Peace ‘within reach’ as Iran agrees no nuclear material stockpile: Oman FM

Iran agreed during indirect talks with the United States never to stockpile enriched uranium, said Oman’s top diplomat, who described the development as a major breakthrough.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi also said on Friday that he believed all issues in a deal between Iran and the US could be resolved “amicably and comprehensively” within a few months.

Dismay in Geneva as Iran attacks derail nuclear talks

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi was talking to US media about the real possibility of a deal on Iran’s nuclear program.

There has been a lot of dismay here in Geneva, where the talks were being held, and quite a few European nations have reacted, calling for de-escalation and restraint.

Iran had been warning about this, and its diplomats had told me that if a war broke out, Iran would not be showing restraint as it did in previous rounds.

What we are seeing now are attacks on US military personnel in the region, but we still have not seen reactions from Iranian-allied groups in places including Yemen and Iraq.

During talks at Oman's diplomatic mission in Geneva to avoid a war, Jared Kushner told his father-in-law, the US president Donald Trump, that Iran was going to attack. So, Netanyahu started the war while there where still negotiation between Iran and the US.

Qatar’s priority is de-escalation: Analyst

The current priority for Qatar is de-escalation, Rashid al-Mohanadi, a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said.

“I don’t see a diplomatic off-rank forming anytime soon … we might see in the coming days, depends on how intensive the strikes are on both sides”, he said.

Tehran

• There’s heavy traffic outbound from Tehran, especially towards the provinces to the north.
• Authorities are facilitating the movement, including by delivering fuel in major congested expressways. This comes after the Supreme National Security Council told nearly 10 million residents to leave the capital.
• Iranian Red Crescent spokesperson Mojtaba Khaledi said at least 20 of Iran’s 32 provinces have been targeted. Citizens are urged to stay away from points of impact.
• The government has emphasised that it has enough food and fuel, and ministers and governors of border provinces have been given additional authorities to import essential goods when necessary.
• Universities and schools are closed until further notice, and classes will be moved online when possible. Many universities and schools had already been taken online over recent weeks amid student protests.
• One of the targeted sites in Tehran was Narmak to the east, around the believed residence of former populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. No details were confirmed yet, but numerous videos are available online.
• According to the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency, paramilitary Basij forces will begin patrolling the streets of the capital tonight.

Germany, France and UK condemn Iranian attacks, want talks to resume

Germany, ⁠France and the United Kingdom condemned Iranian attacks ⁠on countries in the ⁠region in response to US and Israeli attacks.

“We reiterate our commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian ⁠life,” French President ⁠Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and ⁠British Prime Minister ⁠Keir Starmer ⁠said in a joint statement, adding that they ‌wanted a resumption of negotiations.

Russia, US issue evacuation advice

The Russian embassy in Iran has urged Russian citizens to leave Iran via Armenia or Azerbaijan. The two countries border Iran in the northwest.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Lebanon has urged its citizens to leave the country in a post on X.

Saudi Arabia confirms Iran targeted Riyadh, eastern region

A statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Iran targeted Riyadh and the kingdom’s eastern region, adding that the attacks were repelled.

“These attacks cannot be justified under any pretext or in any way, and they came despite the Iranian authorities knowing that the Kingdom had confirmed that it would not allow its airspace and territory to be used to target Iran,” it added.

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.

Who is Ali Shamkhani?

While former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Ali Shamkhani was among those Israel targeted in its attack on Iran this morning, it is not the first time he’s been targeted.

Last year, during Israel and the US’s 12-day war, Shamkhani, 70, was pulled out alive from under rubble following an attack on his home in Tehran.

But he first rose through the ranks of the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq war in 1980.

By 1982, he was appointed as deputy to IRGC commander-in-chief Mohsen Rezaei, and by the war’s end in 1988, he was commanding the organization's ground forces and appointed as minister of the IRGC.

The following year, with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei newly appointed, Shamkhani was transferred to the navy and, within a year, was given simultaneous control of both the regular and IRGC navies.

From 1997 to 2005, Shamkhani was appointed as the defense minister under former President Mohammad Khatami. In 2015, Shamkhani was involved in implementing the nuclear agreement.

After leaving the Supreme National Security Council in 2023, where he had been appointed since 2013, Shamkhani has served as a political adviser to Khamenei.

Qatar and UAE leaders condemn Iranian missile strikes

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has discussed the situation in the region with the president of the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from his office.

Sheikh Tamim and the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan condemned the targeting of Qatar, the UAE, and other Arab countries by Iranian missiles, the statement said.

“Their Highnesses affirmed the solidarity of the two countries with all brotherly Arab countries that are subjected to aggression, and the continuation of joint coordination in a way that preserves the security of the region and the dignity of its peoples,” it added.

See previous comment.

Turkey calls on all parties to cease attacks ‘immediately’, offers to mediate

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued a statement condemning “provocations” that could lead to further military escalation and called on all parties to cease attacks “immediately”.

It also said it was ready to support mediation efforts.

Air raid alerts sound in Israel

The Israeli military says alerts have “been activated in several areas across the country following the detection of missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory”.

In a post on X, it said, “at this hour, the air force is operating to intercept and strike wherever necessary to remove the threat.”

In a separate statement, it said it had completed an extensive wave of strikes against Iran’s strategic defense systems.

It claimed one of the targets attacked was an advanced SA-65 air defense system, located in the Kermanshah area in western Iran.

‘All I want is freedom for the people’: Trump

The US president has given a brief remark to the Washington Post, his first comment since his recorded video message earlier today.

“I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have,” Trump claimed. “All I want is freedom for the people.”

Iranian state media has reported that more than 50 people were killed in a strike that hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, a city in the Hormozgan province of southern Iran.

In the video posted on Truth Social overnight, Trump had encouraged the Iranian people to take over their government, saying it would “be probably your only chance for generations”.

In a phone call before he ordered the war to be started, Netanyahu promised Trump that the war would bring the Iranian regime to a collapse. It was picked up by Israeli officials who started a coordinated campaign on social media to paint the war as for "regime change."

Iran’s foreign minister says Khamenei alive ‘as far as I know’: Report

In an interview with NBC News, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive “as far as I know”.

He also stated:

• Trump’s message about regime change in Iran is “mission impossible”
• He said there is no communication with the US as of now, adding that is Washington wants to talk, they know how to reach out to the Iranians. But he added that attacks should stop before there is a possibility to talk.
• He said one or two commanders were killed, but most officials were alive.
• The diplomat stressed that there is a possibility of reaching a deal which can guarantee that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful.
• Iran does not have the capability to hit the US and will not build missiles that could do that

At least 70 killed in southern Iran province: Official tells Iranian news agency

The head of Hormozgan Medical Sciences says at least 70 people have been killed and more than 90 wounded in attacks on Minab and Jask, both in Hormozgan province in southern Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency is reporting.

Earlier, we reported that a strike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, killing more than 50 people.

The numbers could not be immediately verified.

Republican Thomas Massie says he’s ‘opposed to this war’

Thomas Massie, a US Republican lawmaker, has said he is “opposed to this war”.

“This is not ‘America First’,” he wrote on social media, saying he would work to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran.

“The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war,” he added.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Shiraz

The Fars news agency is reporting several explosions in Shiraz, in the southwestern part of Iran.

China urges ceasefire, says Iran’s sovereignty must be respected

China’s ⁠Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep ⁠concerns over the developments in the region, urging an immediate ceasefire.

