Iranian missile strike on Israel killed 1 person, Israel’s military says

Israeli forces said their Home Front Command units are operating at the site of a missile hit in central Israel, where fighters and rescue teams are conducting extensive searches to locate and free people trapped under rubble.

Home Front Command Commander Major-General Shai Klapper said the incident involved the death of a civilian as a result of what he described as an Iranian missile strike.

“This is an unfortunate incident in which a civilian was killed by an Iranian missile strike. We are studying the incident,” Klapper said, according to the statement. He added that forces on the ground had focused on rescuing those trapped and saving lives.

“Complex days lie ahead. Your mission is to arrive quickly at the scene and save lives,” he said.

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.

Israel launches more attacks on Iran

The Israeli military says it is carrying out “another wave of strikes” against “Iranian ballistic missile array and air defense systems”.

Iran’s Fars news agency says Khamenei’s daughter, grandson killed

The IRGC-aligned news agency reports that the supreme leader’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandson have been killed in a strike.

This comes after Trump and Israeli officials claimed that Khamenei had been killed.

Earlier, Iranian officials denied those claims as “psychological warfare”.

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.

Explosions heard in Tehran: Report

The Iranian Mehr news agency is reporting two explosions in the capital.

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.

If Khamenei is dead ..

Iranian media affiliated with the IRGC and several top Iranian officials have all denied news reports of the supreme leader’s death, calling them fake news.

It is important to note that there is a process in the Iranian Constitution in the case of the death of the Supreme Leader.

Under that process, there’s going to be a council of three people, including the Iranian president, head of the judiciary and one cleric from the Guardian Council, who are going to take control of the country.

Now, we have also been receiving reports about authorities being given to Ali Larijani, the secretary of the National Security Council.

All in all, we cannot confirm these reports. However, there are processes that can be followed in case of Khamenei’s death. And that is going to be a game-changer if that happens.

Iran’s Khamenei has been killed, Iranian media say

The Tasnim and Fars news agencies are confirming the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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.”

‘Khamenei’s killing represents a different day’

Khamenei’s killing represents a different day in Tehran, a different day in Iran, and a different day in the region.

He played an instrumental role in the Islamic revolution. There are people who view him in a positive way, and there are people who view him in a very negative way.

But at the end, you cannot go away from the idea of what he was to [Iran] and the Islamic revolution. He was a very central and instrumental personality before the revolution and after the revolution.

Now he is being presented as the martyr of the Islamic revolution.

Iran declares 40 days of morning

The Fars news agency says the Iranian government has declared 40 days of public mourning in the wake of Khamenei’s killing.

It also announced seven days of public holidays.

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.

Khamenei was killed in the early hours of Saturday

Iran’s Fars news agency has more details on the supreme leader’s killing.

It says Khamenei was killed at his office while “performing his assigned duties” in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Reza Pahlavi says ‘hour of liberation is at hand’

In a short post on X, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s deposed shah, has thanked Trump for the military operation launched against Iran, saying the Iranian people’s “hour of liberation is at hand”.

“The courageous Iranian people have paid a heavy price for freedom,” he added.

Pahlavi, who is seeking to lead Iran, said that he has laid out his plan “for an orderly, transparent transition to a democratic Iran”.

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.

Iran will mourn Khamenei amid continued bombardment

The Iranian people pouring out into the streets of the Iranian capital, Tehran, following the news report of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing.

There will be expected ceremonies down the road following the earlier announcement of a 40-day mourning period.

These ceremonies will likely take place amid the continuing bombardment across the country. A few hours ago, we heard another sound of a massive explosion here in the capital.

Killing of Khamenei will make him ‘a symbol’ for supporters

It all depends on how things are going to end up with this war.

Of course, for his supporters, of course, for those who believe in the Wilayat al-Faqih, which is the doctrine the Islamic revolution came with, he is going to be a symbol.

He is going to be cemented as a symbol, and the fact that he was killed will elevate him to probably the same level as [Ruhollah] Khomeini, who was the founder of [Iran] – a man who made the revolution.

Ali Khamenei will become almost equal to Khomeini, given this legacy.

