Israeli delegation to the UN.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the "escalation" of military violence in the Middle East and urged an immediate cessation of fighting.
He said the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and the Islamic Republic's retaliatory attacks, undermine international peace and security. "I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation," Guterres said.
16:40 AFP correspondents heard a loud explosion in Dubai, and one of them saw a plume of smoke rising from the city.
16:30 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held calls with the leaders of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said.
During the calls, Prince Mohammed "affirmed the Kingdom's full solidarity and standing alongside the brotherly countries, and the Kingdom's readiness to place all its capabilities at their disposal," the ministry said, after Iranian missiles targeted US bases across the region.
16:20 Britain, Germany, and France condemned Iran for retaliating against US-Israeli strikes with attacks on countries in the Middle East hosting US military bases.
"We condemn Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms," UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a joint statement after discussing the conflict.
Britain, France, and Germany, all NATO member states, said in their statement, "We did not participate in these strikes."
They added that they were, however, "in close contact" with the United States, Israel, and allies in the region.
"Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes," the three European countries said.
"We call for a resumption of negotiations and urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future."
16:15 The Israeli military said it had completed what it described as a "broad strike" targeting Iran's defence systems, including one in the country's western region.
"A short while ago, the military, guided by army intelligence, completed a broad strike against strategic defence systems belonging to the Iranian regime," the military said.
"One of the strikes was directed at an advanced SA-65 air defence system located in the Kermanshah area in western Iran."
16:00 Saudi Arabia confirmed that Iran struck Riyadh and its eastern region, warning that it reserved the right to defend itself, including through retaliation.
Saudi Arabia "expressed its strongest condemnation of the blatant and cowardly Iranian attacks targeting the Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, which were repelled," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"In light of this unjustified aggression, the Kingdom affirms that it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its territory, citizens and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression."
15:36 US President Donald Trump has no plans to address the American people on Saturday following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, the White House said.
A White House official denied reports of a planned address by Trump, who overnight posted a video to his Truth Social platform announcing the attacks and calling for regime change in Tehran.
15:23 Egypt voiced deep concern over "the dangerous military escalation in the region" following US-Israeli attacks.
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned that the situation risks expanding into a broader conflict with severe consequences for regional and international security. The escalation could plunge the region into “chaos,” with potentially disastrous repercussions for stability and peace, it said.
Cairo also strongly condemned what it described as Iran’s violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of several Arab states, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. It called for full respect for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Arab countries, as well as adherence to the principle of good neighbourliness.
15:15 Oman called on all parties to stop fighting, warning of "dire consequences."
The foreign ministry of Oman, a mediator in recent US-Iran talks, expressed "deep regret over the military operations launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the danger of the conflict escalating into something with dire consequences for the region."
Oman said it "calls on all parties to immediately cease military operations and urges the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to impose a ceasefire."
14:59 Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday urged a halt to escalation and a return to dialogue after the American-Israeli attack on Iran.
On a call, "both sides emphasised the necessity of an immediate halt to any escalatory actions and a return to the dialogue table to preserve regional security and prevent a slide toward broader confrontations," the Qatari ruler's office said in a statement.
14:44 An Israeli strike that hit a school in southern Iran killed 51 students, state television reported, citing a local official who gave an updated toll.
"In this morning's Israeli missile attack on a girls' elementary school in Minab county, 51 students have so far been killed, and 60 students have been wounded," the county governor said.
14:12 The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted a second wave of Iranian strikes, reporting that missile fragments fell across the capital, Abu Dhabi, without causing injuries, after a first wave killed one civilian.
14:09 French President Emmanuel Macron called for an "urgent meeting" of the UN Security Council following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, warning that any escalation "must stop."
"France is calling for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council," Macron wrote on X.
"The current escalation is dangerous for everyone. It must stop," he added, warning that the outbreak of war between the US, Israel, and Iran carries "serious consequences" for international security.
14:00 Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi paramilitary group, said it will soon begin attacking US bases in response to the strikes that targeted the group.
Kataib Hezbollah is one of the largest groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), founded in 2014 to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as ISIS.
Two fighters were killed in air strikes that hit the Jurf Al-Sakher base in southern Iraq.
13:57 Russia's embassy in Israel called for its citizens to leave the country, given "the sharp deterioration in the security situation" following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
13:51 The military escalation in the Middle East is sparking a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Saturday.
ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric called on countries to respect the rules of war and urged them to find the political will to prevent "further death and destruction."
"Upholding the rules of war is an obligation and not a choice. In international armed conflicts, international humanitarian law, in particular all four Geneva Conventions, applies."
"Civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, homes, and schools must be spared from attack. Medical personnel and first responders must be allowed to carry out their work safely," Spoljaric said.
13:49 An Iranian missile attack caused "significant damage" to the runway of a Kuwait air base hosting Italian air force personnel, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, according to ANSA.
Kuwait's Ali Al Salem base hosts Italian air force personnel taking part in Task Force Air Kuwait since 2019 for surveillance operations against ISIL in Iraq.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a conference call with Tajani and security and intelligence officials.
13:45 Fars news agency said Iran’s senior officials are “in perfect health,” including President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and security chief Ali Larijani.
“While Israeli sources claimed to have targeted and succeeded in attacking the president and senior Iranian leaders, official sources report that senior regime officials, including the heads of the armed forces, are in perfect health,” the report said.
13:44 An Iranian missile attack caused "significant damage" to the runway of a Kuwait air base hosting Italian air force personnel, Tajani told reporters.
"There was significant damage to the runway, but no Italian personnel were injured," he said, explaining that air force members had taken shelter in a bunker at the base.
13:22 A nine-storey building was hit in northern Israel after Iranian missiles were intercepted, leaving one man with minor injuries from shrapnel, according to Israel’s Channel 12 broadcaster, cited by Al Jazeera.
13:19 Numerous explosions were heard in Tehran and other cities across Iran, the BBC reported.
The offices of Iran’s supreme leader and the presidency were also reportedly targeted.
Military sites were hit in Kermanshah, Qum, Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj, and at naval facilities in Kenarak. A video from Kamyaran in the Kurdish region shows an IRGC base being bombed.
Images from Tehran reportedly show a residence in the Narmak neighbourhood, where former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lives, was hit. It is unclear if he was injured.
Iran’s interior ministry said security forces are ready to maintain calm, and many hospitals across the country are on standby.
13:13 Pakistan's foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart in a call that Islamabad "strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran," following US-Israeli strikes.
13:00 An Israeli strike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, Hormozgan province, southern Iran, killing 24 students, a provincial official said.
12:51 Russia condemned US and Israeli strikes on Iran as a "dangerous adventure" that could spark "catastrophe" in the region.
"Washington and Tel Aviv have once again embarked on a dangerous adventure that is rapidly bringing the region to the brink of a humanitarian, economic, and—this cannot be ruled out—radiological catastrophe," the foreign ministry said.
"The aggressors' intentions are clear and openly declared: to destroy the constitutional order and overthrow the government of a state they find undesirable, which has refused to submit to the diktat of force and hegemonism," it added.
12:50 Norway's foreign minister said that Israel's strikes on Iran broke international law, calling for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
"The attack is described by Israel as a pre-emptive strike, but it is not in accordance with international law. A pre-emptive attack would require the existence of an imminent threat," Espen Barth Eide said in an email sent to AFP by his office.
"We call on all parties to show restraint and not to give up on the possibilities of finding diplomatic solutions to the conflict," he added.
The UK government expressed concern that the military strikes could escalate into a broader Middle East conflict.
"We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict," a government spokesperson said.
The European Union said developments in Iran were "perilous" and urged the protection of civilians.
European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen called for "maximum restraint."
"Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance," von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said, describing the developments in Iran as "concerning."
"We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law," she added in a joint statement with European Council President Antonio Costa.
Her remarks drew a sharp response from Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, who questioned the framing of the EU statement.
“Which developments?” Albanese wrote. “The US/Israel aggression? The massacres of dozens of civilians? The risk of Iran retaliating?”
She added, “Invoking nuclear safety while endorsing policies that endanger millions is not leadership: it’s escalation. May EU citizens see what is being signed off in their name.”
12:49 Qatar’s Defence 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 always been among the sides calling for a dialogue with Iran.
The Foreign Ministry said that the targeting of Qatar by a neighbour “cannot be accepted under any justification or pretext” as the gas-rich Gulf nation has always distanced itself from regional conflicts.
12:24 A person briefed on the military plans told AP that the US and Israel's attacks on Iran are expected to continue for several days.
12:19 Syria’s civil aviation authority announced the closure of airspace in southern Syria on Saturday. Several airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, Qatar Airways, and Pegasus, cancelled all flights to Lebanon.