It said Iran’s national sovereignty, ⁠security, and territorial integrity ⁠must be respected and ⁠urged all ⁠sides to avoid ⁠further escalation and ‌resume dialogue.

NATO ‘closely following’ developments in Iran

NATO ⁠is closely ⁠following developments in Iran ‌and the region, NATO ⁠spokesperson Allison Hart ⁠says.

A degree of disagreement among European leaders over US-Israeli attacks on Iran

From the EU perspective, we’ve now had a statement from the E3, which is three countries, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, from their respective heads of state, about what has been happening.

It’s quite long; it says that they did not participate in these strikes but are in close contact with their international partners, including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region.

Ultimately, it said, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future.

Remember that these three countries have been part of those seeking to, over the course of the last 10-15 years, back to the Obama administration, trying to find peaceful ways to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Contrast that with the view of the Spanish prime minister, condemning both Israel and the United States and Iran, and we see some degree of disagreement among European leaders.

Iran’s supreme leader to speak soon, Al-Alam TV says

Iran’s ⁠Supreme Leader ⁠Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ⁠will speak within minutes, ‌Iran’s Al-Alam TV reported.

Loud bangs heard in Dubai: Report

We’re getting reports of loud bangs being heard in Dubai, in the UAE.

Reuters quoted a witness as saying that a plume of smoke and fire could be seen in the city’s Palm Island neighborhood.

‘Trump adopted Israeli red lines and attacked Iran’

President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Trita Parsi, says there was no “international legal basis” for the US’s attack on Iran despite Trump’s speech justifying the operation.

“In an ever-changing effort at justifying what clearly is, not only an illegal war, but also a clear betrayal of the promise [President] Donald Trump made to his voters when he said he would be the peace president and he would rally against these unnecessary and forever wars in the Middle East and beyond”, Parsi said.

Parsi explained that Trump “adopted” the Israeli red line and their reasoning, which had led him on a path towards an attack.

“The Iranians fear surrender more than they fear war and were not in the mood and had no need to surrender to Trump, and as a result, now we have seen Trump was willing to escalate further”, he said.

Moscow views attacks as ‘reckless’

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has discussed the situation with Russia’s security council.

There were no other lines coming from that, but there were quite a few coming from the Foreign Ministry.

Iran’s Foreign Minister called Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, and they discussed the situation. Lavrov said he would call to convene the UN Security Council.

Now, a statement that came out from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were a few interesting lines from there.

The ministry called the attack “reckless “and said there’s absolutely no doubt that it was unprovoked and premeditated, an attack on a foreign sovereign nation, which is in violation of international law.

We’ve also heard from the Foreign Ministry that there are concerns about radiological risk in the region.

This is in reference to the Bushehr nuclear power plant; we’ve received information that there was no damage done in strikes that hit the plant, but the Russian company operating it has evacuated around 100 people from Iran.

UNSC to meet on Iran, Guterres warns of wider regional conflict

The UN Security Council is set to meet later today over the joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the current military escalation across the Middle East.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has, meanwhile, issued a statement calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and warning that the failure to do so risks “a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.”

Guterres also said all member atates must “respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations”, which prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”.

Drone targets Kuwait International Airport

A drone has targeted Kuwait International Airport, resulting in “minor injuries” to a number of employees, in addition to “limited material damage” to the passenger building, according to The General Authority of Civil Aviation in Kuwait.

Its official spokesperson, Abdullah al-Rajhi, stated that the authorities immediately initiated “approved emergency procedures, where the incident was handled, and the site was secured”.

Iranian missiles strike central Israel; no casualties reported

Initial reports suggest two areas suffered from direct impact of Iranian missiles in central Israel.

Emergency crews have been called there but no casualties have been reported so far.

This comes following more Iranian missiles directed towards Israeli territory – this has been nonstop since the morning hours.

The Tel Aviv and Haifa area on the coast have been most affected by sirens and warnings.

Israeli army says it is striking ‘missile launchers’ in Iran

The Israeli army said its air force has begun new air strikes targeting “missile launchers” in Iran.

Germany issues travel warning for several Arab countries

The German Foreign Ministry has issued a travel warning for the following countries:

• Bahrain
• Iraq
• Israel
• Jordan
• Qatar
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates.

PM Starmer says UK has strengthened ‘defensive capabilities in the region’

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the UK was not involved in the US-Israel military attacks against Iran, stressing that his country “played no role in these strikes”.

Starmer said the UK stands in support and solidarity with “partners across the region” that were targeted.

“As part of our commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region – which we’ve recently taken steps to strengthen,” he added.

“Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests, and our allies – as Britain has done before, in line with international law.

The prime minister also said the UK had “stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level”.

“We are also reaching out to UK nationals in the region and doing everything we can to support them,” Starmer said.

Netanyahu, Trump speak on the phone

The office of Israel’s prime minister has published a picture showing Benjamin Netanyahu holding a phone call.

The description said Netanyahu was having a conversation with US President Donald Trump.

UNSC to meet today at France’s request

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says on X that his country has requested a meeting of the UN Security Council at 21:00 GMT today.

The purpose of the meeting, according to Barrot, is to “address the situation in Iran and the Middle East”.

Iran calls on the UN to ‘address the US and Israeli regime’s acts of aggression’

Iran has submitted a letter to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in which it called on the UN to “bear responsibility for international peace”.

The letter said, “Iran urgently calls upon the members of the Security Council to convene, without delay, an emergency meeting of the Council to address the US and Israeli regime’s acts of aggression, breach of peace which is a real and serious threat to international peace and security, and to take the necessary and immediate measures to halt this unlawful use of force and to ensure accountability.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran calls on all Member States of the United Nations that bear responsibility for international peace and security to unequivocally condemn this act of aggression and to undertake urgent and collective measures to confront it, as it undoubtedly poses an unprecedented threat to regional as well as global peace and security.”

Loud blasts heard in Doha

At least three new explosions have just been heard in Qatar’s capital, Doha.

Four injured in Dubai ‘incident’: Media office

Authorities in Dubai have confirmed that an incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area that resulted in injuries.

“Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and the site has been secured. Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control,” the Dubai Media Office said in a statement.

According to the media office, four people were injured and transferred to medical facilities for treatment.

“Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public,” it said.

 

Qatar urges people in country to ‘remain indoors’ until situation stabilizes

Qatar’s Interior Ministry has urged people in the country to “remain indoors” amid the Iranian attacks.

“Stay away from windows and open areas, and avoid leaving their homes except in cases of absolute necessity until the situation stabilizes,” it said in a social media post.

E3 call for end to Iran’s nuclear program, urge return to negotiating table

The E3 countries – France, Germany, the United Kingdom – who previously were in negotiations with Iran going back many years to try to bring about a peaceful end to its nuclear program, have put out a joint statement.

They called for Iran to end its nuclear program, to curb its ballistic missile program, to refrain from what it called its destabilizing activities in the region, and to cease its repressive actions against its own people.

They said they did not take part in these strikes, but they are in close cooperation and consultation with Israel, the United States and other regional partners.

They are also making it clear that they believe the Iranian government should return to the negotiating table.

CENTCOM says IRGC claims of US military casualties are ‘false’

A spokesperson for the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s (IRGC) claims of killing and wounding 200 US soldiers are false.

It said that the IRGC’s claims of damaging a CENTCOM ship are also false.

Death toll from elementary school attack in Iran rises to 85: Report

The number of people killed in an Israeli strike on an elementary girls’ school in Minab, in the southern province of Hormozgan, has now risen to 85, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The number could not be immediately verified.

