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Two Israeli television networks reported that Iran’s surpeme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday.
“Ali Khamenei is dead,” reported public broadcaster Kan on its X account. Channel 12, citing a source, said, “Khamenei is dead.”
In addition to Khamenei, Israeli media reported that a number of senior political and military figures were killed, including Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the Supreme Leader; Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s ground forces; Aziz Nasirzadeh, the defense minister; Abdolrahim Mousavi, the armed forces’ chief of staff; and Saleh Asadi, head of military intelligence. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian survived.
US President Donald Trump said that he believes multiple reports that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in air strikes are true — but stopped short of directly confirming the news. “We feel that that is a correct story,” he was quoted as saying by NBC News.
However, there has been no independent confirmation of these reports.
U.S. and Israel Strikes on Iran, Marking a Major Escalation
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the US began “major combat operations in Iran” a short time ago.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump says in a video statement posted on his Truth Social account.
Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on Saturday morning, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the center and east of the Iranian capital. Multiple U.S. media outlets, citing American officials, reported that Washington had begun strikes on Iran in a joint operation with Israel, which said it had also carried out strikes and closed its airspace.
“The State of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran. Defense Minister Israel Katz has declared a special and immediate state of emergency throughout the country,” read a statement from his ministry.
Israeli strikes on Iran were targeting “regime and military sites including ballistic missiles”, the Kan public broadcaster reported, citing an Israeli official.
“Israeli official: Regime targets and military sites are being attacked — including ballistic missiles,” appeared on the ticker of the Kan 11 television channel.
The latest detonations were heard in the central city of Isfahan, the holy city of Qom, Karaj, as well as Kermanshah in the country’s west, the news agency said.
Following the strikes, Iraq closed its airspace and the US embassies in Qatar and Bahrain issued shelter-in-place order for personnel. (AFP)
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Netanyahu: US, Israel Launched Operation on Iran to Remove ‘Existential Threat’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel and the United States had launched an operation against Iran to “remove the existential threat”, calling on Iranians to stand up to their government.
“My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short while ago Israel and the United States launched an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
“Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Netanyahu added. “The time has come for all the people of Iran… to cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peace-seeking Iran.”
He asserted that Iran must not be allowed to gain nuclear arms and urged Israelis to “stand together” after Israel and the United States launched strikes against the Islamic republic on Saturday.
“This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. “Together we will stand, together we will fight and together we will ensure the eternity of Israel,” he added. (AFP)
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Heavy Security Presence and Road Closures Around the Iranian Supreme Leader’s Residence in Tehran
Security forces deployed heavily in Tehran on Saturday, closing streets around the residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following Israeli and American strikes, according to an AFP correspondent.
Smoke rose from the Pasteur district in the center of the capital, where the Supreme Leader’s residence and the presidential palace are located. Residents told AFP they heard three explosions in the area.
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Israel Army Says Identified Missiles Launched from Iran
The Israeli military said it detected missiles launched from Iran on Saturday as sirens sounded across several parts of the country, after Israel earlier launched strikes on its arch-foe.
“A short while ago, sirens were sounded in several areas across the country following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military said in a statement.
A cellphone message was sent to members of the public urging them to seek shelter.
The Israeli military said it had identified an additional barrage of missiles launched towards Israel, after it announced it was striking targets in Iran.
“An additional barrage of missiles was launched towards the State of Israel,” the military said.
“The public is requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command. The public is requested to stay in protected spaces until official notice.”
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Iran Guards Say Wave of Missile, Drone Attacks Launched at Israel
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday said a first wave of missile and drone attacks had been launched at Israel, after the United States and Israel had struck Iran.
“The first wave of widespread missile and drone attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the occupied territories has begun,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement, referring to Israel.
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Qatar ‘Secure’ But Monitoring Closely After Iran Strikes
Qatar remains secure after US and Israeli attacks on neighboring Iran but is monitoring developments closely, the interior ministry said on Saturday.
“The situation inside the State of Qatar is stable and secure, and there are currently no indications of concern at the level of internal security,” a statement said.
Qatari defense systems on Saturday intercepted an Iranian missile, an official told AFP, as warning sirens sounded in the Gulf state.
Qatar’s US-made Patriot interceptors downed an Iranian missile, the official said on condition of anonymity after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
Qatar hosts the Al-Udeid military base, the largest US military facility in the region.
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UAE Announces Successful Interception of Several Iranian Missiles
The Ministry of Defense announced that the UAE today was subjected to a blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles, noting that UAE air defense systems dealt with the missiles with high efficiency and successfully intercepted a number of missiles. Authorities in the UAE also handled the fall of some missile debris in a residential area which resulted in some material damage.
