Iranian officials dismiss claims of Khamenei killing as ‘psychological warfare’

The statements from sources in Tehran directly contradict the claim made by Trump regarding the alleged death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Earlier yesterday, Iran’s foreign minister stated in an interview that, to his knowledge, the supreme leader, the Iranian president, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the speaker of Parliament are all alive.

In addition, the head of public relations for the Office of the Supreme Leader posted on social media that these reports are part of “psychological warfare” conducted by Iran’s enemies.

State-affiliated news agencies have also denied the reports, asserting that Ayatollah Khamenei remains “steadfast and firmly in command”. Furthermore, at least two members of parliament have publicly rejected the claims. Altogether, these statements sharply contradict what we are hearing from Washington.

At this point, the general position in Tehran is a firm denial of the reports.

However, it is important to note that yesterday, we heard several massive explosions near the Pasteur neighborhood – the area where the offices of Iran’s supreme leader and president are located, along with certain military headquarters and universities.

There is an uncertain and fluid situation. From Tehran, there is no official confirmation supporting the claim. If the news were true, it would represent a major turning point and likely cross what many would consider the “reddest of red lines” for the US. In that case, we would expect significant repercussions and, possibly, an official announcement – either confirming the reports or releasing video footage to refute them.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry says airport damaged by drone

The ministry has said the country’s international airport was targeted with a drone, “resulting in material damage without loss of life”.

It said authorities were securing the area.

Several incidents have been reported connected to Iranian strikes in Bahrain, with the US Embassy earlier today warning that it considered high-rise buildings unsafe.

‘You cannot bomb people into freedom’

Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at the US rights group DAWN, is likening Trump’s claim that the aim of the strikes against Iran is to bring “freedom” to the country to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

“I was in Baghdad in 2003, when the United States promised Iraqis freedom through bombs. What Iraqis got instead was death and destruction,” Jarrar said. “Now, President Trump is making the same false promise to the Iranian people. Make no mistake: You cannot bomb a people into freedom.”

Trump had told The Washington Post that all he wants “is freedom for the people” of Iran.

Jarrar said the killing of more than 100 girls in an Israeli attack in the city of Minab in the south of Iran “is not a war gone wrong”.

“This is what war looks like,” he added.

Can Congress stop Trump’s military actions?

Trump acted unilaterally in launching the latest military campaign against Iran, and critics, including legal scholars and lawmakers, say the operation is “illegal” under domestic US law.

The US Constitution grants Congress the sole ability to declare war, something it has not done since World War II. However, it grants the president some authority to commit US military actions overseas.

Article Two authorities have been interpreted to apply to situations where the US is responding to an imminent threat. Presidents have for decades relied on an expanded interpretation of the power to commit US forces and military actions abroad, often making tenuous claims of threats to US national security that allow them to bypass Congress.

However, Congress can pass legislation – so-called war powers resolutions – to rein in Trump. Such legislation could require the president to seek approval for further military engagements.

Several lawmakers have been pushing for a vote on a bill that would do just that.

Such a resolution would need to pass in both the Senate and House of Representatives. It could then be vetoed by Trump. If that were to happen, lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override Trump’s veto.

UN Security Council meets on Iran

The Security Council meeting ended at about 23:00 GMT. It lasted about two hours.

We heard from all 15 of the Security Council members, as well as Guterres and the ambassadors of Iran and Israel.

There are several takeaways.

First off, Guterres addressed the meeting and called out what he said was a “blatant act of aggression” by the US and Israel against Iran. He said it was an “illegal violation” of the UN charter, but then also condemned the retaliatory actions by Iran. The secretary-general said this is an escalation that can spin out of control.

The Iranian ambassador noted these strikes happened in the middle of nuclear negotiations, while the US and Israeli envoys said the talks had reached an end point, and that there were no further justifications for carrying on with them.

It’s clear that there is very much a divide here on whether these talks should have continued, and what happens at this point, now that they are off track.

That is essentially the summation from that very long meeting.

White House says Trump still set to attend Republican fundraiser

The US president has not had any public appearances today, but his press secretary has told reporters he still plans to attend a Republican fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Karoline Leavitt told traveling pool reporters that attending the fundraiser “is more important than ever”.

That event started a short while ago.

We’ll be watching for any possible comments by Trump. Stay tuned.

As a reminder, the US attacks on Iran come after Trump ran for office on an “America First” agenda, with promises to end American intervention abroad. His Republican Party, already facing what is expected to be a punishing midterm election in November, is expected to be further hurt by the current escalation.

Iran still has ‘substantial’ military capabilities

Harlan Ullman, the chairman of the Killowen Group, says the US and Israeli strikes on Iran were “very impressive”, but that Tehran’s military capabilities remain “substantial”, and will continue to pose a security threat in the region.

Ullman, a former US Navy officer, also said that based on his analysis, the joint US-Israel operation has not yet made a decisive blow on the Iranian leadership.

“Decapitation only works when you get all the leaders. And I do not think we got all the leaders, because it’s very, very difficult,” he said, adding that even if Khamenei is killed, others could emerge in his place, including Ali Larijani, the head of the country’s National Security Council.

“If Ali Larijani is still alive, he is a very formidable enemy,” Ullman said, referring to him as the designated Khamenei successor.

The analyst also warned that Iran might still have large armaments, including drones, to launch a drawn-out counterattack.

“Remember, it has been in the drone business for a very, very long time. It has been selling lots of drones to Russia. So, I think they’ve got a lot of stuff hidden away,” he said.

Trump’s claim of Khamenei’s killing appears to be based on Israeli information

It would appear that the US president’s source on the alleged death of the Iranian supreme leader is the Israelis.

We have heard nothing from any of the intelligence agencies in the US, or indeed from the Pentagon, that they provided this information to the president.

The president himself gave no indication of what his source was for this particular claim. The Israelis had been saying this since earlier in the day. So the assumption is, at this stage, that Trump got this from Israeli sources.

So, the question that is being asked now is: Why is he so certain?

Because this was a very carefully drafted statement. Now, earlier in the afternoon, he had said this same exact point in media interviews, but not in the carefully scripted way it came out on his Truth Social account.

It is important to note that he claimed in this same post that there is some kind of insurrection or resistance to the leadership within Iran, and expressed hope that there can be some kind of popular uprising in the country.

French shipping company warns vessels in Gulf to ‘take shelter’

The CMA CGM shipping company has issued a statement telling its vessels in the Gulf to “take shelter”.

“All ships currently in the Gulf, or on route to the Gulf, have received the instruction, with immediate effect, to take shelter,” it said.

It added that the passage of its vessels through the Suez Canal has been suspended and that the ships were instead rerouted to the Cape of Good Hope.

The world’s fifth-largest ship owners, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, said earlier that it was suspending all transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

How US politicians reacted to the attack on Iran

Most members of Trump’s Republican party have rallied behind the president’s attacks on Iran, with a few notable exceptions.

Democrats, meanwhile, failed to offer a unified message. Some, like Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, charged that Trump is “lying to the American people as he launches an illegal, regime-change war against Iran”.

Others, like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, were more circumspect.

“Confronting Iran’s malign regional activities, nuclear ambitions, and harsh oppression of the Iranian people demands American strength, resolve, regional coordination, and strategic clarity,” he said.

“Unfortunately, President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy.”

US defense chief vows to ‘destroy’ Iran’s navy

Pete Hegseth has declared that the “Iranian navy will be destroyed”, adding that US military forces “are fully unleashed to achieve” the objectives set by Trump.

In a post on X, Hegseth said that Washington “will not tolerate powerful missiles” targeting Americans after Iran launched a counterstrike following the joint US and Israel attacks.

“Those missiles will be destroyed, along with Iran’s missile production. The Iranian navy will be destroyed,” he said.

Ali Khamenei

Khamenei took the helm of Iran in 1989 following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the charismatic leader who had spearheaded the Islamic revolution a decade earlier.

While Khomeini was the ideological force behind the revolution that ended the rule of the Pahlavi monarchy, it was Khamenei who shaped the military and paramilitary apparatus that forms both Iran’s defence against its enemies and provides it with influence well beyond its borders.

Before becoming the supreme leader, he had led Iran as president through a bloody war with Iraq in the 1980s.

The grinding conflict, coupled with a sense of isolation among many Iranians as Western countries backed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, deepened Khamenei’s distrust of the West generally, and the United States, in particular, analysts say.

That sentiment would underpin his decades-long rule and cement the idea that Iran must remain in a constant state of defense against external and internal threats.

US military says ‘delivering swift and decisive action’

The US military command overseeing the Middle East has released another video of missile launches and strikes on apparent targets.

“The Iranian regime was warned,” the post said.

“CENTCOM is now delivering swift and decisive action as directed,” it said.

Kuwait and Qatar are the only Gulf states which have a flat desert.

IRGC says ‘devastating offensive’ to start shortly: Report

Iran’s Fars news agency has published a statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) announcing the start of “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

The offensive will begin in “just moments”, the IRGC said, and will target the “occupied territories [Israel] and American terrorist bases” in the region.

The chain of events that led to Khamenei’s killing

Khamenei is now the first supreme leader to be killed in Iranian literature.

Let’s take a look at the historical context of his killing.