Hezbollah condemns US-Israel attack

Lebanon’s Hezbollah has condemned the US-Israeli attack on Iran, calling it a “continuation of the arrogant and domineering approach” by Israel and the US in the region.

The Lebanese group expressed solidarity with Iran but failed to say whether it would take any action in support of its longtime ally.

Qatar’s emir holds phone call with king of Jordan

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Jordan’s King Abdullah II spoke on the phone today to discuss regional developments and “their implications for peace and stability”, according to a statement from Qatar.

“Both sides stressed the need for an immediate halt to the escalation and for opening channels of dialogue to preserve the region’s security and prevent further tensions,” the statement said.

“The two leaders also condemned the targeting of Qatar, Jordan, and other Arab countries with Iranian ballistic missiles, affirming continued coordination between the two countries to take all necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty and enhance security and stability.”

‘So far no evidence of any radiological impact’: IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is “closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and urges restraint to avoid any nuclear safety risks to people in the region”.

“The IAEA is in permanent contact with countries in the region, so far no evidence of any radiological impact,” it said in a post on X, adding that the agency “will keep monitoring the situation and informing”.

More than 15 killed in US-Israel attacks on gymnasium in Iran’s Lamerd: Report

A gymnasium in the city of Lamerd was hit in attacks carried out this morning by the US and Israel, Fars news agency is reporting.

“Initial estimates indicate that more than 15 people were killed in this apparent crime,” it added. “At the time of the attack, children were playing and exercising in this hall.”

The figure could not be immediately verified.

Trump spoke with Netanyahu, monitoring Iran situation: White House

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has confirmed that Trump spoke with Netanyahu over the phone.

She also said the US president monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago and will continue to do so with his national security team.

Leavitt added that before the attacks on Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called “all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members”.

The “gang of eight” is a group of lawmakers in the US Congress who are briefed on classified national security measures.

Iranian forces to continue operations with ‘greater force’: IRGC spokesperson

A spokesperson for the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters says “the powerful operations of the armed forces will continue with greater force,” Fars news agency is reporting.

UK says received but cannot confirm reports of closure of Strait of Hormuz

The ⁠UK ⁠Maritime Trade Operations agency says ⁠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.

There was no immediate confirmation from Iran, the Reuters news agency reports.

The strait is ⁠the world’s most vital ⁠oil export route and 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.

All US, Israeli bases and assets in region are legitimate military targets, Iran tells UN

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written a letter to the United Nations secretary-general and president of the UN Security Council, IRIB news agency is reporting.

The details of the letter, according to IRIB:

• Iran will continue to exercise its right to self-defense decisively and without delay until the aggression is completely and unconditionally stopped.
• The air strikes carried out by the United States and the Israeli regime are a clear violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4, of the UN Charter and are a clear example of armed aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• In response to this act of aggression, the Islamic Republic of Iran is exercising its inherent and legitimate right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
• The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all necessary defensive capabilities and facilities to confront this criminal aggression and deter hostile actions.
• Accordingly, all bases, facilities, and assets of hostile forces in the region will be considered legitimate military targets within the framework of Iran’s exercise of its right to self-defense, and Iran will continue to exercise its right to self-defense decisively and without delay until the aggression is completely and unconditionally stopped.

Jordanian army says 49 drones, missiles intercepted today: Report

Jordan's official news agency quotes the country’s army as saying it dealt with incoming fire today targeting its territory.

“The military source indicated that 13 ballistic missiles were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defense systems, while drones were shot down after being engaged,” the report says.

Material damage resulted from the interceptions, but so far, no casualties have been reported, it added.

US urges commercial ships to avoid Gulf

The US Transportation Department has called on commercial vessels to stay away from the Gulf following the attacks on Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz, Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea are subject to “significant military activity” and “it is recommended that vessels keep clear of this area if possible,” the department’s Maritime Administration said in a statement.

US-flagged, owned or crewed ships should also stay 30 nautical miles (equivalent to about 56km) from any US military vessel to avoid being mistaken as a threat, it said.

Separately, the Qatari Ministry of Transport said earlier that maritime navigation has been temporarily suspended in Qatar.

Russia, Qatar call for an end to military action

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey ⁠Lavrov has discussed the US ⁠and Israeli attacks on Iran in a phone call with Qatari ⁠Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, his ⁠ministry said in a statement.

Lavrov and Sheikh Mohammed called for an end to any military ⁠action that could destabilize the ⁠region, the statement said.

“There was a general consensus on the need for an urgent return ⁠to the political and diplomatic process with a ⁠view to resolving all ⁠issues between the United States, Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of ‌the principles of the UN Charter and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation ‌of ‌Nuclear Weapons,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Israeli army announces new wave of air attacks on Iran

The Israeli army has announced a new wave of attacks against Iran, saying it is striking missile launch sites and defense systems in central Iran.

Bahrain says several residential buildings in Manama targeted

The Interior Ministry of Bahrain updates a statement, it said several residential buildings in the capital, Manama, were targeted.

“Civil Defense continues with firefighting and rescue operations at the affected sites,” it added, noting that further details will be released later.

Kuwait reports injuries but no deaths from Iranian attacks

The country’s Ministry of Health says that 12 people were injured “amid regional developments”, but that all cases are under medical control.

“Three members of the armed forces were injured by falling shrapnel at Ali al-Salem Air Base”, it added.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said earlier that Ali al-Salem Air Base came under attack by a number of ballistic missiles.

Iranian drone hitting building in Manama

Several residential buildings in the Bahraini capital were targeted, according to the Interior Ministry.

Online video footage shows an Iranian drone striking a tower in Manama.

A loud bang is heard at the moment of impact, followed by a large fire and thick plumes of smoke.

US regime change attempts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya proved ‘disastrous’

Americans tried three regime changes in recent decades: in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

In Iraq, there was the deployment of US troops on the ground after a major bombing. A serious regime change took place that turned truly disastrous, costing trillions of dollars and thousands of US soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths.

In Afghanistan, it was the same, but with a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution, they even trained the Afghan army. But after 20 years, they withdrew, the Taliban took over and the regime change attempt was a disaster.

In Libya, there was a UNSC resolution of responsibility to protect – so not exactly a regime change – but they tended to regime change without American boots on the ground. The Americans, along with the Europeans, were able to change the Gaddafi regime.

The result? Disastrous. Libya continues to struggle with major divisions, chaos and violence.

So we have three attempts by the US within two decades that prove that regime change is more or less an utter failure.

Israeli army says it conducted ‘largest military flyover’ in its history

The Israeli army has said about 200 fighter jets have struck Iranian missile and air defence systems in western and central Iran.

It described the operation as the “largest military flyover in the history” of its air force. The military said the fighter jets dropped hundreds of munitions targeting about 500 objectives, including aerial defense systems and missile launchers across several locations in Iran, simultaneously.

“The strikes on the defense systems allowed the expansion of the IAF’s aerial superiority over Iranian aerial territory, and severely degraded the offensive capabilities of the Iranian regime – the launch sites in western Iran”, read the statement.

It added that one of the strikes targeted a surface-to-surface missile launching site in Tabriz, in western Iran.

Venezuela condemns attacks

Venezuelan government denounces the attacks on Iran.

“Venezuela condemns and regrets deeply ‌that, in a context in which diplomatic efforts and ongoing negotiations are being developed, the military route was opted for, through attacks against Iran,” ⁠it said in ⁠a statement.

The government added that this caused an escalation, including the “undue and ⁠condemnable military reprisals against targets located in ⁠different countries of ⁠the region by Iran.”

