Airlines that have cancelled flights to the region
Aegean Airlines – flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon and Erbil in Iraq until 2 March.
Air France – cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel and Beirut in Lebanon today.
British Airways – cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until 3 March and its flight to Amman in Jordan today.
Iberia Express – cancelled a flight to Tel Aviv scheduled for today.
Japan Airlines – cancelled a flight today from Tokyo Haneda to Doha in Qatar as well as a return flight on 1 March.
Lufthansa – suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon, and Oman until 7 March and flights to and from Dubai in the UAE this weekend.
Norwegian Air – suspended all flights to and from Dubai until 4 March.
Turkish Airlines – cancelled flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman today and flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until 2 March.
Virgin Atlantic – cancelled its VS400 service from London Heathrow to Dubai today.
Qatar Airways – suspended flights to and from Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
Wizz Air – halted flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman with until 7 March.
Picures: Israelis seek shelter amid Iranian missile strikes
Videos and images filtering out of Iran on public Telegram channels appear to record extensive strikes across the country; with smoke hovering over buildings, the noise of car horns honking, conversation, and occasional cheering, and fires and jets tearing across the sky.
These videos, many of which appear to be from Iranian civilians, suggest there have so far been strikes in Kermanshah, near the border with Iraq, in the city of Minab, Homorzgan province, on the IRGC brigade there, in the city of Bushhehr, on the Persian Gulf, and on Iranian army bases near Chabahar, near the border with Pakistan.
They also appear to indicate extensive strikes on Tehran.
More videos suggest that the military complex in Parchin, which allegedly produces chemical weapons, has been struck. So has a site in Kahrizak, where thousands of protestors were massacred earlier this month, as well as an IRGC base near Mount Damarvand. One more video appears to indicate that the house of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been struck, in downtown Tehran; in the video, crowds of people wander about, filming the low flames.
British Airways cancels flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain
British Airways said it has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv and Bahrain until 3 March because of the US-Israel airstrikes and Iran’s retaliation.
It has also cancelled today’s flights to Amman in Jordan, which has also been reportedly targeted by Iranian strikes.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and have taken the operational decision to cancel our flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain up to and including 03 March and have cancelled today’s service to Amman,” the airline said in a statement.
“Safety is always our top priority, and we’re contacting our customers to advise them of their travel options.”
It comes as Heathrow airport advised passengers to check with their airlines for the status of their flights, as some have been cancelled or delayed “due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East and resulting airspace closures”.
Ben Gurion airport in Israel was still busy at 4am this morning as some of the last flights into Israel touched down. Some flew in almost empty, with pilots simply warning passengers that they would be “updated” if “anything changed” during the flight. But there was no sense that conflict was imminent. The roads were clear. The country apparently calm.
Many in Israel had spent the early morning or even the whole night expecting war and a new round of missile attacks. Just after 10am it became very clear the new conflict was underway as telephone alerts went off everywhere of incoming missiles and sirens sounded. Since, they have barely stopped, and have often been followed by repeated explosions powerful enough to rattle windows. Warplanes have flown low overhead multiple times.
“The war has started, I am running home to my children,” Abbas, a doctor in East Jerusalem, told me. Others were making their way to work, and said they were unconcerned. But traffic and streets quickly cleared as many rushed to public shelters or home. Buses are now lined up in depots, going nowhere for the moment, and the alerts and the explosions keep coming.
What we know so far
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has fired missiles against US military bases in the Gulf in retaliation against the major US-Israel attack on Iran. Explosions were reported in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar. One person has been killed from shrapnel from an Iranian missile in the UAE, officials said.
Explosions shook the Iranian capital Tehran, where people reported seeing smoke rising from the district that includes the presidential palace.
Iran has also launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, with blasts reported in the skies over Jerusalem. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said air defence systems were working to shoot down the “barrage of missiles” launched from Iran.
Israeli officials told media that top Iranian regime and military leaders, including Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and president Masoud Pezeshkian, were targeted in the attacks.
It is believed that Khamenei is not in Tehran and has been taken to a secure location, while Iranian media is reporting that Pezeshkian is safe.
US president Donald Trump has vowed that the “massive and ongoing” campaign against Iran would crush its military, eliminate its nuclear programme and bring about a change in government. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” he said.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “joint operation” against the Iranian government could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands”.
Talks between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear programme ended inconclusively on Friday, with a suggestion that further discussions would be held next week. Trump had said he was “not happy” with the progress of discussions.