The first step of this domino started in January 2020, when the Iranian top military commander of the Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, was killed by the direct order of Trump. From then on, until now, the Iranian leadership has faced a lot of challenges.

These include the assassination of other military commanders, the assassination of Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, as well as the assassination of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.

The supreme leader was also facing a huge amount of problems inside the country in terms of the economy, of which a considerable part was caused by sanctions.

We also have to remember that Trump was the same person who unilaterally withdrew from JCPOA, the nuclear deal that was signed and sealed back in 2015, paving the way for an increased amount of pressure and an increased number of sanctions, and putting a lot of pressure on the economy of the country.

In an interview with ABC News on June 16, 2025, the video is in our possession, Netanyahu called on the United States for help in the assassination of the Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, claiming that it would "end the conflict."

According to reports by The New York Times and The Guardian, the Israeli Mossad sought contact with the CIA for help as it doesn't have the means and technology to do it alone. Both adversaries tracked Khamenei's patterns and routines for months. That was between June 16, 2025 and December 2025. The latter when he vowed will attack Iran in 2026 again. The CIA successfully intercepted high-fidelity intelligence confirming Khamenei would be present at a leadership compound in central Tehran on the morning of this day.

They all knew that Hezbollah will respond.

Trump continues to face political pressure from Congress despite Khamenei’s killing

Trump had insisted that part of the reason for the action against Iran is to create an environment in which regime change could happen.

But there will be a lot of political pressure on Trump from the opposition in Congress, as well as some of his supporters in his MAGA movement, who are deeply upset about his decision to enter the conflict in Iran with Israel.

Within Congress, they are predominantly Democrats and a couple of Republicans who have expressed their concern about what they see as President Trump “usurping” the powers of the Congress, which is the right to declare war, and replacing it with unilateral decision by the executive.

But all these reactions will likely be dependent of what will actually play out in Iran in the coming days.

Questions over Iran’s direction after Khamenei

With respect to what is going to happen to Iran after Khamenei, this is, of course, a big question, because this is a new chapter, a new page.

We are watching to see whether his own line will continue with respect to the thoughts, the ideas, or there is going to be a more revolutionary line – more than him – or more pragmatic.

This all depends on how the Iranian establishment wants to see itself landing.

Does it want to go for a complete confrontation and resistance, continue the path of resistance that Khamenei was preaching, or it wants to go back to pragmatism?

US ‘made a big mistake’ as Khamenei ‘now a martyr’: Analyst

Harlan Ullman, chairman of the strategic advisory Killowen Group and adviser to the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, DC, said he believes the US made a “big mistake in killing Khamenei”.

“He is now a martyr, and if Ali Larijani is still alive, he is a very competent person. He’s chairman of the Supreme National Security Council – and this is a formidable enemy,” Ullman said.

Ullman said Washington should not expect Iran’s leadership to now negotiate, like in the case of Venezuela, after the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January by US forces.

“I don’t think so,” Ullman said.

“I think we have empowered Larijani, and that could come back to haunt us,” he said of the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who is likely to be Khamenei's successor.

“Decapitation only works when you get all the leaders, and I don’t think that we got all the leaders.”

Iran says president, head of judiciary, and a jurist will oversee transition

The official IRNA news agency is reporting that a three-person council, consisting of the country’s president, the chief of the judiciary, and one of the jurists of the Guardian Council, will temporarily assume all leadership duties in the country.

Trump says diplomacy ‘much easier’ after attacking Iran

The US president has now twice attacked Iran in the middle of negotiations on the country’s nuclear program, with many analysts arguing the move undermines Washington’s credibility in diplomacy.

But speaking to CBS News, Trump said he believes the US is better positioned to reach a diplomatic solution with Iran.

“Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously”, Trump said, adding, “because they are getting beat up bad”.

Trump also said that Iran’s response – attacks on Israel and US bases across the region – has so far been “less than we thought”.

“We thought it’d be double,” he said.

Why Iran’s fate matters to China

China is one of the few major economies in the world that has a good, working trade relationship with Iran. Some even say that Beijing was propping up the government through its purchases of Iranian oil.

So China has released an unequivocal statement. It says that Iran’s national security, its territory, should be respected. It says there should be an immediate halt to this attack to prevent an escalation, and that there should be a return to the negotiating table in order to preserve the stability of the region.

And really, that is what China is most worried about – this spiralling out of control and ending up in a protracted war that disrupts the global energy market on which Beijing relies.

There is also another reason here for China’s concern.

Beijing has been, for years now, working to build a more multipolar world, one where the US has less influence, and it sees the regime in Tehran as a vital counterbalance against the US and its allies. And now, it’s worried if there is a regime change in Iran that could reshape global alliances in favour of Washington and not Beijing.

Qatar says 16 people wounded in Iranian attacks

The Qatari Ministry of Interior says eight additional injuries have been recorded following the Iranian strikes, bringing the total number of injuries since the onset of the attack to 16.

It said there has also been “limited material damage in various areas”.

Iran’s presidency vows to respond to Khamenei’s assassination

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced Khamenei’s killing “as a great crime” and promised to respond, according to a statement from his office.

“This great crime will never remain unanswered and will turn a new page in the history of the Islamic world and Shiism. The pure blood of this high-ranking leader will flow like a roaring spring and will eradicate American-Zionist oppression and crime,” it said.

“This time too, with all our strength and determination, with the support of the Islamic nation and the free people of the world, we will make the perpetrators and commanders of this great crime regret it,” it added.

Pezeshkian also declared seven days of public holidays in addition to the 40 days of mourning.

Explosions heard in Dubai

The Reuters news agency reports that “several loud bangs” have been heard in the city.

Trump did ‘exactly’ what he said he would not do

This is exactly what President Trump said he would not do, and this is something that he has criticised previous presidents for doing.

It’s not necessarily the fact that he has decided to attack Iran. It’s also the fact that he has bypassed Congress in terms of doing it.

Constitutionally, only Congress has the right to declare war. Not the executive, not the president.

There is still that potential domestic political fallout, coming from Democrats, in particular, but also some individual members of his MAGA backing.

Multiple explosions heard across Doha

At least 11 explosions have been heard in the sky above the Qatari capital, residents of the city report.

The infrastructure Khamenei built in Iran remains in place

Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran, said this could create “a great vacuum for Iran”, as Khamenei has been leading the country for more than 37 years.

However, “let’s not forget that the infrastructure as well as the architecture that he has built is yet in place,” Aslani said. “And that’s why even after his killing, we saw Iran responding to the attacks coming from the Israeli and American side. So that indicates that the infrastructure that he built during his tenure is one that can operate even with a great vacuum like himself being absent in this process.”

Iran’s Constitution also sets out a path for a transition period, and the government has already announced that an interim council will run the country until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader.

There is no specific timeline for the process, but Aslani said he expects the government to act quickly to navigate the difficult situation the country is in.

IRGC announces attacks on 27 US bases in Middle East

The IRGC says it is carrying out a sixth wave of attacks in retaliation for the US and Israeli bombardment of Iran, according to Iranian state media.

It said it has launched “extensive missile and drone” attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region. It said 27 US bases, as well as the Israeli Tel Nof airbase, the Israeli army’s command headquarters at HaKirya in Tel Aviv, and a large defense industrial complex in the same city, were attacked.

It added that Iranian forces will “implement a different and harsh step of revenge, with successive, regrettable slaps”.

Air raid sirens blare in Kuwait

Sirens in Kuwait as Iran continues its retaliatory attacks over Khamenei’s assassination.

Death toll in attack on Iranian girls’ school rises to 148

At least 148 people have been killed and 95 others injured in the US-Israeli attack on an elementary girls’ school in southern Iran’s Minab city.

The attack occurred on Saturday, and the death toll has been climbing.

Trump warns Iran against hitting ‘very hard today’

Trump has just issued a new statement on his Truth Social media app, warning Iran against hitting back.

“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before,” the US president wrote.

“They better not do that, however, because if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before!”

Jordan intercepts missiles as sirens blare in Israel

Jordanian defense systems have intercepted missiles that entered the capital Amman’s airspace, as well as northern areas.

This comes as air raid sirens continue to blare in and around the city of Tel Aviv in Israel.

As we’ve been reporting, the IRGC has announced a sixth wave of attacks on Israel and what it says are 27 US bases in the Middle East following the assassination of the country’s supreme leader and top security officials.

US, Israel crossed ‘our red line and must pay the price’, says Iran’s parliament speaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has called the leaders of the US and Israel “filthy criminals” who will face “devastating blows” for their ongoing attacks on Iran.

Ghalibaf’s comments came in a televised address. He is the highest-ranking official to appear on camera since the attacks began on Saturday.

“You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” he said. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.”

Explosions heard over Doha

After a relatively quiet evening, several explosions in the sky over Doha were heard, particularly described as some of the loudest heard.

Qatar’s air defense system is repelling attacks from Iran. There could potentially be debris falling to the ground.

It is hard to confirm how many missiles or drones were fired from Iran at Qatar, and we are waiting for official confirmation.

There have also been explosions in Dubai, with reports that more attacks are likely, especially as Iran has said further strikes are imminent.