In early January, the US abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in a deadly attack on the capital, Caracas.

Iran sends new wave of missiles towards Israel: Report

This news comes to us from Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim.

France was not informed in advance of strikes against Iran, Macron says

Macron says that France ⁠was neither told in advance ⁠nor involved in the strikes against Iran.

“Our absolute priority is ‌the security of our nationals and of our assets”, Macron said, adding that “diplomacy must ⁠regain the upper hand”.

Macron ⁠was speaking at the start of ⁠a meeting of ⁠France’s Defence and National ⁠Security Council in Paris to discuss the situation ‌in Iran and the Middle East.

Scattered fires, damage seen across Israel as Iran retaliates

Israelis rushed into bomb shelters as Iranian projectiles started fires and caused scattered damage in several areas of the country.

Interceptors attempting to block further incoming fire were also seen detonating in the skies over Tel Aviv and other cities.

Canada PM Carney urges citizens in Iran to ‘shelter in place’

In their joint statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Minister Anita Anand warned the regional situation remains volatile and directly appealed to Canadians in Iran and neighbouring states to “shelter in place”.

“Canadians in the wider region should follow local advice and take all necessary precautions”, the statement added.

The statement described Iran as the primary “source of instability” in the region, accusing it of sponsoring “terror” and maintaining an egregious human rights record, and insisting Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.

“Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups”, the two added.

“Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran’s oppressive regime.”

US intelligence agencies and the UN nuclear watchdog have not found evidence that Iran is actively seeking an atomic weapon, as Iranian officials insist they don’t seek to make a nuclear bomb.

 

Iranian Red Crescent Society says 201 people killed, 747 wounded in Iran: Report

A spokesperson for Iran’s Red Crescent Society has told Mehr news agency that US and Israeli attacks have hit 24 of Iran’s provinces, killing at least 201 people and wounding 747 people.

The spokesperson said that more than 220 Red Crescent teams are present at the targeted sites, and rescue operations continue.

Turkish president urges diplomatic efforts to establish ceasefire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the Islamic world to act urgently to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, according to remarks carried by Anadolu news agency.

Erdogan said he will accelerate diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire and return to the negotiating table, and that he is “deeply” concerned about the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, which he said “began with Netanyahu’s provocations”.

“We also find Iran’s missile and drone attacks against our brotherly countries in the Gulf unacceptable, regardless of the reason”, he added.

Qatar halts public events until further notice

Qatar has announced the suspension of all public events, ⁠gatherings and entertainment at ⁠hotels and tourism sites until further notice.

It also halted ⁠all Ramadan ⁠tents and iftars, which hotels and tourist ⁠venues typically ⁠host for ⁠companies, government entities and the public during the Muslim ‌holy month of Ramadan.

Kuwait cancels tarawih prayers until further notice

Kuwait’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs has announced the cancellation of tarawih, a night prayer performed during Ramadan, in all mosques until further notice.

‘It is highly unusual for the UNSC to meet in an open session on the weekend’

It is expected to be a very busy Saturday afternoon at the UN headquarters in New York, where the Security Council will hold an emergency meeting at 4pm local time (21:00 GMT).

This meeting was requested primarily by China and Russia, but Bahrain and Colombia, two elected members of the council, also signed on, pushing for the meeting.

It’s highly unusual for the Security Council to meet in open session on a weekend. It has only happened 10 times in the last five years, and only twice on a Saturday.

So these emergency meetings on weekends are saved only for the most urgent of matters. Clearly, this is one of them.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to attend the meeting and deliver opening remarks.

Houthi leader condemns attacks, says Iran within its rights to hit US bases in region

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Yemeni rebel group, has called the US-Israeli attacks on Iran “cruel, blatant, criminal, and barbaric, and without any right”.

The Houthis are one of the militia groups that Iran supports throughout the region.

“We are on alert for any necessary developments. There is no concern about the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding this aggression, because it is powerful, its position is strong, and its response will be decisive”, the statement continued. It did not mention whether or not the Houthis would join the conflict on Iran’s side.

“It is Iran’s legitimate right to target military bases belonging to Americans who are participating in aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, the statement added.

Chile condemns US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Tehran’s response

Chile’s Foreign Ministry has expressed “concern for the grave military escalation in the Middle East”.

“The government of Chile condemns the attacks against Iran perpetrated by the United States and Israel, as well as the response of the Iranian regime against Israel and the Gulf countries,” it said.

“These actions, in a highly tense regional context, could have consequences for the stability of the region and international security.”

Iran has right to ‘defend itself with all might’: Foreign ministry spokesperson

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says Iran’s actions are in self-defence.

“We are facing another unprovoked act of aggression, an egregious act of aggression that is imposed on Iranians”, Baghaei said.

“And we have every right, in accordance with international law … to defend ourselves with all might. So that’s what our armed forces are conducting right now. They are defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran against this barbaric act of aggression.”

Iran has indeed the right to defend itself:

• It is not the attacking belligerent
• The war is started by Netanyahu in June 2025, and resumed on today
• 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 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.

US military says ‘minimal’ damage but no casualties from Iranian attacks

The US’s Central Command says that its forces successfully defended against “hundreds” of Iranian missile and drone attacks today, and that there have been no reports of US casualties or combat-related injuries.

Damage to US military installations has been “minimal” and not impacted operations, it said.

It said that this operation, launched at 06:15GMT today, targeted “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields”.

“The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea. Additionally, CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat”, a statement added.

US, Israel actions undermine UN Charter, foreign ministry spokesperson Baghaei says

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei ‘s interview with Al Jazeera.

“This is the second time in less than a year that diplomacy has been betrayed by Americans”, Baghaei said.

“We were negotiating. We were supposed to meet on Monday to talk about technical aspects of any possible deal on the nuclear issue. And the Americans themselves acknowledge that these negotiations went quite well.”

Moreover, Baghaei said the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel were also a “betrayal of the trust of the countries of the region”.

“This is the betrayal of the whole UN system, because the main pillar of the UN system, the UN Charter, is the prohibition of the use of force”, he added.

The spokesperson said that not only was the security of the region at stake, but the “whole fabric of international law and the normative system that has been created by the UN Charter”.

See previous comment

Israeli army issues forced evacuation threat for people in Isfahan area

The Israeli army has issued a forced evacuation threat for people located in an industrial zone in the city of Isfahan.

The warning was made in a post on X showing a map with an area marked in red.

“In a few minutes, the Israeli army will attack the military infrastructure in this area,” it said.

Qatari PM holds call with EU foreign policy chief

The Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has had another phone call with a foreign leader – this time, Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Sheikh Mohammed and Kallas discussed the regional military escalation and dangerous repercussions on regional and international security and stability.

Sheikh Mohammed reiterated that the Iranian attacks on Qatar constituted a flagrant violation of the Gulf country’s national sovereignty and stressed the necessity of an immediate cessation of any escalatory actions and a return to the negotiating table.

For her part, Kallas condemned the Iranian attacks on Qatar, according to the statement.

"..Kallas condemned the Iranian attacks on Qatar.."

Iran has the right to defend itself:

• It is not the attacking belligerent
• The war is started by Netanyahu in June 2025, and resumed on today
• 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 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.

Israel is creating ‘chaos’ in the Middle East, says former Israeli peace negotiator

Daniel Levy says that Israeli and US attacks on Iran are a “defining moment in Israel’s reach for regional domination”.

Movement in US Congress for vote on limiting president’s authority over Iran strikes

There is a movement in Congress to bring all the lawmakers back to Washington, if they are in their districts, and for there to be a vote to limit the president’s authority with respect to these Iran strikes.

