US and Israel launch major attack on Iran to trigger regime change as Tehran retaliates across the Middle East – live
Summary of developments so far
The US and Israel have launched a joint military operation against Iran, prompting Tehran to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US bases across the Middle East.
Explosions rocked the Iranian capital Tehran, with satellite imagery showing extensive damage at the secure compound of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though his whereabouts remains unclear.
Israel said its strikes targeted the Iranian regime leadership and military commanders, including Khamenei and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iranian state media, citing Iran’s senior officials, reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran and was taken to a secure location, while Pezeshkian is safe.
Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister who has been leading the nuclear talks for the Iranian delegation, promised that Iran’s army “will teach aggressors the lesson they deserve”.
Further explosions were reported in Gulf nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, all of which host US military bases. One person was killed from shrapnel from an Iranian missile in Abu Dhabi, UAE officials said.
Donald Trump described the US military campaign as “massive and ongoing” as he called on the people of Iran to “take over your government”. In a speech posted on Truth Social, he said the US would “raze [Iran’s] missile industry to the ground” and claimed Tehran had refused to reach a deal with the US that would have averted war.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the American-Israeli attack could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands”.
World leaders have urged all sides to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table. The UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s retaliatory attacks on neighbouring countries but it stopped short of complete support for the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said British planes “are in the sky today” in the Middle East “as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.
Vehicles burn in Tehran after US-Israeli strikes – videoShareUpdated at 17.24 CETKey events6m agoDeath toll rises to 85 after strike on Iranian school36m agoUS secretary of state Rubio briefed Democratic and Republican 'gang of eight' on strikes, says White House2h agoUN security council to hold emergency meeting2h agoNetanyahu and Trump hold phone call2h agoIran supreme leader and president still alive, says foreign minister2h agoMaps: US-Israeli joint military operation in Iran, and Tehran's retaliatory strikes2h agoRegime change in Iran is 'mission impossible', says Tehran foreign minister2h agoSummary of developments so far3h agoBritish planes 'in the sky' in Middle East protecting our people, interests and allies, says Starmer3h agoReactions from US lawmakers after Trump strikes Iran4h agoUK, Germany and France condemn Iranian attacks4h agoPictured: Tehran compound of Iran's supreme leader heavily damaged4h agoAnalysis: Trump’s unprovoked attack on Iran has no mandate – or legal basis4h agoWorld leaders react to attacks5h agoIran will 'teach aggressors lesson they deserve', says Tehran foreign minister5h agoIran missile strikes Kuwait base hosting Italian troops, official says5h agoOman foreign minister 'dismayed' by attacks, tells US 'this is not your war'5h agoSaudi Arabia condemns Iran attacks against Gulf nations5h ago40 killed in girls' school in Iran after US-Israel attack, state media says6h agoBahrain authorities evacuate people from US base location6h agoAirlines that have cancelled flights to the region6h agoBritish Airways cancels flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain7h agoWhat we know so far7h agoIran's supreme leader and president were targets of attack - reports7h agoAnalysis: Yet another mid-talks attack jeopardises chances of Iran taking Trump seriously7h agoForeign office issues warning to British nationals in region amid attacks7h agoOne person killed in Abu Dhabi, says UAE defence ministry8h agoIran targets US bases in Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain8h agoUS navy fleet 'subject to missile attack' in Bahrain8h agoIran launch missiles at US base in Bahrain - report8h agoGulf countries close airspace8h agoIranian officials 'main target' of US-Israel strikes - reports8h ago'No red lines' in Iran's response to attacks, says official8h agoFlights suspended and airspaces closed in region9h agoWhat we know so far9h agoNetanyahu: Attacks on Iran to remove 'existential threat'9h agoNetanyahu: US-Israel attacks against Iran will allow Iranians to topple Ayatollah regime9h ago'Take over your government', Trump tells Iranian people9h agoIran launched missiles at Israel, says IDF9h agoSchools and workplaces closed in Jerusalem until Monday10h ago'We are going to raze their missile industry to the ground' - Trump10h agoLay down your arms or 'face certain death', Trump tells Revolutionary Guards10h agoUS military has launched 'major combat operations' in Iran - Trump10h agoMobile phone services cut in Iran10h agoBlasts heard in several cities - reports10h agoImages show smoke rising from Tehran10h agoIran closes its airspace10h agoAyatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran11h agoLoud blasts and columns of smoke in Tehran, report AFP journalists11h agoIsrael strikes IranShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureDeath toll rises to 85 after strike on Iranian schoolThe death toll from a strike that hit a school in southern Iran has risen to 85 people, an official said on Iranian state TV.Capt Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said he was “aware of reports” that a girls’ school was struck and they were looking into them.ShareUpdated at 18.21 CETThe White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed the earlier call between Trump and Netanyahu.“President Trump monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team. The President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu by phone,” Leavitt wrote on social media. “Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members.”