Updated
Iran's supreme leader and president were targets of attack - reports
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and president Masoud Pezeshkian were targeted in the US-Israeli strikes, an Israeli official told the Times of Israel.
Other top regime and military commanders were also targeted, the official added, without providing names. The results of the strikes are currently unclear, the official said.
It is believed that Khamenei is not in Tehran and has been taken to a secure location.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Pezeshkian is “in full health”, citing a source close to the presidency.
Iran’s supreme national security council has issued a statement urging citizens to try to leave Tehran and major cities that face an attack. A large exodus fron Tehran occurred during the 10-day war last June with many heading to family in the countryside. It may also be that the authorities are anxious about street protests restarting as calls are being made from the diaspora to relaunch the protests.
The statement reads:
According to information obtained from these two corrupt regimes, their operations will continue in Tehran and some other cities. Therefore, as much as possible, while maintaining calm, travel to other centres and cities if possible to stay safe from the malice of these two regimes.
The government insists it has “prepared all the needs of society, and there is no concern about the supply of public necessities. People should avoid crowding in shopping centres as it may pose risks to them”.
It added: “Schools and universities will be closed until further notice, banks will continue to operate and government offices will operate at 50% capacity.”
Analysis: Yet another mid-talks attack jeopardises chances of Iran taking Trump seriously
The attack mounted jointly by Israel and the US on Iran had been planned for months, but the timing, in the midst of negotiations between Iran and the US, will again raise questions about whether Washington was ever serious about striking a deal with Tehran.
In June last year, Israel, with the US later in tow, launched a 10-day attack on Iran just three days before Iran and the US were due to meet for a sixth set of talks.
So this assault, in the middle of a second negotiation process, must torpedo the chances of the Iranian regime ever taking a US offer of talks seriously. They have been stung twice. As one Iranian Telegram channel put it: “Once again the US attacked while Iran was pursuing diplomacy. Once again diplomacy does not work with the terrorist state of the US.”
Read the full piece here:
Foreign office issues warning to British nationals in region amid attacks
The foreign office has issued a warning to British nationals in the region to seek shelter and stay indoors.
It said: “Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates should immediately shelter in place. Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.”
We pictures from the newswires of the blasts in the Bahraini capital Manama, where the US navy’s fifth fleet is based.
One person killed in Abu Dhabi, says UAE defence ministry
One person has been killed in Abu Dhabi in the UAE after several missiles launched from Iran were intercepted, according to the Emirati defence ministry.
In a statement posted on social media, it said:
The UAE announced that it successfully intercepted a number of Iranian missiles targeting the country. The ministry of defence stated that the United Arab Emirates was subjected to a blatant attack today by Iranian ballistic missiles. The UAE’s air defences responded with high efficiency and successfully intercepted a number of the missiles. The relevant authorities also dealt with debris falling on a residential area in Abu Dhabi, resulting in some material damage and the death of an Asian national.
It continued:
The ministry emphasised that this targeting is a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law, and that the UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its people, and its residents, ensuring the preservation of its sovereignty, security, and stability, and safeguarding its national interests and resources. The ministry affirmed its readiness to address any threats and stated that it is taking all necessary measures to firmly counter anything that aims to undermine the security and stability of the nation. It added that the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors is a paramount priority that cannot be compromised. The ministry urges the public to obtain information from official state sources and to avoid circulating rumours or unreliable information
There are also separate reports of multiple explosions in Dubai.
Iran targets US bases in Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain
The Iranian semi-official Fars news agency has reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have targeted US bases in Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.
According to the news agency, these include:
Al-Udeid air base in Qatar
Al-Salem air base in Kuwait
Al-Dhafra air base in the UAE
The fifth fleet in Bahrain
Qatar’s defense ministry said it intercepted all missiles fired at its territory as blasts were reported in the capital Doha, according to Reuters news agency.
Bahrain has confirmed its territory was targeted by missiles, including at the US navy base.
Updated
Iran’s foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attacks as a violation of the UN charter and calling on all states, especially Islamic states, to condemn America’s aggression firmly and for the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to assume his responsibilities.
The statement said: “At a time when the great test of history has arrived, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired by the great epic heritage of this land and relying on God almighty, with faith in the promise of divine victory and relying on national power, will not hesitate to defend our beloved homeland with all their might.
“History is proof that Iranians have never surrendered to foreign aggression; this time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and will make the aggressors regret their criminal act.”