Many Democrats are saying this is an illegal and unconstitutional movement and that Donald Trump exaggerated the risks to the United States by Iran and that ordinary Americans don’t want another “endless war”.

Another Democrat has said that Congress must convene at once to put a stop to this.

What are they referring to?

The US president, under the US Constitution, doesn’t have the power to declare war – it’s the US Congress. There is the War Powers Resolution from 1973 that does allow the president to take action, but only if he briefs Congress and the Congress must be updated and troops withdrawn within 60 days if that does not occur.

If the US is under attack, the president does have executive authority. But again, critics are saying that there was no case made for why the US was under a threat.

Many Democrats are saying this is an illegal and unconstitutional movement and that Donald Trump exaggerated the risks to the United States by Iran and that ordinary Americans don’t want another “endless war”.

• Iran is not the attacking belligerent
• 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 war is political, not militarily motivated, which is a violation on core articles in the UN Charter

Iran says US attacks only ‘advance’ Israeli interests, not that of American people

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says the attacks on Iran do not “serve the interests of the American people”.

“This is something that is imposed on Iran. We never sought war. We were going to resolve this issue diplomatically. And this was the demand of all the countries of the region and the international community,” he said.

“This was asserted by the US, and we believe that it is just to advance the whims of the Israeli regime. And I think this war would not serve the interests of the American people.”

Moreover, Baghaei said that Iran was “friendly with all countries of the region”.

“The problem is that the US is conducting this war of aggression at the cost of everyone, including the countries of the region.”

Ongoing conflict is about region’s future

Abas Aslani, a Tehran-based senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, says prospects of de-escalation are hard to imagine considering how the US-Israeli have further solidified the level of distrust between Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s reaction, Aslani said, “is going beyond the classic Iranian retaliatory response of the past”. After Israel and the US bombed Iran in June last year, Tehran responded with a reportedly telegraphed attack against a Qatari base hosting US troops.

But, Aslani said, the stakes are different this time around.

“This is not just about Iran’s nuclear programme and its missiles activities, but this is about deterrence balance and the future in the Middle East,” Aslani said. “Many here in Tehran think that the outcome of this war can be decisive in setting the future trend in the region and the deterrence of power between the two sides.”

Qatar adopts remote work for all government employees

In a statement, Qatar’s Civil Service and Government Development Bureau has said all employees of government ministries and agencies, as well as public bodies and institutions, will work remotely tomorrow.

It pointed to “current regional developments” as the reason for the decision.

Iran has targeted the Al Udeid airbase, which hosts US troops, in Qatar in the wake of US and Israeli attacks, with several instances of missile debris falling in the country.

Kuwait summons Iranian ambassador after drone attack on airport

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Iranian ambassador Mohammad Toutounchi over Iran’s attack on the Gulf country.

Earlier today, a drone targeted the Kuwait International Airport, resulting in minor injuries to a number of employees and limited damage to the passenger building. In the Gulf, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE were also targeted by Iranian missiles or drones earlier today as part of a retaliatory wave of Iranian strikes following an attack on Iranian soil by the US and Israel.

The ministry stressed that these attacks, particularly those targeting Kuwait International Airport, are a clear and blatant violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting civilian facilities and endangering civilians.

Netanyahu claims Khamenei’s compound has been destroyed

The Israeli PM Netanyahu has just held a televised address to make claims like these:

• He said he had promised to change the face of the Middle East, which is something that he said Israel is doing with the current military operations.
• He claimed that in today’s attacks on Iran, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s compound had ⁠been destroyed, and ⁠Revolutionary ⁠Guard commanders and senior nuclear officials had ‌been killed.
• He addressed the Iranian people, telling them not to “miss this opportunity” to topple the Iranian government.
• He said ⁠that there are many signs indicating Iran’s ‌Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “is no longer”, without explicitly claiming ⁠his killing.

Earlier today, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Khamenei was still alive following the attack, to the best of his knowledge.

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 spoke to leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and NATO chief: White House

Update from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt:

“President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte,” she wrote in a social media post.

CENTCOM releases video showing missile launches, strikes

The US military’s Central Command has released a video showing missiles and jets launching from a military vessel.

The video also showed strikes on several targets, which were not identified.

“As the President stated, our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” a statement posted on X said.

“The President ordered bold action. CENTCOM forces are delivering an overwhelming and unrelenting blow,” it said.

Iran offered to give up all of its nuclear ambitions – so why did Trump and his friends in Israel bomb Iran?

Iranian-born author and professor Trita Parsi says Trump is not looking for a deal, but is instead “looking for surrender”.

“He wants to get the symbolism of surrender, and what I think he fails to understand is that the current theocratic system in Iran can survive a war; What they cannot survive is a surrender, because that will cause them to lose the little support they have left in the country,” he told AJ+.

Netanyahu sends message to Iranians, with eye towards Israeli public

Netanyahu has delivered an overly ambitious statement less than 24 hours after beginning strikes against Iran, calling for regime change, the toppling of the government of Iran.

But the possibility of a popular uprising, overthrowing the government, even according to Israeli intelligence assessments, is very far fetched.

Netanyahu was speaking to the Iranian public in Hebrew, telling them that this is not a war against them, but he was really speaking to the Israeli public.

He was telling them that Israel is strong. Israel can be the hegemon. It can topple this central enemy, this archenemy of Israel, as Iran is perceived and presented, and that it has the backing of the United States.

This is a very important point for Netanyahu domestically. Elections are a few months away, and Netanyahu needs to frame this war, to frame this alliance, in a way that will gain him votes.

‘We’re headed for a long war’

Any previous discussion about how the Gulf countries should respond to an attack from Iran is “now all off the table”, Rob Geist Pinfold, a scholar of international security at King’s College London, said.

“It is implausible to see this conflict end so quickly and so soon, given how much damage Iran has done”, he said.

“There’s a real feeling that there is a need for retaliation, so it seems like for the time being, we’re headed for a long war”, he noted.

“Iran’s game plan here was to escalate so quickly and so sharply that the Gulf states would pressure the US for an immediate ceasefire. We’re not seeing any signs of that at the moment. In fact, the opposite. So Iran’s plan has very much backfired,” he said.

‘Iran’s government will not be toppled by bombs, change in government must come from within’

“We know from experience that regime change can’t happen through air power alone” Rob Geist Pinfold, a scholar of international security at King’s College London says.

“So the US can bomb and strike Iran as much as it wants, but that will not facilitate the fall of the regime; that has to come from within; that’s a lot less likely to happen”, he said.

“Everyone is scared to leave their homes because there are constant air strikes; so there needs to be some kind of a day after plan here. What happens when the air strikes stop?” he said.

“We’re not going to have boots on the ground: that’s … unfathomable, given the US’s own experience of regime change in the Middle East,” he said.

Pinfold said his hunch is that the US doesn’t have a “day-after plan” but is “simply seeking to cause so much damage, so much chaos within Iran that a day-after plan will present itself internally, organically from within”.

Trump says war can ‘go long’ or end in a few days

United States President Donald Trump has told the Axios news site that there are several “off ramps” for the US-Israel war with Iran.

“I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: ‘See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [Iran’s nuclear and missile program],” Trump said in a five-minute phone interview from Mar-a-Lago, according to the news site.

“In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack”, he said.

It was not immediately clear what terms Trump was suggesting that would lead to a swift end of the war, although his statements appeared to suggest some opening for diplomacy.