Etihad suspends all flights to and from Abu Dhabi

The airline says all flights to and from Abu Dhabi in the UAE are suspended until 2am local time on Monday (22:00 GMT, Sunday).

Iran to form temporary leadership council today, Larijani says

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, says the country will set up an interim leadership council today.

It comes as a temporary measure before the successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is selected.

US embassy in Jordan urges people to shelter

The US embassy in Jordan has issued a security alert, urging people to shelter in place.

“Reports indicate missiles, drones, or rockets are in Jordanian airspace. Seek overhead cover and shelter in place immediately,” it said.

“Remain indoors and pay attention to local announcements and alerts.”

Iran confirms killing of defence minister, army chief of staff

The official IRNA agency says the Iranian army’s chief of staff, Abdul Rahim Mousavi, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh were killed in the US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran has also confirmed the killing of Khamenei and his security adviser, Ali Shamkhani, as well as IRGC commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour.

IRNA said more commanders of the armed forces were also killed and that their names will be announced later.

No injuries after interception of Iranian missile caused fire in Doha: Qatar

A small fire has broken out in the industrial area of Qatar’s capital Doha after an Iranian missile was intercepted above the city, according to the Gulf country’s Interior Ministry.

No injuries have been reported following the incident, the ministry statement on X said.

Qatar Airways flights to remain suspended

The airline has said its flights will remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.

“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace,” it added, saying another update would be provided by 9am local time (06:00 GMT) on Monday.

Israel claims to have dropped over 1,200 bombs on Iran in one day

Israel’s air force says it dropped more than 1,200 munitions on Iran over the past day in its joint attack with the US.

Among the sites attacked in Iran was an elementary girls’ school in Minab, a city in the Hormozgan province of southern Iran, where at least 148 people have been reported killed and dozens more injured.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “dozens of innocent children” were murdered in the attack on the school, which would “not go unanswered”.

Two injured in Dubai from falling drone debris

Two people have been injured in Dubai after debris from intercepted drones fell into the courtyards of two homes, according to the city’s media office.

Authorities said the sounds heard across the emirate were the result of successful interception operations by the country’s air defense.

Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at UAE: Ministry

The UAE’s Defence Ministry has said Iran fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at the country on Saturday.

At least one person was killed and seven wounded during what authorities called an “incident” at Abu Dhabi’s airport.

Dubai airport, the world’s busiest for international traffic, was also hit.

Drones target Omani port; worker injured

There is information about an incident at the Omani port of Duqm.

Citing a security source, Oman News Agency said two drones had targeted the port, injuring one foreign worker.

One drone struck a mobile workers’ accommodation, while debris from the second drone landed near fuel tanks, causing no material damage, it reported.

No further information was immediately available.

Crowds protest in Iran’s Shiraz over Khamenei’s killing

Large crowds have been seen marching in the Iranian city, protesting against the killing of the supreme leader in joint US-Israeli strikes.

Protesters held flags and photos of Khamenei, with some of them beating their chests.

New Yorkers protest against US attacks on Iran

People in New York converged on Times Square on Saturday, hours after Trump ordered a wave of deadly strikes on Iran. Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the strikes “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression”.

Iran’s internet blackout passes 24-hour mark: Monitor

The nationwide internet blackout in Iran has passed the 24-hour mark, with national connectivity flat lining at 1 percent of ordinary levels, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

“The measure limits civic engagement at a key moment for the country’s future after the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei in US and Israeli airstrikes,” it added.

Iran unlikely to ‘comply’ with US demands even after Khamenei killing

Michael Mulroy, former US deputy assistant secretary of defense, tells Al Jazeera that although the killing of Iran’s supreme leader would mark the second regime takedown attempt by the Trump administration after Venezuela, Iran’s scenario is a “different ball game”.

“The regime in Venezuela was really held together by [President Nicolas] Maduro with some very weak underlings. In Iran, you had the supreme leader, of course, but there were multiple different power centers in the clerical establishment, the military, the IRGC and the intelligence service,” he said.

Commenting on a possible reaction by Iran, Mulroy said the country is unlikely to “comply” with US demands even after the killing of the supreme leader.

“They’re more likely, based on everything they’re saying right now, including recent statements, to escalate this and essentially turn the region into an all-out war, causing as much pain not only to the United States but also to the Gulf countries in the region,” Mulroy said.

“What they [Iran] have are drones, which is what you see striking many of these buildings in Dubai and Bahrain, for example. They can mass-produce them, and that’s how they’ve been supplying them to the Russians for years. So that’s an issue,” he said.

“Of course, they’re generally pretty easy to shoot down, but we’ve seen a lot of them get through. I don’t know if that was because they masked them, in the sense that they sent so many it was hard to deal with them all at once. That is what it sounds like in the UAE, and that is probably their biggest threat,” Mulroy said.

Senior UAE official tells Iran, ‘Your war is not with your neighbors’

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE’s president, says Iran’s Gulf attacks have isolated the country, warning Tehran not to target its neighbours as its retaliatory campaign in the region entered its second day.

“The Iranian aggression against the Gulf states was a miscalculation, and it isolated Iran at a critical juncture. Your war is not with your neighbours,” he said.

“Return to reason, to your surroundings, and deal with your neighbours rationally and responsibly before the circle of isolation and escalation widens.”

This is not Iran's war because ...:

• Iran not the attacking belligerent
• the war is started by Netanyahu in June 2025, and resumed on February 28th.
• The war is across borders, which means that Trump needs to have a UNSC mandate, which he hasn't
• Iran is not attacking the territory of the United States
• the Israeli-US war is political, not militarily motivated, which is a violation on core articles in the UN Charter
• Iran has the right to consider neighboring countries military objectives, as the US attacks Iran from these countries.

Oil tanker attacked near the coast of Oman

Oman’s Maritime Security Centre says the Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight was ‌attacked about 5 nautical miles (9km) off Oman’s ⁠Musandam.

Four people were ⁠wounded, and the crew ⁠of ⁠20 people was evacuated.

No other information was immediately available.

The attack was carried out after Oman’s state media said two drones targeted the port of Duqm, injuring one foreign worker.

Khamenei’s killing ‘essential to Israeli narrative’

The Israeli government has been capitalizing on the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This is something that is essential to the Israeli narrative.

They also point to the fact that the attacks that Iran has carried out against Israel have been below the expectations.

Sirens went off all morning and throughout the night. But authorities have told residents to leave shelters and stay close to them.

Woman and child injured by drone debris in UAE’s Abu Dhabi

A woman and her child have been injured when debris from an intercepted drone struck the facade of a residential building at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Towers complex, according to the city’s Media Office.

The pair sustained minor injuries. The debris fell after the UAE’s air defence systems intercepted the drone.

Air France suspends Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh flights

Air France has cancelled its flights scheduled today to Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh as a result of Israeli-US strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation.

The suspensions came on top of the previously announced cancellation of its flights to Tel Aviv.

“Air France will provide further information on its flight schedule to these destinations for the following days at a later date,” the French flag carrier said in a statement.

Explosions heard in east of Saudi capital Riyadh: Report

Sound of explosions being heard in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.

AFP is quoting residents in eastern Riyadh as saying they have heard several loud bangs and seen smoke rising. The news agency said its correspondents also heard the explosions.

Qatar condemns Iranian attacks on Oman’s port, oil tanker

Qatar has expressed “strong condemnation of the Iranian attacks” that targeted Oman’s commercial port of Duqm and an oil tanker off its coast.

“Qatar considers these attacks a violation of Omani sovereignty, an unacceptable escalation, and a cowardly act targeting a state that plays an active role in mediation efforts,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

As we’ve previously reported, Oman’s state media said the drone attack on Duqm port had injured one worker. Separately, an oil tanker was targeted off the coast. Its crew was evacuated, and four of them were injured.

Reliance on Gulf oil puts China at risk if Iran conflict escalates further

If the Strait of Hormuz were to close, it would constitute a major shock for China. That risk is clearly part of Beijing’s calculation when it issues statements expressing concern about the conflict escalating and spreading across the region. China would not want to see the Strait of Hormuz shut down as that would deal a significant blow to its energy security.

While China does not publish exact figures, we know that oil accounts for roughly one-fifth of its total energy consumption. About 70 percent of its oil is imported, and an estimated 40 to 50 percent of those imports come from Gulf states – not only Iran but also Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

Nearly all of that oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. A closure would, therefore, put roughly 5 to 7 percent of China’s total energy supply at risk. That wouldn’t be catastrophic, but it would be substantial.

Any closure would certainly be disruptive, though not entirely unexpected. China has been closely monitoring rising tensions in recent weeks and is likely developing contingency plans. Beijing could attempt to source more oil from other partners, such as Russia or Kazakhstan. If necessary, it could also draw on its strategic petroleum reserves, though that would likely be a last resort.

For now, Beijing is expected to continue calling for a halt to the attacks, urging de-escalation and a return to negotiations among all parties. If the conflict intensifies in the coming days, China will likely press all sides to avoid disrupting the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure freedom of navigation through this critical maritime chokepoint.

Security chief says Iran to hit US, Israel ‘with a force they never experienced before’

Iran’s top security official has issued a warning against the US and Israel.