12:10 Emirates Airlines, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, says several of its flights have been affected by the airspace closure in the UAE.
The carrier is based at Dubai International Airport, the busiest hub for international travel.
In parallel, Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has urged passengers to check their departure and arrival times as well as schedule changes.
It stated that it is closely monitoring regional developments following the US strikes and their potential impact on air traffic in parts of the region’s airspace.
12:07 At least one person has been killed in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, after several missiles launched from Iran were intercepted, according to the country’s state news agency.
The UAE said, “This attack is a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law.” It added that it “reserves its full right to respond to this escalation.”
12:02 Iran is now under a near-total internet blackout, according to NetBlocks, an internet monitoring agency.
This is not the first time the country’s internet has been shut down.
Just last month, Iran was plunged into a near-total internet blackout during nationwide protests that swept across the country and were brutally crushed by the government.
Some people briefly managed to access the internet using methods such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service and virtual private networks (VPNs). Those with access will likely attempt to use the same methods again.
12:00 AFP news agency reported explosions in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia condemned Iranian attacks targeting its neighbours in a statement released by its official press agency, but made no mention of Iran targeting the kingdom.
Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain have been targeted by Iranian missile attacks, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.
Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE have closed their airspace, Al Jazeera reported.
11:51 Qatar’s Defence Ministry said its military shot down several missiles before they reached its airspace. The ministry said the missiles were intercepted as soon as they were detected “in accordance with the pre-approved security plan.”
11:50 Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to the joint US-Israeli “criminal military aggression,” saying the country “will not hesitate” in its response to the renewed military aggression.
“The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X.
The ministry emphasized that Iran had sought to avert war through negotiations, but said the Iranian people and armed forces are now “more prepared than ever for defence.” It declared that responding to the strikes is both a legal and legitimate right under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
“The airstrikes by the Zionist and American regimes on Iran are a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and a clear act of armed aggression,” the statement said.
“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all their might and resources to confront this criminal aggression and repel the enemy’s evil act.”
Iran called on the United Nations and the Security Council to act immediately to address this violation of international peace and security. It urged all member states, particularly regional and Islamic countries, and members of the Non-Aligned Movement, to condemn the attacks and take urgent collective action to prevent further escalation.
11:41 The US strikes were carried out from both air and sea, according to a US official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations.
11:37 Several Iranian news agencies and online platforms have been targeted by cyberattacks following US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, according to the Telegram channel of the Hamshahri daily.
The report said a “widespread wave” of cyber operations had begun alongside the military escalation, with several major domestic media platforms experiencing disruption or operational difficulties.
According to preliminary reports cited by the channel, the websites of the state news agency IRNA and the semi-official ISNA news agency were among the outlets reportedly hacked or experiencing access issues.
It also reported disruptions affecting widely used online applications in Iran, although further details about the nature or source of the attacks were not immediately available.
According to BBC Monitoring verification, at the time of publication, the websites of state broadcaster IRIB News, the IRGC-linked Tasnim and Fars news agencies, and the semi-official Mehr and ISNA agencies were inaccessible, at least from abroad.
11:19 Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom.
Reuters reported that smoke was seen rising from Bahrain’s Juffair area, which houses the US base.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said its Patriot defence system intercepted an Iranian missile, Al Jazeera reported.
Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the region.
A loud explosion was reported in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, Reuters said.
11:17 AFP journalists heard several blasts over Jerusalem after air raid sirens sounded in the city, following the Israeli military’s announcement that it had detected multiple barrages of missiles launched from Iran.
11:14 Russia urged its citizens to leave Iran because of US and Israeli aggression.
11:08 Warplanes and missiles were seen flying through Iraqi airspace, although Iraq had earlier announced the closure of its airspace, witnesses and a military source told AFP.
The military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Our forces detected warplanes from the direction of Israel that crossed the airspace over Baghdad” and other provinces, adding that missiles were also seen flying over the northern province of Kirkuk.
“We saw several missiles flying at a low altitude” near the district of Daquq in Kirkuk, two witnesses said. A soldier in the city of Ramadi in western Iraq told AFP he saw warplanes flying overhead.
In southern Iraq, a bombing that targeted a military base housing a pro-Iran group killed at least two people, authorities said.
11:03 Israel said the new war on Iran was carried out as a “broad, coordinated, and joint operation” that had been planned for months between the Israeli and US militaries.
11:02 Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had launched its “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel.