Trump said he decided to launch the strikes despite ongoing nuclear talks for two reasons, one being that the “Iranians got close and then pulled back”, which he said showed they “don’t really want a deal”.

He also said he asked his team to compile every Iran-linked attack over the last 25 years.

“I saw that every month they did something bad, blew something up or killed someone”, he said.

Turkey ready to mediate a ceasefire: Deputy foreign minister

Musa Kulaklikaya has said that Turkey is ready to mediate a ceasefire in the region, noting that Ankara was involved in negotiating the latest round of US-Iran nuclear talks as well as those last year.

Both rounds of talks were derailed by US and Israeli strikes.

“Unlike the 12-day war in 2025, this time, the war is triggering a series of attacks spreading across the entire region, has shown that the conflict could escalate into very serious level, putting in danger the regional and global security and prosperity”, Kulaklikaya said.

“We are ready to mediate with all parties,” he said, adding that Turkey wants to avoid a security and economic crisis in the region that could fuel waves of mass migration.

The emergency UNSC meeting will soon be under way

There is a letter from Iran’s foreign minister addressed to the UN Security Council.

Essentially, the letter points out many things, but really a key point is that it lays out the legal case that Iran can respond under the auspices of the UN Charter to defend itself.

The UNSC will soon hold an emergency meeting on the situation.

This was requested by China and Russia, and we are being told that the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will chair the meeting and make remarks at the very top.

What is unknown at this point is whether any other countries will participate.

We know that Iran will. We know that Israel will.

But what is still unknown is if any of the Gulf countries will take part in the meeting, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, for example.

Iran says ‘we will make Israel, US pay’

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has issued this stern warning to the US and Israel as they continue to attack targets throughout the country.

“The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will give an unforgettable lesson to the international oppressive hellish ones”, he said, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed, Reuters and Israeli media report

The Reuters news agency and Israeli media are reporting Khamenei’s killing, citing unnamed “senior” Israeli officials.

The ⁠head of public relations at the Iranian ⁠supreme leader’s office accused the country’s enemies of “mental warfare” after Israeli reports Ayatollah ‌Ali Khamenei had been killed, Iranian state media reported.

US embassy in Bahrain says high rise buildings unsafe amid potential strikes

In a statement on X, the embassy said that “there are confirmed reports of high-rise buildings in Bahrain being struck by Iranian armed drones.”

“The US government has determined the broader Juffair area, and high-rise buildings in Bahrain, are not safe for US personnel”, the embassy said, referring to a highly developed neighborhood in the country’s capital, Manama.

“The US embassy is aware of unconfirmed social media reports of US citizens in Bahrain being targeted by Iran and its proxies,” it said.

“We encourage everyone to practice personal security awareness, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid large groups and demonstrations.”

No confirmation yet from Iran on Khamenei reports

Reuters news agency and Israeli media have reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei has been killed, citing unnamed “senior” Israeli officials.

There has been so far no official confirmation from Tehran.

He noted that Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that “as far as I know”, Iran’s supreme leader, as well as other top Iranian officials, remained in good health.

A statement from Khamenei’s public relations office called the report “mental warfare”.

“Of course, this is going to be huge news, if it’s true.”

Iranian state-linked media says Khamenei alive and well

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim and Mehr news agencies are reporting that the country’s Supreme Leader Khamenei is “steadfast and firm in commanding the field”.

This contradicts reports from Reuters and Israeli media that he was killed today in the US-Israeli air strikes.

Israeli military spokesperson says seven high-ranking Iranian officials have been killed

Effie Defrin, the spokesperson for the Israeli military, has just made a televised address in which he claimed Israel has killed several top Iranian officials in today’s attacks on Iran.

The most prominent of those Israel claims to have killed is Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of Iran’s National Security Council and close adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Shamkhani survived a June 2025 Israeli strike on his home in Tehran.

Defrin also claimed to have killed Mohammad Pakpour, a commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Amir Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister.

He added that Israeli warplanes targeted several locations across Iran, especially missile launcher sites.

Defrin did not define a timeframe when a reporter asked how long military operations would continue.

Under international law, starting a war with the sole or primary intention of achieving regime change in another sovereign state is explicitly illegal. It constitutes a violation of the prohibition on the use of force and is widely classified as an act of aggression.

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: Requires all member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the "territorial integrity or political independence of any state"

Forcible regime change directly attacks a nation's political independence by attempting to substitute its government through external military coercion.

UN Security Council Authorization: Action approved collectively under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Unilateral military campaigns undertaken outside of self-defense or UN authorization rank as a supreme violation of international law, engaging state responsibility and potential individual criminal liability for a crime of aggression.

Trump says US believes ‘a lot’ of Iranian leadership killed

The US president has told ABC News that he believes “a lot” of Iranian leadership has been killed in US and Israeli strikes.

When asked directly if the administration believes that the Iranian leadership was killed, Trump replied, “A lot of it is, yeah. But we don’t know all, but a lot of it is. Was a very powerful strike.”

He said the attacks will continue “as long as we [want them] to”.

See previous comment.

More than a dozen explosions heard over Doha

The loudest explosions of the day have been heard in the skies over Doha, with our colleagues on the ground reporting between 15 and 20 separate explosions.

Trump on reported Khamenei killing: ‘We feel that that is a correct story’

Trump has offered his clearest statement yet on the reported killing of Khamenei, which, as we’ve been reporting, has been claimed by Reuters and the Israeli media, citing unnamed sources.

Addressing the reports that Khamenei was killed, Trump told NBC News: “We feel that that is a correct story”.

Trump further said that “most” of Iran’s senior leadership is “gone”.

“The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone,” he said.

Sirens sound as attacks hit Tel Aviv, Israeli media says

Israel’s Channel 12 is reporting the sounds of a loud explosion in central Israel following a missile barrage from Iran.

Local newspaper Israel Hayom reported that a missile fell in Tel Aviv.

Sirens are currently sounding in Tel Aviv.

Explosions continue over the skies above Doha

Interceptions can now be seen and heard over the skies of Qatar’s capital.

Explosions have been heard all day, but our colleagues on the ground say this latest wave is the loudest so far today.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry summons Iran’s ambassador

The Foreign Ministry has said it summoned Iranian envoy Ali Saleh Abadi, expressing in a statement its strong protest and categorical rejection of the targeting of Qatar’s territory.

Foreign Ministry officials told Abadi that Tehran’s actions were a violation of international law and Qatar’s sovereignty, as well as a threat to security.

The statement added that Abadi was told that the continuation of attacks would lead to serious repercussions in the countries’ bilateral relations.

IRGC says latest waves of strikes target Israeli security positions

The public relations apparatus of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps says that the third and fourth waves of “retaliatory” strikes on US and Israeli positions are ongoing.

Some of the targets include, according to a statement carried by IRNA news agency:

“The Israeli Navy base in Haifa port, the anchorage of the regime’s warships in Haifa, Ramat David airbase, the [Israeli] regime’s Ministry of War in the Hakriyat area, the military-industrial settlement of Beit HaShamash, and the central military industries centre of Shtud are among the main targets during the third and fourth waves”.

White House says Trump called leaders of UK, Kuwait and Turkey

The update comes after Trump earlier called the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as the head of NATO.

Gulf countries in the region had appealed for diplomacy in the weeks ahead of the US-Israeli attacks.

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.

UN Security Council begins emergency meeting

The UN Security Council has begun its emergency meeting in the wake of US-Israel attacks on Iran, which Iran has responded to with strikes in countries across the region.

“Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, adding that about 20 cities had been hit in Iran.