The ministry said the Iranian people would be proud that they had tried to do all they could to prevent the criminal aggression through diplomacy
“Now is the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military aggression. We have been more prepared for defence than ever before, as we promised.
“All member states of the United Nations, especially regional and Islamic countries, members of the Non-Aligned Movement and all states that feel responsible for international peace and security, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take immediate and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat.”
US navy fleet 'subject to missile attack' in Bahrain
Bahrain has confirmed that the US navy’s fifth fleet in Manama has come under attack.
In a brief statement via the Bahrain News Agency, the country’s national communication centre said: “The service centre of the fifth fleet has been subjected to a missile attack.
”Further details will be provided in due course.
”The public is urged to follow instructions issued by the relevant official authorities and to obtain information from official sources only.”
Iran launch missiles at US base in Bahrain - report
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency has reported that Iran conducted missile attacks on a US base in Bahrain.
The US navy’s fifth fleet headquarters is located in the capital Manama.
Gulf countries close airspace
Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE have closed their airspace after reports of explosions across the region.
So far, there have been reports of explosions in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Manama in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
The UK should resist being drawn into a conflict in the Middle East, a senior Labour MP has said.
Dame Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she did not think the US-Israeli strikes were legal.
She said: “As far as I’m aware, we’re not involved in this. There’s not been British agreement to be involved in this, and I think that’s the right thing to do. I don’t think that there’s a legal basis for for this action.”
She added: “They were not under imminent threat, and so it’s therefore difficult to to see what the legal justification is.”
Asked whether the UK should resist being drawn into the conflict, Dame Emily said: “Absolutely, unless we’re attacked ourselves, which, as I say, unfortunately this morning, we don’t know whether we will be because there may be attacks by the Iranians on Western bases in the Arab Gulf, and so then the situation may change.
“We just don’t know.”
The US strike on Iran revealed Donald Trump’s “true colours”, Dmitry Medvedev said in one of the first reactions from Moscow.
Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s security council and former president, accused Washington of using negotiations with Tehran as a pretext for military action.
“No one was ever really interested in negotiating,” he wrote on Telegram.
The joint US–Israel attack on Iran has put Vladimir Putin in a very tough spot.
Tehran is one of Moscow’s staunchest allies and has supported Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by supplying drones and missiles.
Meanwhile, Iran recently signed an arms agreement with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles to strengthen its air defences.
But despite the risk of losing a key ally, Putin is unlikely to directly confront Trump. The Kremlin leader does not want to alienate him, viewing his support as crucial to increasing pressure on Ukraine to concede to Russia’s demands in the ongoing war with Kyiv.
Iranian officials 'main target' of US-Israel strikes - reports
Iranian officials were the main target of the US-Israel strikes on Iran, sources have told Reuters news agency and the New York Times.
Three Israeli officials familiar with the matter said that if the US and Israel want to kill Iran’s top officials, they had to try and do so in the first wave of strikes, the New York Times reported.
Explosions have now been reported in Kuwait, again another location with multiple US military bases. There are as many as 13,500 US troops stationed in the country, according to some estimates.
Added to the list of airlines cancelling flights after the Iran attacks (see here) is Air France, which has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut today.
Various media are reporting explosions in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, both places where there are US military bases. These reports are yet to be confirmed.
Authorities in Qatar – another location which houses a US military base – have issued mobile phone alerts urging people to stay indoors, according to Al Jazeera. Earlier, the Qatar defence ministry said that an Iranian missile was intercepted by its air defence systems.
Updated
A short while ago, Israel confirmed Iran had launched retaliatory missile attacks. We’re getting images sent to us from Israel now:
'No red lines' in Iran's response to attacks, says official
A senior Iranian official said there would be “no red lines” to the regime’s response to the Israeli and US strikes on Iran.
“We are telling Israel clearly to prepare for what is coming,” the official told Al Jazeera.
“Our response will be public, and there are no red lines… All American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets.”
Flights suspended and airspaces closed in region
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Amman in Jordan, effective immediately until 7 March.
Lufthansa has suspended flights to and from Dubai, Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon and Muscat in Oman this weekend.
KLM has cancelled flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv.
Oman Air has suspended all flights to Iran and Israel.
Kuwait has suspended all flights to Iran until further notice.
Israel has cancelled all civilian flights and closed its airspace.
A former UK national security adviser said US and Israeli strikes against Iran were not “legal in a way that the UK would recognise”.
Lord Peter Ricketts told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “None of this, I think, is in any sense legal in a way that the UK would recognise.