“Yesterday Iran fired missiles at the United States and Israel, and they did hurt,” Larijani said on X.

“Today we will hit them with a force that they have never experienced before.”

His language echoed a warning by Trump against Iran earlier in the day.

“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before,” the US president wrote on social media.

“They better not do that, however, because if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before!”

New wave of Iranian missiles, drones intercepted in Bahrain

Bahrain’s National Communications Centre says a new wave of “hostile Iranian ballistic missiles and drones” has been intercepted above the Gulf state.

IEA monitoring events in Middle East and potential impact on markets

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is monitoring events in the Middle East and the potential implications for global energy markets and trade flows, its director general, Fatih Birol, says on X.

“Markets have been well supplied to date,” Birol said, adding that he is in contact with ministers from major producers in the region.

Pezeshkian says US, Israeli attacks an ‘open declaration of war against Muslims’

Iran’s president says Khamenei’s killing is an “open declaration of war against Muslims”, particularly Shia.

“This tragic event is the greatest trial facing the Islamic world today,” Pezeshkian said in a written message offering condolences over the killing of the supreme leader.

On February 28h, Trump declared war on Iran, not on Muslims.

Two Iranian missiles fired in direction of Cyprus: British defense secretary

British Defense Secretary John Healey tells the Sky News broadcaster that two missiles have been fired in the direction of Cyprus, where thousands of British soldiers are stationed.

“We don’t believe they were targeted at Cyprus, but nevertheless, it’s an example of how there is a very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out widely across the region, and that requires us to act,” he said of Saturday’s launches.

Iranian strikes on Saturday landed within a few hundred yards (a few hundred meters) of British troops in Bahrain, the defense secretary said.

The British have an airbase on Cyprus while the US is carrying out mass bombardment on Iran from a British airbase in Gloucester, England.

Cyprus says ‘no indication whatsoever any threat to the country occurred’

Statement from Konstantinos Letymbiotis, spokesperson for the Cypriot government, stressing that Cyprus has not come under threat.

“In relation to statements and media reports referring to the launch of missiles towards the direction of Cyprus, it is clarified that this is not the case and there is no indication whatsoever that any threat to the country has occurred,” he wrote on social media.

It came after British Defense Secretary Healey said two missiles had been fired in the direction of Cyprus, where the UK has bases.

Alireza Arafi appointed to Iran’s leadership council

Alireza ⁠Arafi, a religious leader on the Guardian Council, has been appointed to ⁠Iran’s leadership council, the body tasked with fulfilling the ‌supreme leader’s role until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader.

⁠Arafi will be ⁠part of the ⁠temporary leadership council alongside President Pezeshkian ‌and Supreme Court Chief Justice Mohseni-Ejei.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a member of a powerful constitutional watchdog, has been appointed to the three-member temporary council that is by law to govern until another supreme leader can potentially be chosen.

The 67-year-old Muslim scholar, who is a member of the Guardian Council that must later choose a supreme leader, was confirmed to the council by the Expediency Council, a powerful arbitration body.

Arafi will now join hardline Muslim scholar and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and President Masoud Pezeshkian on the temporary council.

The IRGC and security chief Ali Larijani are also expected to play pivotal roles, but it remains to be seen where the balance of power lies.

Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the IRGC has now been assassinated for the second time in less than a year, and the next leader of the elite military and economic force has yet to be announced.

IRGC-linked Telegram channels are citing deputy chief Ahmad Vahidi, who was appointed to the position by Khamenei two months ago, as a likely candidate.

GCC foreign ministers to hold video conference today: Source

A Gulf source familiar with the matter has told Al Jazeera that an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is to be held via video conference today.

The GCC is a political and economic alliance of six countries on the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Interceptions over dense Doha areas trigger fire; tight security around storage facilities

This morning, there where two or three different waves of those explosive sounds when defense systems intercept incoming Iranian missiles or drones.

The Qatari Ministry of Defense said the early warning system worked and that interception operations took place. There were no casualties.

These interceptions are happening over densely populated civilian areas. A giant plume of smoke could be seen over the industrial area that sits between central Doha and the Al Udeid airbase, where US CENTCOM is based.

Falling debris seems to have triggered a fire at a storage facility. There are storage facilities, food stores, manufacturing warehouses, automotive repair shops, located in the struck area.

The threat from falling debris is almost as severe as any direct hits at the moment for two consecutive days.

Direction of Iran still unclear as officials try to ‘project stability’

Abas Aslani, senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, has told Al Jazeera many Iranians “are asking what direction both the conflict and the country itself will now take”.

“Officials here are trying to project stability, emphasising that the situation is under control and that state institutions are functioning effectively,” Aslani added.

“Today, [the US-Israeli] air strikes targeted security and military infrastructure in the capital and other cities. There are expectations that such strikes could continue – and possibly intensify – in the coming hours or days,” he said.

“That prospect of escalation is not something many ordinary Iranians welcome. At the same time, Iranian officials are issuing strong warnings, suggesting they could respond with capabilities that have not previously been used against Israel or the United States,” Aslani said.

Putin calls Khamenei killing ‘cynical murder’

The Russian President Vladimir Putin’s has reacted to Khamenei’s killing.

TASS news agency said Putin expressed his condolences to Iranian President Pezeshkian over the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.

It quoted him as saying Khamenei’s killing was a “cynical murder in violation of all standards of human morality and international law”.

North Korea condemns US-Israeli attacks on Iran as ‘illegal aggression’

US-Israeli attacks on Iran are “illegal aggression” ⁠and a ⁠violation of national ⁠sovereignty, ⁠North Korea’s Foreign Ministry ⁠spokesperson has been quoted as saying by state-run Korean ⁠Central News Agency.

The US involvement ‌was “within the range of expectations”, the spokesperson said, calling it an inevitable outcome given the “hegemonic and gangster-like” nature of the US.

The “war of aggression” by the US and Israel ⁠is unacceptable under any circumstances, ⁠the statement said.

Iran’s attack on Oman’s Duqm port ‘serious violation’: GCC chief

Jasem al-Budaiwi, the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council, has condemned Iran’s attack on the port of Duqm in Oman and the targeting of an oil tanker off the coast of Oman as a “serious violation and a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security”.

He described these actions as “unacceptable provocations” that “undermine stability” in the Gulf and stressed the need for restraint and respect for international law.

UKMTO warns of ‘significant military activity’ around Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it is aware of “significant military activity” in the “Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz”.

In its latest advisory, it said the maritime security environment in the region remains highly volatile, with ongoing regional military activity
adding to the elevated threat to commercial shipping.

“There is [a] significant military presence and activity across the region. Mariners should be aware of the increased risk of miscalculation or misidentification, particularly in proximity to military units and other sensitive maritime facilities and infrastructure,” it said.

“Claims regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to circulate via open source reporting and VHF communications. No official closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been formally communicated to the maritime industry through recognized maritime safety channels,” UKMTO added, noting that “VHF communications indicating transit restrictions do not constitute a legally recognized suspension of transit passage under international maritime law.”

UKMTO also warned there were threats beyond the Strait of Hormuz, including in areas such as the Bab al-Mandeb, where, it said, tensions remain “elevated”.

Bahrain says Manama hotel damaged in attack

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry says the Crowne Plaza hotel in the capital has been targeted in an attack.

The strike resulted in material damage “but no loss of life”, it added.

On Saturday, Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the kingdom and three buildings were damaged in Manama.

US embassy in Bahrain urges its citizens to leave hotels in Manama

The US embassy in Bahrain has called on US citizens to leave hotels in Manama over fears that the facilities may be targeted in an Iranian attack.

An embassy statement published on X said an attack on the Crowne Plaza hotel in Manama that caused injuries was confirmed.

UKMTO receives report of incident off Oman’s Kumzar in Strait of Hormuz

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the British ⁠maritime ⁠agency, says it has ⁠received a report of an ⁠incident 2 nautical miles (3.7km) north of Oman’s Kumzar, located in the ‌Strait of Hormuz.

The strait is the world’s most vital oil export route, which connects the biggest ⁠Gulf oil producers, ⁠such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United ⁠Arab Emirates, with ⁠the Gulf of ⁠Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Hundreds of ships stranded on either side of Strait of Hormuz, data shows

At least 150 tankers, including crude oil and LNG vessels, have dropped anchor in open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz, shipping data shows.

Dozens more were stationary on the other side of the chokepoint. The movements came after US and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the region into a new war.

The tankers were clustered in open waters off the coasts of major Gulf oil producers, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as LNG giant Qatar, according to the Reuters news agency estimates based on ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform.

Ship struck by ‘unknown projectile’ near Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says

A ship near the Strait of Hormuz has been struck by an “unknown projectile”, the UKMTO says.

A vessel north of Oman and east of the strait has been struck by an unknown projectile above its waterline, it said.

“Although the engine room was originally reported as on fire it has now been reported that the fire is under control,” a UKMTO statement published on X read. It said authorities are investigating.

It is the second incident the ⁠agency has reported today after reporting ⁠an incident off Oman’s Kumzar in the Strait ‌of Hormuz.

UK urges citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE to ‘shelter in place’

The UK Foreign Office has urged British citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to “shelter in place” amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The Foreign Office “now advises against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE”, it said in an X post.