“I call for de-escalation and an immediate cessation of hostilities. The alternative is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. I strongly urge all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table,” he said.

Guterres mentioned the reports of Iranian leaders being killed, but said he could not independently confirm them.

Eight people injured, one in critical condition: Qatari Interior Ministry

Abdullah Khalifa Al-Muftah, the head of public relations at the Ministry of Interior in Qatar, says eight people have been injured by falling missile shrapnel, one of them seriously.

In a televised address, he said 66 missiles were fired on Qatar.

He said there were 114 reports of shrapnel falling across the country.

Ibrahim Sultan Al-Hashemi, the head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Iran’s repeated attacks on Qatar are reckless, irresponsible, and contradict the principle of good neighborliness.

An early warning radar system in Qatar was also hit by an Iranian drone, officials said.

US President calls Qatar’s Emir to discuss regional developments

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a call from President Donald Trump, during which the two discussed the latest developments and their “repercussions on peace and security”.

During the call, the Emir stressed the need to contain this dangerous escalation through peaceful means, according to a statement from the Emiri Diwan.

‘Iran has a transition plan if Supreme Leader Khamenei confirmed dead’

Barbara Slavin, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC, has said that Iran “has a plan” in place if its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is confirmed to have been killed.

“There will probably be a council that will be set up to run the country. It may already have been running the country, as far as we know,” she said.

The real question, however, she added, is: “How does Donald Trump define victory?”

“If killing the supreme leader is sufficient for him, he may just say, ‘Well, I won,’ and stop this in a day or so. That would be entirely characteristic. He can say that he achieved regime change, even if it’s basically the same system in place,” Slavin said.

Commenting on Israel’s attacks, Slavin called them “theatrics”, saying that the Israelis are simply “enjoying an opportunity to hit everything they possibly can and degrade the Iranian regime even further”.

“As we know, Israel loves targeted assassinations, and will be brandishing the scalp of Ayatollah Khamenei, so to speak, if he indeed is dead.” But, “Will it really be a change?”

Several injured as crashes rock Tel Aviv’s Gush Dan metropolitan area

One man has been seriously injured, and seven others were wounded after multiple crash sites were reported in Tel Aviv’s largest metropolitan area, Gush Dan, according to Channel 12.

Several buildings and vehicles have also reportedly been damaged.

Israeli military says new wave of missiles headed towards Israel

The Israeli military says there have been additional launches of missiles fired towards Israel.

Bahrain decries ‘unprecedented escalation’ at Security Council

Bahrain has decried Iranian attacks on countries across the Gulf.

Ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei said Bahrain condemns the “unprecedented escalation”, adding that it will deal with it “firmly”.

Alrowaiei also condemned strikes on Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria.

“These grave developments reflect an escalatory pattern targeting our collective security,” he said.

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.

Qatar Airways says flights to remain suspended

The airline has said its flights will remain temporarily 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 at 9am local time (06:00 GMT).

‘Khamenei is dead’: Trump

US President Donald Trump says Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead.

He made the claim in a post on Truth Social, where he reiterated his earlier message that this was “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country”.

Death toll in Israeli attack on Iranian girls’ school rises to 108

The Mizan News Agency, quoting the Minab Prosecutor’s Office, has reported that the number of casualties at the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab has reached 108.

Intensified Iranian missile strikes injure 21 in Tel Aviv

An Israeli intercepting missile has been launched into the sky to intercept one of the incoming Iranian missiles.

According to the Israeli ambulance service, 21 Israelis have been injured. Sixteen of them sustained light injuries, while two have been reported to be in serious or critical condition. We are still awaiting further updates from the ambulance service.

The intensity of the Iranian attacks is indeed increasing. In just the past hour, there were more than three waves of missiles.

It appears to be a difficult night for Israelis. It is currently nighttime, and we are hearing frequent sirens and additional waves of Iranian attacks.

As always, it is important to note that while Israelis have missile defense batteries, warning sirens, and shelters for protection, Palestinians living under Israeli occupation do not have the same level of protection. They have nowhere to seek shelter and are left watching how this war will affect them.

Meanwhile, Israeli raids have continued. One Palestinian was killed near Hebron earlier today during an Israeli raid. Settler attacks have also not stopped. Palestinians say they are already living under a heavy military occupation, and now they fear further escalation as the broader conflict intensifies.

Israeli military releases list of Iranian officials it claims killed

Israel has claimed that strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, as well as his adviser, Ali Shamkhani.

Other officials that it claims have been killed are Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, the chief of the military bureau of the supreme leader, Mohammad Shirazi, chief of the IRCG, Mohammad Pakpour, and top intelligence official Saleh Asadi.

Under international law, starting a war with the sole or primary intention of achieving regime change in another sovereign state is explicitly illegal. It constitutes a violation of the prohibition on the use of force and is widely classified as an act of aggression.

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: Requires all member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the "territorial integrity or political independence of any state"

Forcible regime change directly attacks a nation's political independence by attempting to substitute its government through external military coercion.

UN Security Council Authorization: Action approved collectively under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Unilateral military campaigns undertaken outside of self-defense or UN authorization rank as a supreme violation of international law, engaging state responsibility and potential individual criminal liability for a crime of aggression.

The US is taking ‘lawful actions’, says US ambassador to UN

Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the United Nations, has just spoken at the UN Security Council meeting.

Here are some quotes from his statement:

• The Iranian regime has willfully destabilized the world.
• It has killed American forces and citizens, threatened regional allies and jeopardized the security of international shipping upon which the world depends.
• Its massive support for violent proxies… has brought bloodshed and disorder across the Middle East for far too long.
• Iran’s continued pursuit of advanced missile capabilities, coupled with its refusal to abandon nuclear ambitions, despite diplomatic opportunities, presents a grave and mounting danger.
• Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That principle is not a matter of politics. It’s a matter of global security, and to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions.

Trump is not attacking Iran from his country but from countries in the Gulf region and from the United Kingdom and allegedly from Italy. This is called waging war across borders and needs approval or mandate from the UNSC. Trump doesn't have a mandate, which makes his war illegal.

Then, waging war to achieve regime change is an political, not a military motive, which violates articles of the UN Charter regarding the sovereignty of the attacked third country.

Iranian attack causes damage to Dubai’s airport

Footage are circulating on social media showing damage to the Dubai’s international airport following an Iranian attack.

Pakistan UN ambassador condemns killing of citizen in UAE

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has been speaking at the UN Security Council meeting, decrying Iran’s strikes as “blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states”.

He also condemned the killing of a Pakistani national in the UAE. Authorities have said the individual was killed by falling debris in connection with a missile strike.

“Pakistan also condemns the unfortunate death of a Pakistani national in the UAE during this dastardly attack,” he said.

“We urge all sides to refrain from any further actions that may undermine the security and territorial integrity of other regional countries.”

• Pakistan laments over the death of one of its citizens
• Islamabad cannot accuse Iran because the Pakistani victim was killed by falling debris after the UAE shot the missile down.
• If the UAE prevents an incoming Iranian projectile from continuing to follow its trajectory by shooting it down, Pakistan cannot know what what its destination in the UAE was. The shooting down just fractioned the incoming projectile into debris. One of the pieces had make the Pakistani citizen a victim.
• Iranian state media has reported that more than 50 people were killed in a strike that hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, a city in the Hormozgan province of southern Iran.
  • At least 70 killed in southern Iran province: Official tells Iranian news agency.
  • Death toll from elementary school attack in Iran rises to 85: Report

UAE destroys 132 missiles and thwarts 195 Iranian drone attacks: Defense Ministry

The United Arab Emirates has destroyed 132 missiles and intercepted 195 drones launched from Iran, the Defense Ministry says.