“There was really no imminent threat to the US. This is action that they chose to undertake, or were dragged into it by the Israelis.”
Lord Ricketts added that the Israeli government had “pre-empted any risk that the US-Iranian negotiations were going to reach some sort of deal on the nuclear programme”.
What we know so far
The US has launched “major combat operations” in Iran, designed to eliminate “imminent threats” from the country’s regime, Donald Trump announced on Saturday.
The operation is “massive and ongoing”, the US president said in a video on social media, pledging to use “overwhelming strength and devastating force” to destroy Iranian missiles and ensure it cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks aimed to “remove the existential threat” posed by the Iranian regime, as he urged the people of Iran to topple the government.
A short time beforehand, Israel said it had launched “preventative” strikes on Iran.
Sirens were sounded in Israel as the IDF said Iran had fired a “barrage of missiles” in retaliation.
Explosions were heard in Tehran, the Iranian capital, where smoke could be seen rising on the skyline, and several other cities. Iran has closed its airspace.
“The hour of your freedom is at hand,” Trump told Iranian citizens, urging them to “take over your government” once the operation is over.
Talks between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear programme ended inconclusively on Friday, with a suggestion that further discussions would be held next week. Trump had said he was “not happy” with the progress of discussions.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran, and has been transferred to a secure location, an official told Reuters on Saturday.
Updated
Netanyahu: Attacks on Iran to remove 'existential threat'
Netanyahu said the attacks on Iran were aimed at removing an “existential threat” as he thanked his “great friend” Trump.
He said:
Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran. I thank our great friend, president Donald Trump, for his historic leadership.
Netanyahu: US-Israel attacks against Iran will allow Iranians to topple Ayatollah regime
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a recorded speech to the nation, saying the joint US-Israeli attacks against Iran will allow for the Iranian people to topple the regime and establish a “free, peace-seeking Iran”.
He said:
For 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has cried ‘Death to Israel’, ‘Death to America’. It spilled our blood, murdered many Americans and slaughtered its own people. We must not allow this murderous terrorist regime to arm itself with nuclear weapons that will allow it to endanger all of humanity.
It’s time for all the people of Iran – Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Balochis and Akhvakhs – to shed from themselves the burden of tyranny and bring forth a free and peace-seeking Iran.
Netanyahu said the operation will allow for the Iranian people “to seize their fate”.
The IDF is reporting that Iran is continuing to launch a “barrage of missiles” at Israel.
'Take over your government', Trump tells Iranian people
Trump ended his eight-minute speech on Truth Social by addressing the Iranian people, telling them to “take over your government”.
He said:
Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help. But you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.
Iran launched missiles at Israel, says IDF
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel this morning.
In statement posted on X, it said: “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.
“Sirens were sounded in several areas across the country following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel. At this time, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary to remove the threat.”
The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is issuing a statement, according to Reuters news agency. We shall bring you more when we get it.
Tehran residents had reported two rounds of explosions by 10.30am focussed on the Pasteur area of the capital where the presidential office is situated along with the offices of the national security council. Wounded were being taken away in ambulances
Attacks were also mounted on the offices of the supreme leader and the assembly of experts, the body that chooses the Iranian supreme leader. The aim appeared to be to try to damage the political leadership of Iran. Iranian sources said the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran but in a safe undisclosed location.
No assassination of any official was confirmed, despite rumours that the president, Masud Pezeshkhian, had been targeted.
The headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was also attacked and a significant number of deaths and injuries were being reported.
But explosions were being reported across the country including in Qom, Tabriz Kermanshah Lorestan Khorramabad and Karaj.
Cyber attacks were also underway and Iranian residents reported that the internet was slowing making reporting of what is happening harder.
Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of the parliament’s national security commission, wrote on X: “We warned you, but now you have started down a path that is beyond your control.”
Iranian officials vowed a crushing response and seemed to believe this was the start of a full scale military exchange, and not a limited US action designed to force Iran to change its negotiating position.
Iran has also closed its airspace and issued advice to civilians on how to avoid bombings. It is not clear if the Tehran underground systems will be opened as shelters.
Schools and workplaces closed in Jerusalem until Monday
Authorities in Jerusalem have ordered schools and workplaces to remain shut until Monday with people urged to avoid going out unless they are an essential worker.
The home front command in Jerusalem, a regional district of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responsible for emergencies, said: “There will be no educational activities, no gatherings, and no going to work, except for workers defined as essential. This policy is in effect from Saturday (2/28) at 8am (6am GMT) until Monday (3/2) at 8pm (6pm GMT).”