“The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” she added.ShareUpdated at 18.19 CETIn the run-up to the US and Israeli attacks, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assessed that even if Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the operation, he would probably be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two sources told Reuters.The assessments, which were produced over the past two weeks, looked broadly at what could occur in Iran after a US intervention and the extent to which a military operation could trigger regime change in the Islamic Republic – now a pronounced objective for Washington.The IRGC is an elite military force whose purpose is to protect Shia Muslim clerical rule in Iran.The intelligence agency reports did not conclude any scenario with certainty, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.ShareUpdated at 18.09 CETUS secretary of state Rubio briefed Democratic and Republican 'gang of eight' on strikes, says White HouseHugo LowellThe White House is telling us that the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, called top Democratic and Republican lawmakers who are part of the so-called gang of eight to brief them of the strikes before they commenced.The Pentagon also delivered notifications of the strikes to the House and Senate armed services committees after the operation commenced.But Democrats in Congress have been very vocal this morning criticizing the Trump administration’s decision to plunge the US into a conflict without congressional authorization.Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee who is also part of the Gang of Eight, said in a statement: “Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame.”ShareUpdated at 18.08 CETShrai PopatDemocratic senator Elissa Slotkin said in a statement that the US operation against Iran “doesn’t appear to be a one-and-done”, and offered her thoughts for servicemembers and their families in the region.Slotkin, a Michigan lawmaker, also noted that many of her constituents have family in the Middle East “who are at risk right now as Iran is striking a number of countries”.“As a former CIA officer who served three tours in Iraq, I have no love lost for the Iranian government,” said Slotkin, who sits on the Senate armed services committee. But she underscored that Donald Trump has not “made his case to the American people”.She added: “He hasn’t laid out the goals or the imminent threat posed by Iran that justifies risking a wider regional war. And he hasn’t followed the Constitution and brought this issue before Congress before committing our nation to war.”In the past, leaders including Trump himself have “condemned the rush to war without clear goals in the past,” Slotkin noted.“He owes the American people the same thing he was demanding of previous presidents if he’s going to put lives at risk. And Congress should come back to Washington to debate these issues,” the senator said.SharePjotr SauerThe five-star Fairmont hotel in Dubai was engulfed in flames after what appeared to be an Iranian retaliatory strike.Footage circulating on social media shows the moment an object strikes the luxury hotel, followed by a loud explosion. It was not immediately clear whether the building had been hit by a missile or a drone.Authorities in the UAE emirate of Dubai later confirmed that an incident had occurred at a building in the upscale Palm Jumeirah area. It remains unclear how many casualties there were.Tens of thousands of international tourists are stuck in the UAE, with airports closed since this morning following the start of joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Russia’s tourism authority said that about 50,000 Russian nationals alone were currently in the country.ShareUpdated at 17.42 CETAn official from the European Union’s naval mission Aspides said that vessels have been receiving VHF transmissions from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying “no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz,” Reuters has reported.The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also 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.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.The official said Iran had not formally confirmed any such order. Tehran has for years threatened to block the narrow waterway in retaliation for any attack on the Islamic Republic.ShareUpdated at 17.30 CETThe New York police department says it is strengthening security at sensitive locations around New York City in response to the conflict in Iran.“The NYPD is closely monitoring events in Iran and the Middle East and coordinating with our federal and international partners,” the department wrote on social media. “As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites.”ShareUpdated at 17.22 CETIn pictures: the aftermath of US and Israeli strikes in TehranView image in fullscreenFlames rise in an area in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Photograph: Social Media/ReutersView image in fullscreenPeople gather near burnt vehicles in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Photograph: Social Media/ReutersView image in fullscreenSmoke rises in central Tehran after the Israeli attack. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPAView image in fullscreenHeavy traffic jams in Tehran after an Israeli attack. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPAShareUpdated at 17.13 CETUN security council to hold emergency meetingThe UN Security Council called an emergency meeting after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes by Tehran.The emergency session was requested by the permanent missions of France, Bahrain, China, Russia and Colombia, according to a statement by the permanent mission of Russia to the UN.The session, due to start at 4pm local time (9pm GMT), will address “the situation in the Middle East”, the UN said.ShareUpdated at 17.26 CETNetanyahu and Trump hold phone callThe office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has posted a photo on social media showing him holding a phone call.The post says he was having a conversation with US president Donald Trump. Netanyahu is pictured at a desk with the book Allies at War by Tim Bouverie.View image in fullscreenBenjamin Netanyahu speaks to Donald Trump on the phone, the Israeli prime minister’s office has said. Photograph: x.com/IsraeliPMShareUpdated at 17.32 CETDonna FergusonImagery captured by Airbus shows the compound associated with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran appears to have been heavily damaged or destroyed.The site is widely understood to function as the official residence and administrative compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader.View image in fullscreenDrone footage of the compound associated with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, georeferenced. Photograph: Airbus Defence and SpaceView image in fullscreenDrone footage of the compound associated with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, georeferenced. Photograph: Airbus Defence and SpaceShareIran supreme leader and president still alive, says foreign ministerAbbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, told NBC News that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and president Masoud Pezeshkian were still alive “as far as I know”.