“If you are a British national in those countries, you should shelter in place and register your presence,” the ministry added.

Explosions heard in Dubai

New explosions being heard in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Lufthansa extends cancellation of regional flights until March 8

The German air carrier ⁠Lufthansa ⁠has suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, ⁠Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until and including ⁠March 8, extending cancellations already in place.

The airline said the decision was due to the current situation in the Middle East.

OPEC+ hikes oil production by more than expected amid Iran war

Key members of the OPEC+ oil cartel have announced a greater-than-expected increase in production quotas after US and Israeli strikes on Iran that triggered retaliation by Tehran across the Middle East.

The V8 (Voluntary Eight) group in the alliance, which includes key oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia as well as several Gulf states bearing the brunt of Tehran’s missile strikes, said they had agreed a “production adjustment” of 206,000 barrels per day.

“This adjustment will be implemented in April,” they said in a statement.

The text did not explicitly mention the outbreak of the Iran conflict and instead cited “a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals” as their reasons for the increase.

Before the weekend meeting, experts had forecast a more modest increase of 137,000 barrels per day.

But Jorge Leon, an analyst at Rystad Energy, warned the agreed increase was potentially not large enough to prevent the Iran conflict from causing a spike in oil prices when trading opens on Monday.

Leon pointed to the possibility that Iran could target the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which nearly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil supplies travel.

Saudi Arabia summons Iran’s ambassador over Gulf attacks

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry says it has summoned the Iranian ambassador after the kingdom accused Tehran of targeting its territory with strikes.

“Foreign Ministry summons the Iranian ambassador to the Kingdom in response to Iran’s brazen attacks that targeted the Kingdom and a number of brotherly countries,” the ministry said in a statement on X.

One killed, 32 injured in Kuwait: Health Ministry

Kuwait’s Ministry of Health says one person has been killed and 32 wounded “due to the current developments in the region”.

The casualties are being treated at the al-Adan Hospital, the ministry said.

President Pezeshkian says Iran will continue to strike hard

Some of Pezeshkian’s translated comments:

• We will continue following in the footsteps of our supreme leader.
• The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to strike hard, and will continue to destroy the military bases of our enemies.
• The martyrdom of the leader of the revolution was a culmination of years of sacrifice.

At least three dead, 58 injured in UAE since start of Iranian missile strikes

At least three people have been killed and 58 others wounded in the United Arab Emirates since Iran began its retaliatory campaign in the Gulf in response to US and Israeli attacks.

The UAE detected 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152, and intercepted two cruise missiles, its Defence Ministry said.

A total of “541 Iranian drones were detected, 506 of which were intercepted and destroyed”, it added in a statement.

The attacks resulted in the deaths of three people – one each from Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, it said.

Foreign Minister Araghchi says Iran has ‘no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves’

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran says that the country has “begun a constitutional process, and the Transitional Council was established today and will work to manage affairs.”

• “We have no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves,” Abbas Araghchi said.

Araghchi also said that the killing of the supreme leader is “a very serious and unprecedented act and a blatant violation of international law”, and will make the confrontation more complex and dangerous.

Iranian foreign minister says ‘everything is in order’, constitutional procedures under way

Abbas Araghchi has outlined the selection process following the killing of Khamenei.

• There is a procedure set in our constitution. We have now started that procedure.
• Today, the transition council is established, and that is [composed] of the president, the head of the judiciary and one of the jurists of the Guardian Council.
• This group of three will act as in charge of the leadership before a new leader is elected.
• And then the process of election of the new leader by the Assembly of Experts, I assume that it takes a short period of time. Maybe in one or two days, they will elect a new leader for the country.
• So everything is in order, and everything is in line with our legal system and in line with the constitution.

Araghchi criticizes US for attacks amid ongoing talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran has “always been open to diplomacy, unlike America, which attacked us for the second time during negotiations”.

On February 28th, Netanyahu resumed his 12-day war on Iran, which he vowed to do so in December 2025, and while Oman was mediating in the talks between the US and Iran in Geneva.

We do not know when Iran was attacked for the first time while in talks with the US.

Iranian FM hints at potential selection of a supreme leader within days

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says state institutions in Iran are functioning, and the country “has constitutional procedures in place”.

“You may see the selection of a supreme leader in a day or two,” said Araghchi.

He also said:

• We have no problem with the countries in the other side of the Persian Gulf. We have friendly relations and good neighborly relations with all of them, and we are determined to continue these relations.
• What we are doing is in fact an act of self-defense and retaliation to the American aggression against us.
• We are not attacking our brothers in the Persian Gulf. We are not attacking our neighbours, but we are attacking American targets.

Araghchi: No intention of closing Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi has said that the country has no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz at present, nor any plans to do “anything that would disrupt navigation in it at this stage”.

On February 28th, the ⁠UK ⁠Maritime Trade Operations agency said ⁠that it received multiple reports from vessels ⁠operating in the Gulf saying they had received messages on the ‌closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It said that it could not confirm the reports.

Araghchi says Iran targeting US military personnel and facilities helping them

• The US military is attacking, and we have no way but to defend ourselves.
• Of course, we cannot hit any target in the territory of the US, so we have to deal with their bases in the region and the facilities or installations they use in countries in the region.
• We have started by attacking their military bases; they have evacuated the military bases and they have gone to the hotels and have made human shields for themselves … so we are trying actually to target only military personnel and the facilities that are helping the US military in their operation against Iran.

Regional countries should be angry with Israel and US, not Iran: Araghchi

• I have been in touch with all my counterparts in the region and have explained our position
• We know what is their position: they are not happy, some of them are even angry, some of them try to understand it.
• I wish they understand that what is going on in the region is not our fault; it’s not our choice.
• This is a war imposed on by the US and Israel, so if they are angry, they should be angry at Israel and the United States.
• They should not pressure us to stop this war; they should pressure the other side.

Iran FM warns US killing of Khamenei escalates international conflict, breach of law

Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi has commented on the killing of Khamenei.

“It is absolutely unprecedented and a major violation of international law for a leader of another country to be assassinated by foreign forces. That would make this conflict – this war of aggression by the Americans against us – even more dangerous and more complicated, and it would perhaps add new aspects to it,” he said.

“As you know, Ayatollah Khamenei was not only the political leader of Iran, but also a high-ranking religious leader for millions of Muslims, even outside of Iran, across the region.

“I’m sure you have seen the protests and demonstrations not only in cities across Iran, but also in Iraq, Pakistan, and some other places. It was very unfortunate for me to see that some of those demonstrators were shot and killed by the guards of the United States Consulate General in Karachi,” he said.

Araghchi asserts no victory achievable for US-Israel

“This war cannot bring about any good result for the other side,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

“There is no victory in this war. They have not been able to achieve their targets, and they will not be able to achieve their targets in the coming days. As long as they continue, they cannot achieve anything,” Araghchi said.

“This reminds me of the previous war – the 12-day war last June – when they expected that in two or three days, Iran would capitulate and surrender. But it took 12 days for them to understand that Iran was not surrendering, and that they had no option but to ask for an unconditional ceasefire.

“I do not see any difference between this time and the previous time. We will resist as long as it takes, and they will see the result,” Araghchi said.

Ship hit by ‘unknown projectile’ near Strait of Hormuz

A ship near the Strait of Hormuz has been attacked by an “unknown projectile”, the agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says.

A vessel northwest of Mina Saqr in the United Arab Emirates caught fire after the strike.

“The fire has been extinguished and the vessel intends to continue its voyage,” a UKMTO statement said, adding authorities are investigating.

It is the third attack on shipping the ⁠agency reported today after ⁠an earlier incident north of Oman’s capital Muscat, in the Strait of Hormuz, and off Oman’s Kumzar.

Pakistan PM Sharif says Khamenei killing a ‘violation’ of international law

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a “violation” of international law.

The “people of Pakistan join the people of Iran in their hour of grief and sorrow and extend the most sincere condolences on the martyrdom” of Khamenei, wrote Sharif on social media.

“Pakistan also expresses concern over violation of the norms of international law,” he added.

Maersk suspends vessel transit through Strait of Hormuz

Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, says it will halt passage of cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz for “safety” reasons.

“We are suspending all vessel crossings in the Strait of Hormuz until further notice,” the Danish group said in an online advisory.

“The safety of our crews, vessels and customers’ cargo remains our key priority,” it said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard earlier announced the Strait’s closure.

Despite its narrow width, the channel accommodates the world’s largest crude carriers. Major Middle Eastern oil and gas exporters rely on it to move supplies to international markets while importing nations depend on its uninterrupted operation.

 

Iran’s Guards say they ‘struck’ US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it attacked the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf after the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by US and Israeli air strikes.

“The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was struck by four ballistic missiles,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by local media, warning “the land and sea will increasingly become the graveyard of the terrorist aggressors”.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.

There was no immediate confirmation of damage or casualties by the US military.

US says three service members killed in action as part of operation against Iran

The US military says three service members have been "killed in action" and five seriously wounded as part of the operation against Iran.

“Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing,” the US Central Command said in a statement.

“The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified,” it added.

"... killed in action ..."