'We are going to raze their missile industry to the ground' - Trump
Here are some more lines from Trump’s statement on Truth Social.
The United States military has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy. We are going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilise the region or the world, and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs - or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called - to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people including many Americans. And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Updated
Lay down your arms or 'face certain death', Trump tells Revolutionary Guards
In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump has told the Revolutionary Guards to lay down their arms, saying: “You will be treated fairly with total immunity or you will face certain death.”
Trump has accused Iran of developing long-range missiles that threaten the US and others.
He said the US will “raze their missile industry to the ground” and “annihilate their navy”.
Updated
US military has launched 'major combat operations' in Iran - Trump
Trump says the US military has launched “major combat operations” in Iran, saying the country had attempted to rebuild its nuclear programme.
Updated
Sirens sounded across Israel just after 8am on Saturday, waking up anyone who was still asleep, and alerting the population that another war had begun.
Less than a year after Israel’s last war with Iran, which involved ballistic missile strikes on towns and cities across the country, citizens were warned to stay near shelters and be alert to air-raid warnings.
Air space was closed, with civilian flights cancelled and travellers turned away from the main Ben Gurion airport.
Saturday is a quiet day in Israel, when observant Jews avoid using phones and transport, and most shops and businesses are closed, so the disruptions caused by war were less immediately obvious.
But schools and universities will be closed on Sunday and Monday, and the large Sheba medical centre near Tel Aviv announced it would shift patients to underground wards.
Updated
Mobile phone services cut in Iran
Mobile phone services have been cut in Iran after the Israeli attacks, according to a report from Associated Press.
Updated
Blasts heard in several cities - reports
Blasts have been heard in several cities, including the capital, Tehran, and Isfahan in central Iran.
Reuters reports there are long queues at petrol stations in the capital, as many people try to leave. An unnamed Iranian official who spoke to the news agency said several ministries in southern Tehran had been targeted.
Updated
Images show smoke rising from Tehran
Some more photos are coming through of smoke on the Tehran skyline:
Updated
The Iraq transport ministry said on Saturday it has also closed national airspace after Israel launched what its defence minister described as a pre-emptive attack against Iran, the state news agency said.
Updated
Iran closes its airspace
Iran has closed its airspace until further notice, the civil aviation authority has said, according to a report from Agence France-Presse.
Updated
Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights on Saturday after announcing “preventive strikes” on Iran and sounding sirens in Jerusalem.
“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.
Reports are emerging that the US is involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran’s capital.
Associated Press reported that a US official and a person familiar with the operation said the US is participating in the Israeli strikes. They spoke on condition of anonymity, AP said.
Reuters has also cited an unnamed Israeli defence official as saying the Israeli operation in Iran was coordinated with the US.
The Guardian has been unable to confirm this.
Updated
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is not in Tehran and has been transferred to a secure location, an official told Reuters on Saturday.
Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran on Saturday, with multiple explosions reported in Tehran.
Updated
Loud blasts and columns of smoke in Tehran, report AFP journalists
Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on Saturday morning by Agence France-Presse journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.
“The type of explosions suggests that this is a missile attack,” the Fars news agency reported, without immediately providing further details.
Updated
Israel strikes Iran
Israel says it has launched a “preventative” strike on Iran and is preparing for retaliation.
On Friday, Donald Trump said he had not made a final decision on whether to launch US strikes on Iran, but added he was “not happy” with the situation, and that military force, including regime change, remained an option.
Talks between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear programme ended inconclusively, with a suggestion that further discussions would be held next week.
It comes amid a large buildup of US naval forces in the Middle East, including repositioning aircraft carriers and other warships.
Trump had previously given Tehran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to make a deal to resolve their longstanding nuclear dispute or face “really bad things”.
It came as Iran accused the US of spreading “big lies” about its missiles programme, after Trump claimed Tehran was building weapons that could strike the US.
During his State of the Union speech, the US president said Iran has “already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach” the US.
He described Iran as “the world’s number one sponsor of terror” and claimed at least 32,000 protesters were killed during recent unrest in the country.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, rejected those claims, without mentioning Trump directly. “Whatever they’re alleging in regards to Iran’s nuclear programme, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest, is simply the repetition of ‘big lies’,” he posted on X.
Updated
Key event
We are starting our live coverage as Israel says it has launched a strike on Iran. We’ll keep you abreast of developments as they happen.
Updated
