BREAKING NEWS: U.S. and Israel launch strikes on Iran amid push to weaken leadership

The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday, targeting senior leadership and key military infrastructure, while Iran responded with missile attacks aimed at Israel and neighboring Gulf countries.

President Donald Trump, in what analysts described as the most significant foreign-policy escalation of his presidency, said the operation was intended to eliminate security threats and prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He urged Iranian security forces to surrender and called on citizens to overthrow their government once the bombing campaign ended.

Tehran condemned the strikes as unprovoked and illegal. The attacks began in the morning and hit multiple locations across the country. Iran’s Al-Alam television reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who had not yet spoken publicly by Saturday evening — was expected to deliver a speech.

Iran retaliated by launching missiles toward Israel and several Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military bases. Airlines suspended or rerouted flights across the Middle East amid rising security concerns. Iranian authorities also warned that the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil transit route carrying roughly one-fifth of worldwide consumption — had been closed, prompting expectations of a sharp rise in oil prices.

Iranian officials vowed further retaliation. A senior Revolutionary Guards commander, Ebrahim Jabbari, said the country had so far used only “scrap missiles” and would soon deploy previously unseen weapons, according to state television.

The United Nations Security Council was scheduled to convene in New York on Saturday, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate halt to hostilities.

Israel’s military said its air force struck hundreds of targets throughout Iran, including strategic defense systems previously damaged in earlier operations. It also said three sites where leaders had been meeting were struck simultaneously, resulting in the deaths of several senior figures.

According to three sources familiar with the matter, Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour were killed in the attacks. Explosions were also reported in oil-producing Gulf states, which said they intercepted incoming missiles after Tehran warned it would target the region if attacked.

The Pentagon named the opening phase of the campaign “OPERATION EPIC FURY,” with initial strikes reportedly focused on senior Iranian officials. An Israeli official said both Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were targeted, though the outcome remained unclear. Reuters earlier reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been moved to a secure location.

An Iranian source close to the government said multiple senior Revolutionary Guards commanders and political officials had been killed. State media also reported that a girls’ primary school in Minab was struck, killing 85 people, though Reuters said it could not independently verify the claim. Israel’s military did not immediately comment.

TRUMP SAYS ‘BOMBS WILL BE DROPPING EVERYWHERE’

In a video message posted on social media, Trump referenced decades of U.S.–Iran tensions dating back to the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. He said the operation aimed at “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”

He urged civilians to seek shelter, warning that “bombs will be dropping everywhere.” He added: “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint operation “will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands” and “remove the yoke of tyranny.”

Iran’s leadership had already faced significant domestic pressure following mass anti-government protests earlier this year, which were met with a crackdown that reportedly killed thousands — the deadliest unrest since the 1979 revolution. Demonstrations had resumed in recent days to commemorate those killed.

Israeli military campaigns over the past two years have weakened several Iranian proxy forces and eliminated senior commanders. Following a 12-day air war last June involving both Israel and the United States, both countries warned they would strike again if Iran advanced its nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Those warnings were reinforced by a recent U.S. military buildup in the region, even as nuclear negotiations continued.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said joint battle plans had been developed in close coordination with U.S. military leadership over recent months, and an Israeli defense official said the operation’s launch date had been decided weeks earlier.

MISSILES FIRED AT ARAB GULF STATES

Energy markets closely monitored the escalation amid concerns over supply disruptions. “If we don’t see signs of de-escalation over the weekend, risk premiums could still drive Brent up” by $10–$20 per barrel when markets reopen on Monday, said Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy.

Iran, OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, supplies roughly 4% of global oil output, with a much larger volume shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said all U.S. bases and interests in the region were within range and warned that retaliation would continue until “the enemy is decisively defeated.”

In Israel, air-raid sirens and mobile alerts sent residents rushing to shelters as missile barrages were launched. No immediate reports of major casualties were released.

Explosions were reported in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where one hotel district was reportedly hit. Nada AlGarhy, 30, said she and her husband were dining at the Waldorf Astoria on Dubai’s Palm development for Iftar when they heard a loud explosion.

Bahrain said a missile struck near the service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, while video footage showed smoke rising near the coastline. Qatar reported that it intercepted all incoming missiles targeting the country and said it reserved the right to respond. Kuwait also confirmed a missile attack on a U.S. military base.