11:00 A senior Iranian official, speaking to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, said, “The United States and Israel have started an aggression and a war that will have wide-ranging and long-lasting repercussions.”
The official added that Tehran was “not surprised by the joint American-Israeli aggression, and we have a comprehensive response with no time limit.”
“We are telling Israel clearly to prepare for what is coming. Our response will be public, and there are no red lines,” he said.
“All American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets, and there will be no red lines after this aggression. Everything is possible, including scenarios that were not previously considered,” the official warned.
Meanwhile, Tasnim News Agency reported that “a second batch of Iranian missiles has been launched at Israel” in retaliation for the earlier attack.
10:41 Jordan said it shot down two ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom. Jordan’s military said its air force was conducting sorties to protect the kingdom and its people.
“The sounds heard in the skies over several areas of the Kingdom are from aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which are carrying out routine flights as part of their operational duties,” a military source told AFP after sirens were reported in Amman.
“These sorties are part of aerial reconnaissance and inspection operations aimed at maintaining the safety of Jordanian airspace and ensuring that it is free from any attempts at infiltration or illegal activities,” the source added.
10:40 Trump acknowledged the US “may have casualties” in the war on Iran, saying, “that often happens in war.”
10:19 The Israeli army said it had detected missiles launched from Iran as sirens sounded across several parts of the country, in retaliation after Israel earlier attacked Tehran.
Israeli media reported that “loud explosions were heard in the Galilee region of northern Israel.”
According to Walla, an Israeli news website, explosions were also heard in the Haifa area of northern Israel. Sirens were sounding across wide areas of northern Israel and Greater Tel Aviv, as well as other parts of central Israel, the Israeli Home Front Command said, according to Al Jazeera.
A projectile explodes over the water in the bay of Haifa, off the northern Israeli coastal city, on February 28, 2026
10:13 Addressing the Iranian people, Trump stated, “I tell the Iranian people that their hour of freedom is approaching. When this is over, the Iranian people must take control of their own destiny. This may be their only chance for generations.”
“Iranians should stay in their homes and not go out. The situation is extremely dangerous outside,” Trump said.
He warned members of the Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and the police that they “will receive full immunity if they lay down their weapons; otherwise, they will face death.”
09:45 Iranian state television confirmed an “aerial aggression by the Zionist regime” on the country following a series of blasts in Tehran.
Fars news agency said “seven missile impacts were reported in the Keshvardoost and Pasteur districts” of Tehran, where the residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is located.
Israeli media said that the joint Israeli-US strikes targeted the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Masoud Pezeshkian.
09:40 US President Donald Trump said the United States was launching “major combat operations” against Iran.
“Our goal is to defend the American people by eliminating the imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” he claimed, adding that “The message is clear: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon… We are conducting these operations not just for now, but for the future; it is a noble mission.”
In a video address posted to his Truth Social platform after the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, Trump made clear that the goal was the toppling of the Islamic Republic, in power since the 1979 revolution.
“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally—again—obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy,” Trump said.
The US president, attacking Iran for the second time in eight months alongside Israel, described the Iranian authorities as “an evil group of cruel and wicked people.”
“The threatening activities of the Iranian regime endanger the United States, our forces, our bases abroad, and our allies around the world,” Trump claimed, repeating his justification for the attack.
Iranian citizens watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, AP
Earlier, Iran closed its airspace until further notice following multiple blasts in Tehran and elsewhere, the civil aviation agency said.
“The airspace of the entire country is closed until further notice,” a spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said, quoted by Tasnim news agency. Neighbouring Iraq also closed its airspace, according to its Ministry of Transport.
The attack comes as the United States had assembled a large fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region while negotiating a deal with Iran over its nuclear programme.
The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers at the end of January increased the US naval presence in the region.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and four accompanying destroyers were later dispatched from the Caribbean to the Middle East and are now in the Mediterranean.
The carriers and other ships have added more than 10,000 US troops to the region. The US military also has thousands of personnel stationed in the Middle East, notably at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Hundreds of fighter jets and support aircraft necessary for launching a major attack on Iran have also been deployed to the region.
Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, when the United States bombed its sites during the 12-day war.
The White House has repeatedly insisted that its June 2025 strikes against Iran had destroyed the country’s nuclear programme.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also said earlier this week that the attack “did, in fact, obliterate Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
Motorists make their way along a street in central Tehran on February 28, 2026. Iran said on February 28
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