Iran has been hit by a large-scale attack launched by the US and Israel, according to statements from President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The compound of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly destroyed in the strike, with Netanyahu stating there were many signs that Khamenei was "gone". However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Khamenei was alive "as far as I know".
The attack began shortly after 09:30 local time on Saturday, with explosions reported in the capital, Tehran, and several other cities across the country, including Karaj, Isfahan, and Qom.
Police Response and Timeline
Iran responded to the attack by launching missiles towards Israel and four Gulf Arab countries which host US military bases: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE.
Videos circulating on social media showed people running in panic near sites of explosions, with the sound of screams and crying heard in the background.
Casualties and Damage
A spokesman for the Iranian Red Crescent told local media that 24 of Iran's 31 provinces had been hit in US and Israeli strikes, resulting in 201 deaths and 747 injuries across the country as of 20:45 local time.
State media reported that at least 85 people had been killed in an Israeli strike on a primary school for girls in Minab, Hormozgan province, although this has not been verified by the BBC.
Official Statements
President Trump posted a video on Truth Social confirming US involvement in the strikes, stating the objective was "to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump and reiterated his message that Iran "must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity".
International Response
The European Union's naval mission in the region, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, said that the IRGC had sent radio messages to vessels warning that "no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz" in the Gulf.
US Central Command said that its forces had "successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks" on Saturday, with no US casualties or combat-related injuries reported.
Major airlines have diverted or cancelled flights to the Middle East, citing safety concerns, and several countries in the region have closed their airspace as a precaution.