There is no such situation unless a US fighter jet is shot down and the pilot or pilots (2-seater fighter jet or Apache helicopter gunship) were killed.

The report does not mention whether it was at a US base in one of the host countries in the region or a warship.

If it was at a base in one of the Arab host countries, it is then killed while on duty because they didn't went to go to a battlefield or front as there is none.

US military says it sank Iranian ship in Gulf of Oman

The US Central Command says its forces have struck an Iranian vessel at the beginning of its military operation against Iran.

The Jamaran-class corvette “is currently sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman at a Chah Bahar pier”, CENTCOM said, referring to a location in southern Iran.

There is no confirmation by Iran nor are there reports about the rescue of Iranian sailors.

US official says Iranian missile attack did not hit USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

A US official has said that an Iranian missile attack on USS Abraham Lincoln did not affect the aircraft carrier, which continues its operations.

The official said the missile did not reach the ship and caused no damage.

But, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles.

The US now has to ‘explain’ to the US public why three servicemen were killed

The US has so far confirmed that three of its service members have been killed as part of the operation against Iran. Five others sustained shrapnel injuries and concussions; they are being treated and are expected to return to duty.

This is not news the US would have wanted. Officials had emphasized that there were no reported casualties on the first day of operations. That has now changed the picture significantly. US President Donald Trump campaigned on being a “no-war president”. Vice President JD Vance has expressed similar views, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had previously voiced opposition to war with Iran before later shifting her stance.

No further details have been released about where the three service members were killed. There is a reason for that: Providing specific locations could give Iran intelligence it might use against US personnel at those sites.

For about an hour, rumors circulated on social media claiming that the USS Abraham Lincoln – one of the US aircraft carriers in the Gulf – had been struck. The US Central Command moved quickly to deny those reports. It said missiles were fired but fell well short of the carrier, which continues to launch aircraft towards targets in Iran.

UAE says Iranian missile attack caused fire at base hosting French forces

An Iranian drone attack on an Abu Dhabi naval base hosting French forces caused a fire, but no casualties.

“Specialised teams responded today to an incident resulting from an attack by two Iranian drones on a warehouse at Al Salam Naval Base in Abu Dhabi,” said the Defense Ministry.

“The attack caused a fire in two containers of general materials, but there were no casualties.”

The base, also known as Camp de la Paix (Peace Camp), is Emirati but hosts French forces at the UAE’s invitation. The French military declined to comment on the reports of the strike.

When the military power declares war on a third country, the power is a attacking belligerent.

If countries, already engaged in military agreements with the belligerent,  allows this military power to use their soil and or resorts to preparatory activities for attacks on a third country, countries aligned with the belligerent are co-belligerents. This makes these countries also responsible under states' responsibility laws.

In this case, France is not co-belligerent but the UAE is with the US.

Saudi Arabia intercepts missile attacks on airport, military base

Saudi Arabia says it intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh’s international airport and the Prince Sultan airbase that houses US military personnel.

“Air defences successfully intercepted Iranian missiles near Riyadh airport and Prince Sultan airbase on Sunday afternoon,” an unidentified source, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, told AFP news agency.

The interception did not disrupt navigation or cause any human or material losses. An eyewitness near the airport said they “saw and heard the air defense intercept the missile in the sky”.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Manama airports have also been targeted by Iranian attacks, with authorities reporting one death in the Emirati capital in the “incident” at the facility.

Saudi Arabia houses US bases and personnel, though bigger facilities are located in Bahrain and Qatar.

European leaders respond to Middle East attacks

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she has spoken to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The EU leader said she would work closely with Prince Mohammed to “de-escalate and safeguard regional stability”.

Von der Leyen will convene a special security meeting on Monday.

Elsewhere, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he will discuss the situation in the Middle East with US President Donald Trump during a visit to Washington on Tuesday.

Merz said the Iranian nuclear program “threatens stability and peace in the region”, and “the regime in Tehran has no legitimacy to stay in power”.

MSC shipping company orders vessels in Gulf to ‘safe shelter’

MSC, the global shipping company, says it told its vessels in the Gulf to seek shelter and suspended all bookings for worldwide cargo to the Middle East.

“As a precautionary measure, MSC has instructed all vessels currently operating in the Gulf region, as well as those en route to the area, to proceed to designated safe shelter areas until further notice,” it said in a statement.

MSC said its top priority was the safety of its crews.

“The company continues to closely monitor developments and is working with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of its operations. Middle East bookings will resume as soon as the security situation improves,” it said.

“Customers will be informed as soon as further details become available regarding potential alternative ports where cargo may be discharged, should the situation require additional operational adjustments.”

Erdogan and Mohammed bin Salman hold talks over regional crisis

Turkey's president and the Saudi crown prince have held talks over the phone on the latest developments in the region.

According to a social media post by the Turkish presidency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared his concern that “conflicts will have severe repercussions in terms of regional and global security unless necessary intervention is made”.

He also said that Turkey and Saudi Arabia are carrying out “significant works” in order to resolve disagreements through dialogue and that giving diplomacy a chance is the “most rational way”.

Trump says 48 Iranian ‘leaders’ killed in US strikes: Report

US President Donald Trump says 48 Iranian leaders have been killed in the ongoing US-Israeli bombardments of the country.

“Nobody can believe the success we’re having; 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it’s moving along rapidly,” Trump was quoted as saying in an interview with Fox News.

“We’re doing our job not just for us, but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule,” Trump was quoted as saying in a separate interview with CNBC. “Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way.”

The interviews were conducted before the US military for the first time announced casualties in the war: three unidentified service members killed, five seriously wounded and several others lightly injured.

It depends on which Iranian 'leaders' and where in Iran because we know that the most-high ranking senior leaders were killed with Khamenei in a building in Tehran by the Israelis. The Israelis were also reported as operating in the skies above northwest Iran.

Iran open to ‘serious efforts at de-escalation’: Oman Foreign Ministry

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, told his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi, that Tehran is open to any “serious efforts at de-escalation,” according to a statement from Oman’s Foreign Ministry.

Oman has been acting as a mediator in the recent nuclear talks between Iran and the United States and Albusaidi met with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Friday.

Araqchi also said that the joint US-Israel attacks were “a cause of escalating tension and panic in the region”, according to the Oman Foreign Ministry statement.

Trump says he agreed to talk to new Iranian leaders: Report

The US president says the country’s new leadership wants to talk with his administration, and he plans to do so.

“They want to talk and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he was quoted as saying by The Atlantic magazine.

“They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” Trump added.

He did not comment on when the conversations might happen.

Iran warns of ‘heavy consequences’ for US and Israel

The Iranian army announced it downed 10 advanced drones across the country today, bringing the total number of drones shot down so far to 22. Most of them, according to Iranian officials, were Hermes drones allegedly belonging to Israeli and US forces.

Iranian authorities are making it clear that this is a moment of full-scale resistance. They say they intend to strike back as forcefully as possible, and insist they have not yet deployed their most powerful military capabilities, including some of their advanced missile systems.

Officials are warning that both the United States and Israel will pay what they describe as “a heavy price” in the days ahead.

They are also framing this conflict as unlike previous confrontations. Iranian leaders are characterizing it as an existential war – one in which, they say, there will be no retreat, no compromise, and no surrender until Iran has demonstrated its ability to defend itself and preserve what it calls its dignity and independence.

Germany’s Merz warns of risks after US-Israeli attack on Iran

German Chancellor ⁠Friedrich Merz says he agrees with ⁠the United States in wanting to “see an end ⁠to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic armament”, but notes the attack entails risks for the Middle East.

“We share the US’s ‌interest in seeing an end to this regime’s terror and a halt to dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament,” Merz told ⁠reporters.

“This ⁠is not without ⁠risk. We do not know how far the region will be ‌drawn into escalation by Iran’s harsh counterstrikes,” he added.

Pointing to some reservations over the US and Israeli actions, Merz ⁠said now is not the ⁠time to lecture partners and allies, despite doubts.

“We want to work with our partners in the US, Israel, the region, and ⁠Europe to develop an agenda for the day after,” said Merz.

Iran has repeatedly maintained it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian purposes only.

US State Department authorizes Qatar departures

The US State Department has authorized the departure of non-emergency government personnel and their family members from Qatar because of safety risks.

The US currently has a level three travel advisory for Qatar, with citizens asked to reconsider travel to the Gulf state.

Iran has fired dozens of missiles at Qatar following the joint US-Israel strikes on Saturday.

Revolutionary Guard claims attacks on US, UK oil tankers

A statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says three US and British oil tankers have been hit by missiles in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

The tankers were on fire after the strikes, it said. There was no independent confirmation.

Iran insists ‘no limit’ to its right to self-defense

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected US President Donald Trump’s warning not to retaliate against massive US and Israeli bombardment, saying there’ll be “no limit” to the country’s self-defense.

“Nobody can tell us that you don’t have any right to defend yourselves. We are defending ourselves whatever it takes, and we see no limit for ourselves to defend our people, to protect our people,” Araghchi told ABC News.

“What the United States is doing is an act of aggression. What we are doing is the act of self-defense. There are huge differences between these two.”

US ‘destroyed and sunk’ 9 Iranian naval ships: Trump

In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said the United States has “destroyed and sunk” nine Iranian naval ships, some of them “relatively large and important”.