The fallen debris also resulted in one civilian death of an Asian nationality. The authorities confirmed that the security situation in the UAE remains stable and that all concerned entities are monitoring developments around the clock.
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Israeli Army Begins ‘Large-Scale’ Boosting of Forces Across Israel
The Israeli military said on Saturday it had begun a “large-scale” reinforcement of forces across all sectors and regions, after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran.
“The Operations Directorate has begun a large-scale reinforcement of ground forces across all sectors and regional commands, as well as the reinforcement and deployment of special forces, as part of strengthening readiness for various offensive and defensive scenarios,” the military said in a statement.
“In addition, significant reinforcements will be carried out in the Air Force and Navy, alongside the bolstering of all firepower arrays,” it added.
The army also warned Iranians in or near military infrastructure across Iran to evacuate on Saturday, after announcing it was conducting a “broad strike” on multiple military targets.
“To all individuals who are inside or in the vicinity of military weapons production factories and military infrastructure facilities across Iran: You are located near weapons and military facilities that are considered dangerous,” the army said on its Farsi X account.
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Iran Will ‘Respond Decisively’ to US, Israel Strikes: Foreign Ministry
Iran said on Saturday it will “respond decisively” after Israel and the United States launched strikes on the country despite talks underway on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“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.
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Gulf States and Jordan Intercept Iranian Missiles in Their Airspace
The Gulf States, Iraq, Syria and Jordan announced on Saturday that they intercepted Iranian missiles in their airspace.
Kuwait’s Chief of Staff said in a statement that “air defense systems engaged incoming missiles detected in the airspace”.
“The Ministry of Defense announced that the United Arab Emirates was subjected today to a blatant attack by Iranian ballistic missiles. The UAE’s air defenses responded with high efficiency and successfully intercepted a number of the missiles,” UAE’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
AFP correspondents in the Saudi capital Riyadh heard loud explosions on Saturday, after Qatar and a US base in Bahrain were struck.
Two correspondents in Riyadh said they heard a loud bang and several explosions, after Iran vowed retaliation following US and Israeli attacks.
Jordan’s armed forces on Saturday shot down two ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom’s territory, a military official said.
“They were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defence systems,” the official said.
Several explosions were heard near the United States consulate in Erbil in northern Iraq, AFP journalists said.
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Russia Urges Citizens to Quit Iran Because of US, Israeli ‘Aggression’
Moscow’s embassy in Tehran on Saturday condemned the “aggression of the United States and Israel” towards Iran, urging Russians to leave the Islamic republic if they could.
“We strongly recommend that Russian citizens and their compatriots residing in Iran leave the country if they have the possibility to do so,” the embassy said in a statement, urging those staying behind “to be vigilant” and not approach “military and government facilities”. (AFP)
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Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei Targeted in US-Israeli Strikes
The joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran on Saturday targeted the Islamic republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Masoud Pezeshkian, Israel’s public broadcaster reported.
“Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the targets of the attack,” Kan reported on its X account, citing an Israeli source. (AFP)
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Iran Guards Targeted US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, after the Gulf state said the American base had been hit by a missile attack, according to a statement carried by local media.
“The IRGC’s missiles and drones have struck the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and other American bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as military and security centers in the heart of the occupied territories, with severe blows,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency.
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Israel Army Says Reports of Fallen Projectiles in Several Areas
The Israeli military deployed search and rescue teams to multiple locations across the country following reports of fallen projectiles after Iran launched missiles toward Israel on Saturday.
“Search and rescue forces are operating in several locations across the country where reports of fallen projectiles were received. The public is requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command,” the military said.
Iraqi Pro-Iran Group Threatens Imminent Attacks on US Bases
Iraq’s powerful pro-Iran group Kataeb Hezbollah warned Saturday it will start imminent attacks on US bases after air strikes hit an Iraqi military base housing the group.
“We will soon begin attacking American bases in response to their aggression,” the group said in a statement.
Two fighters were killed Saturday in air strikes that hit the Jurf al-Sakher base, also known as Jurf al-Nasr, in southern Iraq.
Moscow: Attacks on Iran ‘Dangerous’, Could Spark ‘Catastrophe’
Russia on Saturday condemned US and Israeli strikes on Iran as a “dangerous adventure” that could spark “catastrophe” in the region.
“Washington and Tel-Aviv have once again embarked on a dangerous adventure that is rapidly bringing the region to the brink of a humanitarian, economic, and — this cannot be ruled out —- radiological catastrophe,” the foreign ministry said.