IRGC mourns ‘great leader’, vows revenge

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has responded to Khamenei’s death, saying, “We have lost a great leader, and we mourn him”, according to a statement carried by the Fars news agency.

It added that Khamenei’s “martyrdom at the hands of the most vicious terrorists and executioners of humanity is a sign of the legitimacy of this great leader and the acceptance of his sincere services”.

The “Iranian nation’s hand of revenge…will not let them go”, the IRGC said, adding it will stand “firm in confronting domestic and foreign conspiracies”.

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?

Israeli Air Force strikes more than 30 sites in new wave of attacks on Iran

Israel’s military said it has struck more than 30 targets in attacks on western and central Iran.

“Dozens of Air Force fighter jets struck, guided by Military Intelligence, and completed just a short while ago another wave of strikes to target the ballistic missile array and air defense systems of the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran,” the military said in a statement.

Attacks will continue on air defense installations, missile sites, military headquarters, and other “regime targets” in Iran, Israel said.

Iran confirms killings of Shamkhani and IRGC’s Pakpour

The official IRNA news agency is reporting that Ali Shamkani, a top political adviser to Khamenei and the secretary of Iran’s Defense Council, has been killed in the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.

It also said the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, Mohammad Pakpour, was also killed.

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.

One killed, 121 wounded in Iranian attacks on Israel

The Israeli ambulance service says one Israeli woman has been killed, and 121 others wounded, mostly with minor injuries.

Now, this happened after a massive wave of Iranian missile attacks on Israel. The Israeli military said the majority of these missiles and drones were intercepted or downed, but some managed to get through, in Tel Aviv and Beit Shemesh, a city west of Jerusalem.

Shrapnel also fell in the occupied West Bank, near the northern city of Qalqilya. We are not sure if it was the remnant of a rocket or that of an interceptor missile that fell away from an illegal Israeli settlement and closer to a Palestinian area.

We know that Israeli defense systems are built to protect Israelis, even if they are settlers living inside the occupied West Bank, and provide no protection whatsoever to the Palestinians. So, the Israeli defense systems may have pushed the missile away from the Israeli settlement and onto Palestinian territory. Earlier on Saturday morning, one Palestinian was injured in the town of Beit Sahour, in the south of the occupied West Bank.

This is a war between Israel, the US and Iran.

But there are Palestinians who are left defenseless and who are living under military occupation. Over the course of the day, Israeli forces killed one Palestinian near Hebron, and we are seeing Israeli settlers continue attacks even when the rockets were falling on Israel.

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.

Air attack sirens expected across Israel: Report

Israel’s Channel 12 news reports that air attack alarms are expected across Israel due to missile launches from Iran.

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 defence 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”.

Israeli army warns against sharing locations hit by Iranian strikes

The Israeli military has warned residents to refrain from sharing the locations of areas hit by Iranian bombardment, as retaliatory strikes from Iran continue.

In a new post on X, the military also said residents should stay in bunkers unless they are told to exit.

“If no alert was received, stay in proximity to the protected space,” the statement said.

There have been reports of Iran launching a new wave of attacks across the Middle East, mostly focusing on targets in Israel.

Khamenei was not ‘only a religious leader’ for Iranians

The supreme leader in Iran: When we are talking about him, we are not talking about only a religious leader.

That is a common mistake that many people actually make.

He is the leader of the government, the commander-in-chief. He is the leader of the economy. The leader of the society, the head of state.

But not only that, he is also, according to the Iranian Constitution, which is also based on a Shia political theology, he is considered the leader of Muslims all around the world, and he has some divine rights, as well.

So, we are not only talking about someone who has been empowered by a constitution. He’s a leader, according to the constitution, that is empowered by divine rights and authorities as well. That’s why all of his decrees were ultimately binding for Iranians.

And now, that man has been killed.

Air raid sirens blare in Kuwait

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

Two possible scenarios for succession after Khamenei

The 88 members of the Assembly of Experts are going to gather and have a proper discussion about who will be the next leader.

There are two things here. First, that Ali Khamenei, before his death, provided four names. That is one of the scenarios.

Another scenario is that, during an interim period, there will be a council of four people who will run the country until the new leader is elected.

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.