The president also said the US military has “largely destroyed” Iran’s naval headquarters.

Trump said the US is now going after the rest of the Iranian naval fleet. “They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea,” he said.

“Other than that, their Navy is doing very well!”

KLM suspends some Middle East flights until March 5

The Dutch airline has announced it will not fly to Dubai, Riyadh or Dammam until Thursday March 5, Dutch news agency ANP reports.

It cancelled flights to the region because of the current security situation.

The global aviation industry has been severely impacted by the fallout from the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, with airlines canceling or diverting flights headed to the Middle East.

NATO adjusting forces to counter ‘potential threats’

NATO is closely following developments in Iran and the Middle East, with their top commander in Europe adjusting forces as needed to defend against “potential threats”, the alliance said in a statement.

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich, “continues to speak actively and regularly with military leaders on both sides of the Atlantic,” a NATO spokesperson said.

The top commander “has and will continue to adjust NATO’s very strong force posture to ensure the security of its 32 member nations and to defend the Alliance from potential threats, such as ballistic missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles, emanating from this or other regions,” the statement added.

The United States is carrying out bombardments with B-1 long-distance bombers from the British airbase in Gloucester, England and from the British island San Diego in the Indian Ocean.

Allowing a self-declared war belligerent, which the United States is, to carry out bombardments on Iran from British soil makes the UK a co-belligerent.

Britain is a member state of NATO. If the alliance turns away from its members' involvement, NATO is then also a co-belligerent, as the UK and the alliance are responsible under states responsibility laws.

Only 25 percent of Americans support US strikes on Iran: Poll

Only one in four Americans approves ⁠of the ⁠US strikes that killed Iran’s leader, while about half – including one ⁠in four Republicans – believe US President Donald Trump is too willing to use military ⁠force.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, about 27 percent of respondents said they approved of the strikes, while 43 percent disapproved, and ‌29 percent were not sure.

Some 56 percent of Americans surveyed said they think Trump – who also ordered strikes on Venezuela, ⁠Syria, and Nigeria in recent months – is too willing to use military force to advance US interests.

The vast ⁠majority of Democrats – 87 percent – held this view, as did ⁠23 percent of Republicans and 60 percent⁠ of people who don’t identify with either political party.

The poll, which began on Saturday after the strikes ‌got under way, gathered responses online from 1,282 US adults nationwide. It had a margin of ‌error ‌of three percentage points.

Indian opposition slams Khamenei killing, Modi gov’t silent

The Indian National Congress, the country’s main opposition party, has condemned the joint US-Israel strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday.

In a strongly worded statement, the Congress Party said that it “unequivocally condemns the targeted assassination” of the Iranian leader “in a military strike carried out without a formal declaration of war.”

Interestingly, the government of India, which has had warm relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, has not issued any formal statement on Khamenei’s killing yet. The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Saturday expressed concerns over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, with the United States, Israel and Iran all firing missiles.

UK shoots down an Iranian drone headed for Qatar

The UK Defense Ministry said a Royal Air Force Typhoon took out an Iranian drone that was heading towards Qatar on Sunday.

The incident marks the first involvement of UK forces since the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran.

On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said UK aircraft were “in the sky” in the Middle East as part of defensive operations.

UAE withdraws ambassador from Iran, closes embassy over attacks

The United Arab Emirates is closing its embassy in Iran and recalling its ambassador following the barrage of Iranian attacks on its soil, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

“The UAE announces closure of its embassy in Tehran and withdrawal of its ambassador and all members of its diplomatic mission, and condemns the Iranian missile attacks,” read a statement posted by Afra Al Hameli, the Foreign Ministry’s director of strategic communications, on social media.

The decision was made in response to “the blatant Iranian missile attacks that targeted the country’s territories, which constitute aggressive assaults that struck civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities, and exposed defenceless civilians to danger”, Al Hameli said.

In December 2020, the UAE was the first to sign the Abraham Accords masterminded by Netanyahu with Trump's Orthodox-Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner. The accord was initially meant to isolate the Palestinians from the Arab world under the pretext of "normalization" of ties with the Israelis.

The UAE is the closest ally of the Israelis since then.

‘India stands in solidarity with the UAE’: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he spoke to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan over the phone.

“Strongly condemned the attacks on the UAE and condoled the loss of lives in these attacks,” said Modi.

“India stands in solidarity with the UAE in these difficult times. We support de-escalation, regional peace, security and stability.”

India under Modi is a close ally of the Israelis. The two parties have a close military relation, while Modi's BJP party follows a policy that looks like those of the Israelis when it comes to Muslims and other non-Hindu groups in the country.

The three killed US soldiers died in Kuwait: NBC

The US broadcaster NBC reports that the three US soldiers who have died so far in the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran were based in Kuwait.

Kuwait is one of a series of Gulf countries that host US bases and that have come under attack from Iranian missiles since the US and Israel launched their bombing campaign against Iran on Saturday.

UAE closes stock markets on Monday and Tuesday

The United Arab Emirates will keep its stock markets closed on Monday and Tuesday due to the ongoing fallout from Iranian missile strikes on the country.

The UAE Capital Markets Authority said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market would remain shut on March 2 and March 3.

“The Authority will continue to monitor developments in the region and assess the situation on an ongoing basis, taking any further measures as necessary,” it said in a statement.

The UAE’s two exchanges are amongst the top five biggest stock markets in the Middle East, and home to some of the region’s most valuable listed companies.

Gulf markets that did open on Sunday saw sharp declines. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index fell more than 4 percent at the open, Oman dropped 3 percent, and Egypt’s main index shed 5.44 percent, while Kuwait suspended trading entirely.

Trump speaks with leaders of Israel, Bahrain and UAE

US President Donald Trump has been speaking to a number of leaders in the Middle East following Saturday’s joint US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Trump has spoken with leaders from Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Etihad Airways extends suspension of flights to and from Abu Dhabi

The UAE-based airline says that all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are now suspended until 14:00 UAE time (10:00 GMT) due to the security situation in the Middle East.

The airline said “the situation remains dynamic and schedules may change at short notice”.

Earlier, Dutch carrier KLM announced that it had canceled all flights to Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh until March 5.

The global aviation industry has been plunged into chaos with disruption across the Middle East as numerous flights are cancelled or diverted.

US says destroyed headquarters of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

The US military announced that it has destroyed the headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“America has the most powerful military on earth, and the IRGC no longer has a headquarters,” the US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said in a post on social media.

“The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed more than 1,000 Americans over the past 47 years. Yesterday, a large-scale U.S. strike cut off the head of the snake,” CENTCOM said.

Missile strikes continue as Iran projects defiance after Khamenei’s killing

Huge air strikes by the United States and Israel continue to hit Tehran and other cities as the Iranian establishment ponders its future while launching projectiles across the region.

Iran’s capital was rocked numerous times on Sunday after a series of attacks hit multiple neighborhoods, with the Israeli army saying military centers were among the targets.

After Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top commanders were killed in Tehran at the start of the war on Saturday, the remaining top authorities of the Islamic Republic are emphasizing that the theocratic establishment has a clear path forward based on its own internal mechanisms.

With bylaws put into motion after the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, a clerical body called the Assembly of Experts is tasked with selecting the next supreme leader.

Seven Iranian military commanders killed in air raids: report

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reports seven Iranian military commanders have been killed in the latest US-Israeli air raids.

The list of names includes Basij Major-General Shahid Mohammad Shirazi, head of the office of the supreme commander of the armed forces.

General Shahid Saleh Asadi, deputy for intelligence of the general staff of the armed forces, was also reportedly killed in the strikes.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said dozens of Iranian officials have been killed over the past two days of attacks.

European Union calls for ‘maximum restraint’ in Iran conflict

The EU’s 27 member states have called for “maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law”, in a statement issued by the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

On Saturday, Kallas said it is “essential that the war does not spread any further”. The EU’s top diplomat hosted an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Sunday.

EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen will convene a special security meeting on Monday to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

Series of blasts heard over West Jerusalem

A series of loud blasts have been heard above West Jerusalem following air raid sirens after the Israeli military said it detected missiles launched from Iran.

“A short while ago, the [Israeli military] identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the army said in a statement.

“Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”

Trump open to talks with new Iranian leaders: White House

A White House official has told Al Jazeera that US President Donald Trump is open to talks with Iran’s new leadership, following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday.

The official echoed what Trump has told other publications in interviews today, that Iran’s post-Khamenei leaders had expressed a willingness to talk with the US — a claim that Al Jazeera cannot independently verify.

However, the White House official also said that the US military operation would continue for now.

Middle East ‘stands to lose greatly’ from long war: EU

The European Union’s top diplomat has warned that the Middle East “stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war”, while urging Tehran to refrain from indiscriminate attacks in retaliation for US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.

“The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond with unpredictable consequences also in the economic sphere,” Kaja Kallas said in a statement.

“We call for maximum ⁠restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law including the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.”

She spoke on behalf of the EU’s 27-member nations after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers.

Saudi defense minister holds phone call with Bahrain’s national security adviser

Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud has held a phone call with Major-General Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s national security adviser.