“The aggressors’ intentions are clear and openly declared: to destroy the constitutional order and overthrow the government of a state they find undesirable, which has refused to submit to the diktat of force and hegemonism,” it added.
Israeli Strikes Hit School in Southern Iran, Kill 24 Students
Israeli strikes hit a school in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan near the strategic sea route of the Strait of Hormuz, killing 24 students, a provincial official said, according to state media.
“The number of students killed at Shajare Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Hormozgan has reached 24,” the county governor said, according to state television, after another provincial official said the deaths were due to Israeli strikes.
Israel Army Hit ‘Hundreds of Iranian Military Targets’
The Israeli army said it was continuing to strike military targets in Iran on Saturday, including missile launchers in the west of the country.
The army struck “hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran”, it said in a statement, adding that it was also “identifying and intercepting threats fired from Iran toward the State of Israel”.
An Israeli security source said that strikes on Iran would continue for “as long as we need”, after the US and Israel began targeting military and ballistic missile sites in the Islamic republic on Saturday.
“We will continue our operations right now, as long as we need to, to ensure that the Iranian regime cannot restore those capabilities to the region and the broader international stability,” the source told journalists, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Bahrain Says Evacuating Manama Neighborhood After Missile Attack
Bahrain said it was evacuating people from a neighborhood housing the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet after it was targeted by Iranian missiles on Saturday.
“The Ministry of Interior has begun evacuating citizens and residents in the Juffair area. We urge your cooperation with the relevant authorities,” the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
UAE Intercepts New Wave of Iranian Missiles
The Ministry of Defense announced that UAE air defenses successfully intercepted a new wave of Iranian missiles launched towards the country. The ministry confirmed the threat was handled with high efficiency, resulting in no damage.
The Ministry said that debris from the intercepted missiles fell in various areas of Abu Dhabi.
The Ministry stressed that this targeting constitutes a blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law, and affirmed that it reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to protect the State territory and citizens, in a manner that ensures the preservation of the UAE’s sovereignty, security, and stability.
US-led Coalition Intercepts Drones, Missiles Over Iraq’s Erbil
The US-led coalition in Iraq on Saturday downed several missiles and explosive-laden drones over the city of Erbil, Kurdish security forces said.
“The international coalition forces successfully intercepted and downed several missiles and explosive-laden drones over Erbil,” counter-terrorism forces in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region said in a statement.
No casualties or material damage were reported.
Missile in South Syria Kills Four: State Media
A missile killed four people when it struck a building in southern Syria on Saturday, state media reported, after a US-Israeli attack on Iran sparked a response from Tehran.
Quoting the media directorate in Sweida, the official SANA news agency reported that “four people were killed and a number of people were injured as a result of a missile explosion in the industrial area inside the city of Sweida”.
The state media report did not specify where the missile had originated, after a previous report said it had been fired from Iran.
Hamas Condemns US-Israel ‘Aggression’ Against Iran
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which fought a deadly war with Israel for two years, condemned on Saturday the ongoing Israeli and US strikes on its backer Iran.
“The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemns in the strongest terms the Zionist-American aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and affirms that this Zionist-American aggression constitutes a direct assault on the entire region and an attack on its security, stability and sovereignty,” Hamas said in a statement.
Israel Army Targets Several Meetings of Senior Iranian Officials in Tehran
The Israeli military said it targeted multiple sites where senior Iranian officials had gathered in the capital Tehran on Saturday morning, as it launched strikes against its arch-foe.
“The attack this morning was carried out simultaneously at several sites in Tehran, where senior officials in Iran’s political-security echelon had gathered,” the military said in a statement posted on X, without confirming the results.
France Seeks UN Security Council Meeting on Iran-US Conflict
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, saying the escalation “must stop”.
“France is calling for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council,” Macron wrote on X.
“The ongoing escalation is dangerous for everyone. It must stop,” he added, warning that the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel and Iran carries “grave consequences for international peace and security”.
Mediator Oman Urges US to Pull Back from Iran Conflict
Oman’s foreign minister, who had been mediating US-Iran talks, lamented on Saturday a wave of US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic, and urged Washington to avoid getting “sucked in further” into a war that is not theirs.
“I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined,” Badr Albusaidi said in a statement on X.
“I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war,” he added.
Iran FM: All Sites Involved in Israel-US Operation ‘Legitimate Targets’
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday all sites involved in the Israeli and US strikes on Iran were “legitimate targets” for the Islamic republic’s armed forces.
“The Iranian armed forces consider as legitimate targets the sites from which the US and Zionist operations were carried out as well as the sites of all actions against Iran’s defensive operations,” Araghchi said on Iranian TV.
