Mideast on cusp of wider war
Smoke rises from a building in Tehran. Photo: Reuters
The United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, targeting its top leaders and calling for the overthrow of its government, while Iran responded with missiles fired at Israel and neighbouring Gulf countries.
Iran's Al-Alam television said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — yet to be heard from by Saturday evening — was due to give a speech soon.
The statement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there were "many signs" Khamenei was dead.
The United States believes Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and five to 10 top Iranian leaders were killed in an initial Israeli strike, a Fox News reporter said on Saturday, citing a US official.
Iranian authorities urged residents to evacuate the capital, a city of 10 million, while the country's Red Crescent society said that at least 201 people had been killed in the strikes and more than 700 wounded.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said that a first wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks had been launched against Israel and US installations in the region.
President Donald Trump, who in the biggest foreign-policy gamble of his presidency launched the war against a foe Washington has jousted with for generations, said the strikes were aimed at ending a security threat and ensuring Iran could not develop a nuclear weapon.
He called on Iranian security forces to lay down their weapons and invited Iranians to topple their government once the bombing ended.
Tehran called the strikes unprovoked and illegal and said it considers all US and Israeli bases, facilities, and assets in the region to be "legitimate military objectives".
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter called on the 15-member Council to "take immediate action in response to this breach of international peace and security".
Meanwhile, the UAE reported one civilian dead and damage from missiles in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as blasts from Tehran's retaliatory salvo and air defences intercepting it also echoed over Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait.
"This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran... and there are many signs that this tyrant is no longer alive," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
Cheers could be heard on Tehran's streets after reports of the death, according to witnesses.
Plumes of black smoke had been seen over Tehran's Pasteur district, where Khamenei usually resides, with Israel's Channel 12 network reporting 30 bombs were dropped on the compound.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier told NBC News that Khamenei was alive "as far as I know", adding that "all high-ranking officials are alive".
Also asked about Khamenei's health, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei told the BBC he was "not in a situation to confirm anything", but "the whole system, the whole nation is focused on defending (our) national integrity".
In a sign that the fighting was far from over, Netanyahu said "thousands" of targets would be hit over the coming days, while Iran's top security official vowed a fierce reprisal.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had begun striking targets at 1:15 a.m. ET (0615 GMT) "to dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus", it said in a post on X.
It said the targets included the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
"Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks," CENTCOM said.
Israel's military said its pilots had hit hundreds of targets throughout Iran, including strategic defence systems already damaged in strikes last year.
It said three sites where leaders had been meeting were struck simultaneously, and several senior figures were killed.
Following US and Israeli strikes, Iran retaliated with attacks across the Middle East, targeting Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait — locations with US military bases or allied to the United States — and other areas
Explosions were reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
Bahrain said the service centre of the US Fifth Fleet had been subjected to a missile attack. Video footage from witnesses in Bahrain showed a thick grey plume of smoke rising from near the small island state's coastline as sirens wailed.
At least half a dozen witnesses, including Reuters correspondents, heard loud booms in various parts of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, a major oil producer and close US ally.
Qatar said it had downed all missiles targeting the country, according to the state news agency. A Qatari official told AFP that defence systems intercepted an Iranian missile as warning sirens sounded across the Gulf state.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Qatar's US-made Patriot interceptors downed the missile. Qatar hosts the Al-Udeid military base, the largest U.S. military facility in the region.
Meanwhile, The UAE said one person was killed by falling shrapnel following the Iranian missile attack.
The United Arab Emirates said it was targeted on Saturday by what it described as a "blatant attack" involving Iranian ballistic missiles, adding that its air defence systems intercepted a number of them.
The Defence Ministry said debris fell in a residential area of Abu Dhabi, causing material damage and killing one person of Asian nationality.
Authorities said the security situation was under control and that all relevant agencies were monitoring developments around the clock.
The ministry strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "dangerous escalation" and a "cowardly act" that threatens civilian safety and regional stability. It said the strike was a clear violation of the UAE's sovereignty and international law.
The UAE reserved "its full right to respond" and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, people and national interests. It added that it was fully prepared to deal with any threats and that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors remained a top priority.
The ministry urged the public to rely on official sources for information and avoid spreading rumours.
In Israel, a series of explosions was heard and air raid sirens sounded over Jerusalem after Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran earlier in the day. The Israeli military had said it identified a barrage of missiles launched from Iran.
Explosions were also heard near Iran's Kharg Island. Iran exports about 90% of its crude oil via Kharg, shipping it through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported explosions in Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah. Blasts were also heard in the northwestern city of Tabriz, according to Fars news agency.
Iran's Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour are believed to have been killed in Israeli attacks, two sources familiar with Israel's military operations and one regional source said.
A source told Reuters that Iranian officials were the main target of the first wave of US-Israeli strikes.
Iran's senior officials are "in perfect health", including President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and security chief Ali Larijani, the Fars news agency reported on Saturday.
"While Israeli sources have claimed to have targeted and succeeded in attacking the president and senior Iranian leaders, official sources within the country report that senior regime officials, including the heads of the armed forces, are in perfect health," the report said.
The attacks come as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program had been ongoing under Oman's mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.
The joint strikes pushed the Middle East into renewed military confrontatioaragn and further dimmed hopes for a diplomatic solution to the West's long-standing effort to denuclearise Iran, despite Tehran's repeated assertions that it will not pursue nuclear weapons.
Israeli Defence officials state that this operation was planned months ago, with the launch date decided some weeks prior. They added that this attack was coordinated with the US, and the US has planned "several days of attacks" against Iran.