“We discussed the Iranian aggression that targeted the Kingdom and the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain and countries, and we affirmed our solidarity against any violations that affect our security and stability,” Al Saud said in a post on social media.

Earlier in the day, he spoke with Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani, Qatar’s deputy prime minister and defense minister, and Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s defense minister.

France, Germany, UK ready to take ‘defensive action’ against Iran

France, Germany, and the United Kingdom say they’re ready to defend their interests and those of allies in the Gulf, if necessary, by taking “defensive action” against Iran.

The three countries’ leaders are “appalled by the indiscriminate and disproportionate missile attacks launched by Iran against countries in the region, including those who were not involved in initial US and Israeli military operations”, the joint statement said.

“We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” it added.

Trump says attack on Iran will continue until ‘all objectives’ achieved

US President Trump has ⁠warned that combat ⁠operations against Iran will continue until “all objectives ‌are achieved”.

He also confirmed, in a video posted on ⁠Truth Social, that ⁠three US troops were ⁠killed and ⁠said ⁠there would likely be more American casualties.

“We have three, but we expect casualties. But in the end, it’s going to be a great deal for the world,” Trump told NBC News after the Pentagon announced that three unidentified US service members had been killed and five others were seriously wounded.

Trump said the operation, which has killed Iran’s supreme leader and dozens of other top government and military figures, is “ahead of schedule”.

Iranian and US officials “are talking”, he added, although he did not provide details.

“Combat operations continue ⁠at this time in ⁠full force, and they ⁠will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have ‌very strong objectives,” Trump said, without identifying any.

Trump says war on Iran could last four weeks

US President Donald Trump says the military operation against Iran may take up to four weeks.

“It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so,” he told British newspaper the Daily Mail, in his latest of several interviews with media outlets.

“As strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,” Trump said.

Trump ⁠told the newspaper he remained open to more talks with the Iranians, but ⁠did not say if that would ⁠happen “soon”.

“I don’t know. They want to talk, but I said, ‘You should ‌have talked last week, not this week’.”

US lawmakers see no Trump plan for Iran following strikes

The United States has yet to spell out a “day-after” strategy for Iran following ⁠joint US-Israeli strikes that killed much of the country’s ⁠leadership, lawmakers from both major political parties say.

Trump has called for a change in Iran’s government, which has entered a period of uncertainty following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Saturday’s attack.

The strategy Trump has publicly outlined so far hinges largely on the hope that the Iranian people ⁠will rise up and determine their own future after decades of repression.

Republicans expressed optimism about the attacks, while Democrats were sceptical they would lead to a favorable outcome, but lawmakers on both sides were uncertain about the immediate future.

Oman says ‘door to diplomacy’ between US, Iran still open

The foreign minister of Oman, who mediated recent talks between Iran and the US, says the “door to diplomacy remains open”, even after the second day of a massive US-Israel military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

“I want to be very clear – the door to diplomacy remains open,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said on social media.

“Talks in Geneva made genuine progress towards an unprecedented agreement between Iran and the United States, and although the hope was to avoid war, war should not mean that the hope of peace is extinguished. I still believe in the power of diplomacy to resolve this conflict.”

Earlier on Sunday, al-Busaidi urged a ceasefire on a call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.

Jordan summons Iranian charge d’affaires over attacks

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Iranian Embassy’s charge d’affaires in Amman over attacks targeting Jordan and other Arab countries.

Jordan says it has intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles following the joint US-Israel attacks on Iran on Saturday.

There have been no casualties reported in Jordan.

When the military power declares war on a third country, the power is a attacking belligerent.

If countries, already engaged in military agreements with the belligerent,  allows this military power to use their soil and or resorts to preparatory activities for attacks on a third country, countries aligned with the belligerent are co-belligerents. This makes these countries also responsible under states' responsibility laws.

Starmer says US can use UK bases for ‘defensive strikes’

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he has accepted a request from the US to use his country’s military bases for defensive strikes against Iran.

“We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk and hitting countries that have not been involved,” he said in a video posted on X.

Starmer previously did not allow the US to use UK bases to launch strikes on Iran.

Also:

The United States is carrying out bombardments with B-1 long-distance bombers from the British airbase in Gloucester, England and from the British island San Diego in the Indian Ocean.

Allowing a self-declared war belligerent, which the United States is, to carry out bombardments on Iran from British soil makes the UK a co-belligerent. These bombardments are not "defensive" because it is about a war across borders, which means that Trump is not defending but attacking Iran from a country on another continent, while Iran is not attacking the territory of the United States.

War across borders is a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which requires member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Trump tells Iranians to rise up, ‘America is with you’

US President Donald Trump has urged Iranians to rise up and topple the Islamic Republic, a day after a joint US-Israeli attack killed the supreme leader.

“I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment to be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back your country. America is with you,” Trump said in a video address.

Under international law, an attacking belligerent using military force and public incitement to achieve regime change violates the foundational prohibition against the use of force and aggression under UN Charter Article 2(4), while simultaneously subverting the core protections of international humanitarian law.

• Resorting to war to overthrow a sovereign government breaches the fundamental prohibition on the use of force
• Forcing a structural replacement of a government violates a population’s right to political independence and self-determination
• Inciting a domestic uprising as an adjunct to external military attack treats a nation's borders and governance as illegitimate targets
• Under the principle of distinction, civilians are protected from direct attack unless and for such time as they take a direct part in hostilities.
• Urging a civilian population to rise up effectively instrumentalizes non-combatants, risking their safety and blurring legal lines regarding who is a legitimate target
•  The instigating belligerent bears international legal responsibility for the consequences, including unlawful violence and civilian casualties resulting from the coerced rebellion.

Iran evacuates Tehran’s Gandhi Hospital

Nurses working at a hospital in Tehran’s Gandhi Street area have begun evacuating patients, two witnesses told the Reuters news agency.

The evacuation comes after the hospital was badly damaged in a strike by the US or Israel’s military earlier in the day.

Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israel and at US military installations around the Gulf, and also at the Saudi Arabian capital and the global business hub of Dubai.

EU reinforces Red Sea naval mission with two French ships

The European Union will reinforce its naval mission in the Red Sea with additional vessels as Iran’s retaliation to US-Israeli strikes threatens maritime traffic.

Two new French ships will join the EU’s Aspides mission, bringing to five the number of warships taking part, an unnamed diplomat told the AFP news agency after foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 nations held talks on Iran.

Trump’s latest speech shows his ‘desperation’

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, says Trump’s latest comments on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran show his “desperation”.

“It is very clear that Trump has tremendous difficulty finding a justification for this war of choice that he has embarked on that actually will work with his base… If this goes on for another week or two, this is going to become a political disaster, so now he is suddenly, desperately, using all kinds of justifications,” Parsi said.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told the Daily Mail newspaper the conflict with Iran could last for four weeks. Parsi said this is likely an attempt to send a message to Tehran, despite the lack of support for the fighting in the US.

“He [Trump] has already reached out to Tehran offering a ceasefire. The Iranians have rejected it, and I think he [Trump] has come to the conclusion that his eagerness to make a quick end to this war has signalled a weakness, and the Iranians are going to try and take advantage of that and will not agree to a ceasefire until they have inflicted significant pain on the United States,” said Parsi.

Iran's defense impact reverberates around the world

The strikes by the US and Israel have elicited mixed global reactions, including angry protests, celebrations, and calls by world leaders for a return to negotiations and peace.

At least 22 people were killed in northern Pakistan and in the southern port city of Karachi after police responded to hundreds of protesters storming the US consulates in their area.

A few major shipping companies have begun rerouting their vessels around Africa, away from the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The strikes could rattle global markets, particularly if Iran makes the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic. A fifth of the worldwide traded oil passes through the Strait.

There are global repercussions from disrupted air travel in the region, with hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded or diverted to other airports after Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain closed their airspace.

Gulf states say they reserve right to respond to Iranian ‘aggression’

Gulf states have pledged to defend themselves against Iranian attacks, including by “responding to the aggression” if need be, after the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened via video-link to formulate a unified response.

The foreign ministers of the six GCC states – the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, all of which have experienced Iranian strikes – “reviewed the extensive damage resulting from the treacherous Iranian attacks” and discussed steps for restoring stability in the region.

Gulf countries “will take all necessary measures to defend their security and stability and to protect their territories, citizens, and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression”, a statement released after the meeting said.

It also called for the “immediate cessation of these attacks”, adding that the stability of the “Gulf region is not merely a regional concern but a fundamental pillar of global economic stability”.

‘Captain is dead’: Hard line US senator praises attack on Iran

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has applauded the US-Israeli attack on Iran, suggesting the world is a better place after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an air strike.

“The mother ship of terrorism is sinking. The captain is dead. The largest state sponsor of terrorism, Iran, is close to collapsing. The leader of the largest state sponsor of terrorism and his inner team are dead,” said Graham.

Following the US-Israeli strikes that killed Khamenei and other leaders, Iran’s counterattacks struck US bases in Bahrain and the UAE.

The US military denied Iranian claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was struck with ballistic missiles, saying the “missiles launched didn’t even come close”.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to launch its “most intense offensive operation” ever on Israeli and US military installations.