Thousands of mourners gather in Iran’s historic city of Isfahan

Thousands of mourners have gathered in the historic Iranian city of Isfahan to pay tribute to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A video posted by Iran’s English-language state channel Press TV showed a large crowd of people protesting in Naqsh-e Jahan Square.

Earlier on Sunday, the government confirmed the death of Khamenei following a joint US-Israeli strike in Tehran on Saturday.

Israel’s defense minister celebrates Khamenei’s assassination

Israel Katz has congratulated Netanyahu and the country’s military for the strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader.

“He who acted to destroy Israel — has been destroyed,” Katz said in a post on X. “Justice has been served, and the axis of evil has suffered a mortal blow.”

He added that Israel will “continue to act with full force”.

Israel is seeking to partition Iran, says national security chief

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has accused Israel of “seeking to partition” the country following its joint attack with the US.

In a statement published by the Fars state news agency, Larijani said the Israeli “regime has no choice but to resort to partitioning large countries in order to ensure its own survival”.

Larijani also described Trump as “the perfect symbol of plunder” and accused him of seeking to grab resources from Iran.

“America and the Zionist regime burned the hearts of the Iranian nation, and we will burn their hearts too,” he added.

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.”

Most Iranians ‘trying to unite around the flag’

Abas Aslani, the Tehran-based political analyst, said that despite Khamenei’s assassination, he expects continuity in Iran as the country’s foreign policy is not determined by one person.

“The supreme leader has an important say in this process, but the other institutions or bodies of the government are also very influential,” he said. “So, this seems to be relatively more subject to continuity than a fundamental change,” he said.

Aslani added that while some Iranians disapprove of the current political system, the majority “are trying to unite around the flag” at a time of “external aggression”.

“So, I’m a bit hesitant to say that this will result in a public uprising against the current system, because people know that such kind of conditions can result in more instability and insecurity,” he said. “The other examples in the region, like what the Israelis did in Syria, also serve as a lesson.”

Iran strikes benefit Israel, not US, analysts say

President Donald Trump stood in front of regional leaders during a visit to the Middle East in May and declared a new era of US foreign policy in the region, one that is not guided by trying to reshape it or change its governing systems.

“In the end, the so-called nation-builders wrecked far more nations than they built, and the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves,” the US president said in rebuke of his hawkish predecessors.

Less than a year later, Trump ordered an all-out assault on Iran with the stated goal of bringing “freedom” to the country, borrowing language from the playbook of interventionist neoconservatives, like former President George W Bush, whom he spent his political career criticizing.

Analysts say the war with Iran does not fit with Trump’s stated political ideology, policy goals or campaign promises.

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.

What next for Iran’s leadership?

Article 111 of the Iranian constitution mandates that a temporary council handle duties until a new supreme leader is elected.

That body is composed of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and a religious leader from the Guardian Council, according to Iranian media.

The provisional council works until the Assembly of Experts formally chooses a new supreme leader.

More air raid alerts in Israel

The Israeli military says it has detected missile launches from Iran and activated alerts in several areas of the country.

“At this time, the Air Force is working to intercept and attack wherever necessary to eliminate the threat,” read a statement from the military.

“The defense is not hermetic, and therefore the instructions of the Home Front Command must continue to be obeyed,” it added.

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.

At least 40 buildings damaged in Iranian attack on Tel Aviv: Report

More than 200 residents have been evacuated from their homes to three hotels in Tel Aviv after at least 40 buildings were damaged in Iranian strikes on Saturday, Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported, citing the city municipality.

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”.

Israel says ‘the heart of Tehran’ struck

The Israeli military says it has struck “the heart of Tehran” for the first time since the latest US-Israeli attacks started.

The statement on Telegram claimed the targets were government sites, adding that over the past day, the attacks were focused on establishing aerial superiority and paving the path to Tehran.

Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from Tehran.

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.

Iranian state media report ‘terrible explosions’ in Tehran

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reports the sound of “terrible explosions” caused by missile and air attacks in Tehran in the area around the Seyyed Khandan and Qasr intersections as well as Vanak Square and Motahari Street.

As we just reported, the Israeli army announced a few minutes ago that it had carried out a large aerial attack on the “heart of the capital”.

