The United States and Israel struck Iran on Saturday, hitting more than 30 targets across the country simultaneously as explosions tore through Tehran. Among the sites hit were the residence of the Iranian president and an intelligence headquarters.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the operation and declared a “special and permanent state of emergency” across Israel. An Israeli military spokesman said the country had “launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the state of Israel.”
What Has Happened
Three massive explosions were heard in downtown Tehran, according to the semiofficial Iranian news agency Fars, which reported that several missiles had struck the Republic area of the capital. Images received by the BBC showed thick smoke rising over Jomhouri Square and Hassan Abad Square in central Tehran.
A US official confirmed that American military strikes on Iran were underway, according to reporting by the New York Times. American and Israeli officials who spoke about the operation did so on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.
Thick smoke was also seen rising from the district where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei normally resides, according to the Iranian newspaper Shargh. The presidential palace and the National Security Council are also located in that district.
Latest Updates: US-Israel Strikes on Iran
The US launched what it called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” targeting Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The IDF confirmed its air force struck multiple military targets in western Iran, including the cities of Kermanshah and Tabriz.
US officials say the attack is expected to be far more extensive than American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June.
Iran’s Response
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council promised a “crushing response” and confirmed retaliatory measures were already underway.
Iran launched ballistic missiles at US military bases across the region, targeting Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, and Kuwait.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged the strikes happened while diplomatic talks were ongoing.
Regional Strikes
Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the region, was targeted. Qatar’s defence ministry said it successfully intercepted the attacks.
Bahrain’s US Navy 5th Fleet headquarters was hit by a missile attack.
The UAE intercepted Iranian missiles but debris killed one civilian of Asian nationality in a residential area in Abu Dhabi.
Explosions were also heard in Kuwait.
Internet and Civil Disruption in Iran
Iran is under a near-total internet blackout, according to monitoring agency NetBlocks.
Schools and universities are closed until further notice.
Government offices are operating at 50% capacity.
Banks remain open. Iran’s security council urged citizens to avoid crowded areas and move to safer locations where possible.
What Trump Said
Trump announced “major combat operations” in Iran via a video on Truth Social, accusing the Iranian regime of waging an “unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder.”
He said Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and vowed to raze Iran’s missile industry and “annihilate” its Navy.
He urged the Iranian people directly: “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”
He offered immunity to Iranian security forces who laid down their arms.
Diplomatic Background
The third round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US was held on February 26 in Geneva, two days before the strikes, without a breakthrough.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the talks, said a deal was “within our reach” and described Iran’s proposals as better than the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement.
Iran had already rejected US demands to limit its ballistic missile programme, calling them a breach of sovereignty.
UK Position
The UK did not participate in the strikes.
A government spokesperson said the UK does “not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired an emergency Cobra committee meeting on Saturday.
The UK said it had bolstered defensive capabilities in the region and stood ready to protect its interests.
Aviation
Flights across the Gulf region are being rerouted with no clear timeline for resumption.
Israel suspended all civilian flights following the strikes.
Why the Strikes Happened
The attacks followed months of escalating pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had threatened military action if Iran’s leaders refused to meet his demands, including curbing the country’s nuclear programme. The United States had carried out its largest military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq in an effort to compel Tehran to negotiate.
American and Iranian officials held a last-ditch round of mediated talks in Switzerland on Thursday. The talks ended without a breakthrough.
When and Where
The strikes hit on a Saturday morning โ the first working day of the week in Iran, with millions of people at work and children in school. Residents in Tehran described scenes of panic and chaos across the city, according to reporting by the New York Times.
In Israel, air-raid sirens sounded across the country as authorities warned citizens to prepare for potential Iranian drone and missile strikes in retaliation. Israel closed its airspace following the launch of the operation.
Israel described the operation as pre-emptive, framing it as necessary to remove threats to the state. The US military buildup in the region had already signalled that diplomatic options were running out after talks in Switzerland collapsed.
The BJP has the CPI(M) and Congress have both opposed the SIR’s timing, while regional tensions had kept the broader Middle East on high alert for weeks before the strikes.
The casualties from the explosions in Tehran and the precise targets of the strikes were not immediately confirmed.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
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