Earlier, one person was confirmed killed by falling debris, and there was material damage from the interceptions.

US cancels Rubio trip to Israel

The US State Department announced on Friday that State Secretary Marco Rubio would travel to Israel on Monday and Tuesday.

Just hours later, the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

Now, the department has said Rubio’s trip has been cancelled, pointing to the “current circumstances” in the region.

Air raid alert issued for Israel’s Red Sea port city of Eilat

Israel’s Home Front Command says sirens have been activated in the city of Eilat after a drone infiltration was detected.

The city sits on the narrow southern tip of Israel, sandwiched between Jordan and Egypt, about 50km (31 miles) from Saudi Arabia.

Israeli media reports death from Iranian strike on Tel Aviv

One person has died after succumbing to wounds in the Iranian attack on Tel Aviv, Israeli media has reported.

Twenty others have been injured, with one remaining in critical condition.

Iran’s UN ambassador accuses US and Israel of ‘war crime’

Amir Saeid Iravani has begun speaking to the panel, saying the US and Israeli strikes were “illegal and entirely devoid of legal foundation”.

He accused the two countries of the “deliberate and persistent targeting” of civilian infrastructure.

He referenced the strike on an elementary girls’ school in Minab, which he said had killed more than 100 children.

“This is not only an act of aggression, it is a war crime and a crime against humanity,” he said.

Minor damage from Iranian attack at Dubai airport, 4 injured, media office says

“Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained”, the Dubai Media Office has said on X.

Four people were injured and received medical attention, it said.

“Due to contingency plans already in place, most of the terminals were previously cleared of passengers”.

Guterres condemns US-Israeli strikes, Iran’s retaliatory attacks

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken at the Security Council and warned that today’s strikes by the US and Israel, as well as Iran’s retaliation, pose a “grave threat to international peace and security”.

He said that “military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region in the world”.

Trump says he has ‘good idea’ about who he wants to lead Iran

The US’s ABC News has asked the US president who he wants to lead Iran should the US objective of toppling the Iranian government succeed.

“Yes. We have a very good idea,” he replied.

Under international law, starting a war with the sole or primary intention of achieving regime change in another sovereign state is explicitly illegal. It constitutes a violation of the prohibition on the use of force and is widely classified as an act of aggression.

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: Requires all member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the "territorial integrity or political independence of any state"

Forcible regime change directly attacks a nation's political independence by attempting to substitute its government through external military coercion.

UN Security Council Authorization: Action approved collectively under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Unilateral military campaigns undertaken outside of self-defense or UN authorization rank as a supreme violation of international law, engaging state responsibility and potential individual criminal liability for a crime of aggression.

Israel’s UN envoy says ‘joint effort will continue for as long as the threat remains’

Danny Danon has addressed the UN Security Council, saying the US and Israel had acted to “confront and stop an existential threat before it became irreversible”.

“We did not act of impulse. We did not act of aggression. We acted out of necessity, because the Iranian regime left no reasonable alternative,” he said.

“This joint effort will continue for as long as the threat remains,” he said.

He accused Iran of targeting Israeli civilian infrastructure, saying that an “innocent woman was killed and 21 people were injured” in an attack in Tel Aviv.

Iran’s UN envoy says it will target ‘all bases, facilities and assets’ of US, Israel

Amir Saeid Iravani says Tehran views that “all bases, facilities and assets of the hostile forces in the region shall be regarded as legitimate military objectives within the framework of Iran’s lawful exercise of self-defense”.

“Iran will continue to exercise its right of self-defense decisively and without recitation until the aggression ceases in full and unequivocal terms,” he said.

He added that “Iran remains firmly committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbouring countries”.

He also said that Israel had “succeeded in dragging the United States into the quagmire of war with Iran”.

Intercepted drone causes fire at Burj Al Arab hotel in UAE

A drone was intercepted, causing a limited fire on the exterior facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel, according to Dubai media.

No casualties have been reported.

The attack came after damage had been reported to the passenger lounge of the Dubai airport following an Iranian attack.

Jordan reports 73 incidents of falling debris from missile interceptions

The country’s Public Security Directorate says the incidents did not result in any injuries, and the damage was limited to material losses only, noting that specialized teams had handled all incidents.

The directorate renewed its warning to citizens to avoid approaching any suspicious object under any circumstances due to extreme danger.

Abu Dhabi Airports says one dead in ‘incident’ at Zayed airport

The airports agency has said the incident at the Zayed international airport “resulted in one death of an Asian national and seven injuries”.

It did not provide further details.

It urged the public “not to circulate rumors and false information”.

Trump says heavy bombing of Iran will continue ‘as long as necessary’

More about the US president’s Truth Social post on the alleged killing of Iran’s Khamenei.

He called on the IRGC and Iranian police to join “Iranian patriots” in changing the government there and said “that process should soon be starting” now that Khamenei has been killed and the country has been “very much destroyed and even, obliterated” in just one day.

“The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!” he added.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim and Mehr news agencies say that Khamenei is “steadfast and firm in commanding the field”.

Shrapnel in Basra, Iraq, injures 3

The Joint Operations Command in Iraq says three people have been injured after fragments from two projectiles fell in Basra province in the south of the country.

Death toll in attack on Iranian girls’ school rises to 115

The governor of Minab, a city in southern Iran, has announced that the death toll from the US-Israeli bombing of a school has risen to 115.

Trump claims IRGC troops may turn against Iran’s government

The US has said in a lengthy statement that the president is convinced that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, as well as a large number of Iranian leaders, in these ongoing attacks.

He has also indicated some form of timeline, saying that the US will continue its operations along with Israel as long as it is necessary.

It’s also interesting that he claimed some members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, who may be disillusioned with the leadership, may be joining civilians in the streets. But this could be wishful thinking on the side of the US administration for now.

He’s been making similar statements to various media outlets here.

Israel completes another wave of strikes on Iran

In a post on X, Israel’s Air Force says it has completed another wave of strikes on ballistic missile arrays and air defense systems in western and central Iran.

One of the targeted sites was a missile launch site in the central Qom region, it said.

The military added the strikes on central Iran “thwarted dozens of launches” towards Israel, “and deeply damaged the regime’s most central offensive capability”.

UN nuclear agency’s board to meet on Iran on Monday

The board ⁠of ⁠governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency will hold an emergency ⁠meeting on Monday at 08:00 GMT to discuss the ongoing US and Israeli ‌strikes on Iran.

The meeting was requested by Russia. Any board member ⁠can call a ⁠meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog.

Monday’s emergency meeting will start an hour before a ⁠long-scheduled quarterly meeting of the board, in which ⁠Iran’s nuclear program was already on the agenda.

Diplomats have said ‌there was no indication Iranian nuclear facilities were struck ‌in ‌Saturday’s attack, unlike US strikes on Iran last year, which targeted three nuclear sites.

Dubai reports fire at Jebel Ali Port

The Dubai Media Office is reporting a fire at one of the berths of the Jebel Ali Port after it was hit by debris from an “aerial interception”.

In a post on X, the office said that Dubai’s Civil Defense teams are “continuing their efforts to fully extinguish the fire” at the commercial port, which is the largest in the Middle East.

There were no details about casualties from the fire.

The post also warned the public against distributing an “old video” of the fire in the same port in 2021, “as it could spread misleading information”.

Jebel Ali Port is located just south of Palm Jumeirah, where an explosion was reported earlier.