“All high ranking officials are alive,” he said. “So everybody is now in its position, and we are handling this situation, and everything is fine.”Israel said earlier today that its strikes targeted the Iranian regime leadership and military commanders, including Khamenei and Pezeshkian. Their whereabouts is unknown but Iranian media reported that Khamenei is due to speak today.ShareMaps: US-Israeli joint military operation in Iran, and Tehran's retaliatory strikesMap of US-Israeli strike targets in Iran, including capital TehranLocations of US air bases in the Middle East targeted by Iranian strikes, including Jordan, Kueait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.ShareRegime change in Iran is 'mission impossible', says Tehran foreign ministerIran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Trump’s goal for regime change in Iran is “mission impossible”.He said Iran is attacking US military facilities in the Middle East region and not “Americans in their land”, but he added that his country was interested in de-escalation and ready to talk once the US-Israeli strikes end.“There is no communication right now,” he said in an interview with NBC News.“But if Americans wants to talk to us. They know how they can contact me. We are certainly interested for de-escalation… This is a war of choice by the United States, and they have to pay for that.“But as far as we are concerned, we don’t want war.”He added that US forces were attacking Iranians “but this is not what we are going to do”.He said: “We are attacking the Americans bases, military bases in the region, and military installations and facilities, and this is only as an act of self-defence.”“We are not the one who starts this aggression,” he added. “It was the United States and Israel who started this aggression. So there is no limit for us to defend ourselves, but once the aggression is stopped, we would also stop our self-defense.”When asked about Trump’s remarks in a recorded speech about regime change in Iran, Araghchi responded:“This is mission impossible. You cannot do regime change while millions of people are supporting the so-called regime,” he said, adding that millions of people across Iran came out in support of the government to mark the recent anniversary of the 1979 revolution.“Yes, there are also people who are complaining, but they are strong supporters of the regime,” he said.ShareUN secretary general António Guterres condemned the US-Israel military action and Iran’s response.In a statement, he said:
double quotation markI call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table.
I reiterate that there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in full accordance with international law, including the UN charter. The charter provides the foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security.
ShareIran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is reportedly going to speak soon, according to Iranian media.We will bring you more as we get it.ShareSummary of developments so far
The US and Israel have launched a joint military operation against Iran, prompting Tehran to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US bases across the Middle East.
Explosions rocked the Iranian capital Tehran, with satellite imagery showing extensive damage at the secure compound of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though his whereabouts remains unclear.
Israel said its strikes targeted the Iranian regime leadership and military commanders, including Khamenei and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iranian state media, citing Iran’s senior officials, reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran and was taken to a secure location, while Pezeshkian is safe.
Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister who has been leading the nuclear talks for the Iranian delegation, promised that Iran’s army “will teach aggressors the lesson they deserve”.
Further explosions were reported in Gulf nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, all of which host US military bases. One person was killed from shrapnel from an Iranian missile in Abu Dhabi, UAE officials said.
Donald Trump described the US military campaign as “massive and ongoing” as he called on the people of Iran to “take over your government”. In a speech posted on Truth Social, he said the US would “raze [Iran’s] missile industry to the ground” and claimed Tehran had refused to reach a deal with the US that would have averted war.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the American-Israeli attack could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands”.
World leaders have urged all sides to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table. The UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s retaliatory attacks on neighbouring countries but it stopped short of complete support for the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said British planes “are in the sky today” in the Middle East “as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.
Vehicles burn in Tehran after US-Israeli strikes – videoShareUpdated at 17.24 CETBritish planes 'in the sky' in Middle East protecting our people, interests and allies, says StarmerSir Keir Starmer has said British planes “are in the sky today” in the Middle East “as part of co-ordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.He added:
double quotation markWe are also reaching out to UK nationals in the region and doing everything we can to support them.
View image in fullscreenKeir Starmer issues a statement at 10 Downing Street in central London. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PAShareUpdated at 15.48 CET
