The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday, President Donald Trump and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed.
In a video statement, Trump said that the US had begun “major combat operations” in Iran.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” he added.
Trump accused Iran of developing long‑range missiles that “threaten” the US and its allies. “Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear programme. We will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The Pentagon said that US strikes against Iran were named "Operation Epic Fury".
“The State of Israel launched a pre‑emptive attack against Iran to eliminate threats to the State of Israel,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said.
Five people have been killed following an Israeli strike on an elementary school in Iran, Al Jazeera reported, citing the country’s official IRNA news agency. The report stated that the attack targeted a girls’ elementary school in Minab, a city in Hormozgan province in southern Iran, resulting in the deaths of five students.
Israel’s military reported that air‑raid sirens were sounded across the country “to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched towards Israel” in retaliation.
Several explosions were heard in multiple cities in Iran following blasts in the capital, Tehran, the Fars news agency reported.
Explosions were reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday, Iranian media reported. After the strikes, the Israeli military announced the closure of its airspace to civilian flights and a "prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces".
An Israeli official said that the US and Israel targeted Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian with their attacks, but the results of the strikes were unclear. The official did not provide additional details.
A source told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been transferred to a secure location. Internet service in Iran has been suspended.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it has launched the first wave of missile and drone attacks against in response to the attacks, Reuters reported, citing Tasnim news agency.
"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said and added that defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.
"In the past few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas."
Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights the airport's authority said.
"Following the security developments, the Minister of Transportation has ordered the Director of the Israel Civil Aviation Authority to close the airspace of the State of Israel to civilian flights," the minister, Miri Regev, announced.
"The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond decisively to the aggressors," a foreign ministry said in a statement, insisting Iran had done "everything necessary to prevent war".
"Just as we were ready for negotiations, we are now more prepared than ever to defend the Iranian nation," it said.
Iran's Fars news agency has said that the IRGC has targeted multiple US bases in Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain.
Loud explosions have been heard in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, reported AFP correspondents.
The Iraqi transport ministry also announced the closure of its national airspace. Meanwhile, the US embassies in Qatar and Bahrain told their staff to seek shelter on Saturday and advised US citizens to do the same.
The embassies said in two separate statements they were "implementing a shelter-in-place for all personnel. We recommend all Americans do the same until further notice," and urged US citizens to "find a secure location within your residence or another safe building".
Separately, Pakistan's Foreign Office advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran to ensure their safety and security.
"For their safety and security, Pakistani nationals are advised to avoid all non-mandatory travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran," the FO said in a statement.
Pakistani nationals currently residing in Iran have been advised to exercise caution, remain vigilant, minimise non-essential travel, and stay in regular contact with the Pakistani Missions.
The attack, coming after Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day air war in June, follows repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran pressed ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
The US and Iran renewed negotiations in February in a bid to resolve the decades-long dispute through diplomacy and avert the threat of a military confrontation that could destabilise the region.
Israel, however, insisted that any US deal with Iran must include the dismantling of Tehran's nuclear infrastructure, not just stopping the enrichment process, and lobbied Washington to include restrictions on Iran's missile programme in the talks.
Iran said it was prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions but ruled out linking the issue to missiles.
Tehran also said it would defend itself against any attack.
It warned neighbouring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington struck Iran.
In June, the US joined an Israeli military campaign against Iranian nuclear installations, in the most direct American military action ever against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran retaliated by launching missiles toward the US Al Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest in the Middle East.
Western powers have warned that Iran's ballistic missile project threatens regional stability and could deliver nuclear weapons if developed. Tehran denies seeking atomic bombs.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