Sirens sound in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas

Sirens are sounding across large areas of Tel Aviv and its surrounding region as well as in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, the Israeli Home Front Command has announced.

Sirens have also sounded in the cities of Haifa and its bay as well as Acre and its surroundings, according to official Israeli sources.

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.

Iran views revenge as its ‘duty and legitimate right’, says Pezeshkian

President Masoud Pezeshkian says seeking revenge for the killing of Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials is the country’s “duty and legitimate right”.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers seeking justice and exacting retribution from the perpetrators and those who ordered this historic crime to be its duty and legitimate right, and it will devote all its strength to fulfilling this great responsibility and obligation,” the president said, offering his condolences.

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.

Iranians afraid as strikes target 7 locations in Tehran

Strikes had previously taken place around Tehran, but today it’s a different scenario because they are in the middle of the city.

Seven locations have been hit, including around Tehran’s airport. There is no specific information on the targets, whether they are linked to the military or the government.

Strikes have hit close to major hotels and malls, and Iranians are now afraid like never before because the campaign is getting closer to their homes.

Many are now looking for food and provisions, wondering how long this will go on.

Israel to continue ‘powerful air strikes’ on Tehran: Defense minister

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz says the army is “carrying out intensive strikes targeting sites belonging to the Iranian regime”.

“We will organize a continuous air bridge to carry out a powerful attack on targets in Tehran,” he wrote on X.

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.

Khamenei’s killing marks ‘defining moment in Iran’s history’: EU’s Kallas

European ⁠Union ⁠foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says Khamenei’s death is “a defining moment in Iran’s history”.

“What comes ‌next is uncertain. But there is now an open path to a different Iran, one that ⁠its people may have ⁠greater freedom to shape,” Kallas said on X.

“I’m in ⁠contact with partners, ⁠including those in the region that bear the brunt ‌of Iran’s military actions, to find practical steps ‌for ‌de-escalation.”

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.

Israel says it hits two fighter jets at Iran’s Tabriz airport

Two fighter jets – an F-5 and F-4 – have been struck by Israel’s air force at the airport in Tabriz in western Iran as they were preparing to take off “a short while ago”, according to Israel’s army.

The Israeli military statement accompanied by a video of the attack said “the strike was conducted to degrade the Iranian Air Force’s activities and to further expand the degradation of the regime’s aerial defense”.

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.

At least 4 killed in Iranian missile attack on central Israel’s Beit Shemesh city

An Iranian ballistic missile attack has killed at least four people and injured about 20 others in central Israel’s Beit Shemesh city, 30km (19 miles) west of Jerusalem, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

“Four people were killed in a direct hit on Beit Shemesh,” Magen David Adom spokesman Zaki Heller said in a televised statement.

Israel’s army said in a statement on Telegram that search and rescue forces, together with medical teams and a helicopter for casualty evacuation, are operating at the impact site.

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.

Death toll in Israel’s Beit Shemesh rises to 6

The number of people killed in an Iranian missile strike on central Israel’s Beit Shemesh has risen to six, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

The missile struck a residential area in the city, according to The Times of Israel newspaper.

At least 8 people killed in Israel’s Beit Shemesh attack

The death toll in an Iranian ballistic missile attack in Israel’s Beit Shemesh has now risen to eight, Israeli emergency services says.

At least 27 people were wounded, including two in serious condition.

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.

Death toll in Israel’s Beit Shemesh rises to 9

Nine people in Israel have been killed by an Iranian ballistic missile impact in Beit Shemesh, the Magen David Adom ambulance says.

Israel intercepts Iranian missile over Syria

Israel has intercepted an Iranian missile over Syria, an unnamed Interior Ministry source told AFP news agency, noting that this caused a loud explosion that could be heard across the capital, Damascus.

AFP journalists based in Damascus reported hearing a blast.

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.

Israel faces highest casualties since strikes on Iran began

This is the highest casualty count [nine as of the latest update] since Israel started launching strikes on Iran on Saturday.

Beit Shemesh lies between western Jerusalem and Yafa. It’s a growing town and apparently strikes struck older homes built in previous years.

