Israel launched a daylight attack on Tehran on Saturday, with a column of smoke seen over the city and the first apparent strike reported near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israeli officials said targets included elements of Iran’s military, government symbols and intelligence sites. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the action was intended “to remove threats.” Sirens sounded across Israel as the country closed its airspace and issued alerts preparing the public for possible incoming missiles.
Iran responded with widespread missile strikes that Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said hit “all Israel and US bases in the region.” Iranian missiles and projectiles were reported to have targeted multiple Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. Gulf countries temporarily closed airspace and activated air defenses; Qatar and Kuwait reported intercepting incoming missiles.
The UAE said one person was killed in Abu Dhabi after shrapnel from intercepted missiles struck the capital, and state media reported the casualty. Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, while Qatar reported blasts in Doha and said it had downed missiles aimed at the country. Explosions and loud bangs were also reported in parts of Iran, including Dezful, Kharg Island, Bushehr and Minab, and witnesses reported blasts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Iranian state media said five students were killed in southern Iran after what it described as Israeli-U.S. airstrikes in Minab, in Hormozgan province, where an IRGC base is located. There has been no detailed public confirmation from U.S. or Israeli officials about the specific strikes inside Iran that Iran cited.
The U.S. said it was participating in strikes on Iran; President Donald Trump described the operations as “major combat operations” aimed at destroying Iranian missiles and crippling its naval capabilities. The Pentagon announced the campaign under the name “Operation Epic Fury.” Trump warned of possible U.S. casualties and urged members of the IRGC to lay down arms, offering immunity to those who did so.
Regional repercussions began immediately. The U.S. Mission in the UAE told embassy and consulate staff to shelter in place. Airlines including Air India and IndiGo suspended flights to the Middle East and diverted or canceled services as airspace closures and security risks spread. India and other countries issued advisories urging nationals in the region to stay indoors and exercise caution.
Iraq reported airstrikes that killed one person and wounded three at a Hashd Shaabi (PMF) headquarters south of Baghdad. Iran closed its entire airspace, and Iraq and Israel also halted air traffic temporarily. Lebanon’s prime minister warned against dragging the country into regional confrontations, while Iran’s foreign ministry said the nation would “not hesitate” to respond to attacks and declared the time had come to defend the homeland.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they planned to resume missile and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and on Israel in solidarity with Iran. The developments raised fears of a wider regional conflagration involving state and non-state actors across the Gulf and Red Sea corridors.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint operation with the U.S. would “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” framing the strikes as targeting Iran’s regime and its nuclear and missile ambitions.
Amid the fighting, Iran’s supreme leader was reported to have been moved from Tehran to a secure location. Multiple governments and international bodies monitored the situation closely as the attacks and retaliatory strikes unfolded across the Middle East. With inputs from agencies.