One of the shelters in the area seems to have also been impacted. What is worrying residents right now is that workers are still trying to rescue people trapped under the rubble, so there are concerns and fear that this count may rise.

And there are questions as to why the sirens did not go off in Beit Shemesh.

This is one of the big risks that Israel is taking by initiating a war with Iran. Missiles continue to come to Israeli towns from Iran. Israel is having to fire defensive missiles in response and risks missing them, like in Beit Shemesh and Tel Aviv.

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 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.

Opposition leader Lapid says killing Iran’s supreme leader vital for Israel’s safety

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has said that the killing of Iran’s supreme leader ensures that Israel remains safe.

“What we are going a do is to keep doing what we are doing in Iran in order to make sure the Israelis are safe,” Lapid said. “The death of Khamenei is just 35 years too late.”

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.

Israeli army says new attacks launched on Tehran

A military update says Israeli forces have begun carrying out new air raids on the Iranian capital.

“The Air Force has now begun a new wave of strikes in the heart of Tehran,” said a brief statement on X.

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.

Israel’s multilayered air defense ‘not foolproof’

In Beit Shemesh, a town west of Jerusalem on the way to Jaffa along the coast, an Iranian missile struck earlier today. Several buildings were damaged, one completely collapsing. At least nine Israelis are now confirmed dead. Rescue workers are continuing to search for survivors under the rubble.

The sirens did not go off before the strike. The Israeli military and authorities have said they will investigate why the air defense systems failed in Beit Shemesh. Israel’s multilayered air defence systems are not foolproof and cannot intercept every missile launched toward Israeli cities. We have seen that in Tel Aviv and other cities during this escalation, and also in June, when Israel launched its previous round of attacks against Iran.

Iran has demonstrated it can launch ballistic and other types of missiles capable of striking the heart of Israeli cities, causing significant damage – not only to buildings, but also to lives. This development is likely to affect the image the Israeli government has been trying to project: one of invincibility, control, and sustained pressure on the Iranian government.

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”.

Netanyahu says strikes in Tehran will escalate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to intensify air strikes on Tehran in the coming days, declaring that Israel’s military was not at “full strength” in its campaign against Iran.

“I have issued instructions for the continuation of the campaign … Our forces are now striking at the heart of Tehran with intense power, and this will only escalate in the days ahead,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.

He also offered his condolences to the families of those killed in Iranian strikes on Israel, saying his country was living through “painful days.”

A missile attack on Sunday killed at least nine people in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, the deadliest strike in the country since the war began.

“Yesterday here in Tel Aviv, and now in Beit Shemesh, we lost dear people. My heart goes out to the families, and on behalf of all of you, the citizens of Israel, I send my wishes for a full recovery to the injured,” said Netanyahu.

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.

Malaysian PM Ibrahim condemns Khamenei’s killing, calls for immediate ceasefire

Anwar Ibrahim has “unreservedly” condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“This act places the Middle East on the edge of grave and sustained instability,” he said in a statement on X, offering condolences to Iran and the Iranian people.

“The deliberate targeting of a head of state sets a dangerous precedent and weakens the norms and principles that underpin the international order,” Anwar added.

He also urged Tehran to “respond with the utmost restraint”, as well as endorsing calls on all parties “to step back from further escalation.”

“We will act as necessary to safeguard our national interests,” he said.

Anwar called for an “immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians and a return to serious dialogue.”

He added: “This crisis cannot be resolved by force. It requires diplomacy, restraint and political will.”

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.

Khamenei’s death a ‘step forward’, says nephew

The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offers hope to the country, says his nephew, a France-based doctor opposed to the Islamic Republic.

“Like most Iranians, I am happy,” Mahmoud Moradkhani, the son of one of Khamenei’s sisters, said by telephone from his home in northern France.

“I am very happy about the death of Ali Khamenei. I think it’s a step forward, a hope,” AFP news agency quoted him as saying.

“War and military interventions slow down the political process a bit, which is a bit regrettable, but maybe we had to go through this step,” said Moradkhani.

He predicted the regime is unlikely to survive Khamenei’s killing. “The regime’s internal rivalries are such, and it won’t be able to resist them,” he said. “It will have to disappear and give the power to the people.”

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.