The Latest: US and Israel attack Iran as Trump says US begins ‘major combat operations’
The United States and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.
President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the U.S. had begun “major combat operations in Iran.” He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach U.S.
Here’s the latest:
Bahrain condemns Iranian attack on US fleet
Bahrain’s ambassador in the U.S. says attacks occurred against “sites within the Kingdom,” without giving further details. Writing on X, Abdalla Al-Khalifa said the attacks were a “blatant violation of sovereignty.”
Iran has apparently attacked the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks in Tehran. The Bahraini diplomat said that Bahrain “reserves the right to respond” to attack on its territory.
Qatar Airways suspends flights
Qatar Airways says it is temporarily suspending flights at its Doha hub because of the closure of the Gulf nation’s airspace.
The airline says it is working with local authorities to support passengers affected by the stoppage, and that it expects delays once flights eventually resume. It did not predict when that might be.
Government-owned Qatar Airways is one of the Middle East’s largest airlines, funneling tens of millions of mostly long-haul passengers through Qatar to destinations on six continents.
Iranian missile shrapnel kills 1 in UAE
Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed one person Saturday, authorities in Dubai said.
The state-run WAM news agency reported the fatality, the first known in the Iranian counterattack after the United States and Israel launched a major airstrike campaign targeting Iran.
Attacks on Iran risk wider war and higher energy prices
Within hours of the joint U.S. and Israeli strike in Iran, Ali Vaez, who directs the Iran Project at the Crisis Group think tank, warned that the war could likely escalate.
Vaez on social media stressed that Iran had been preparing for the conflict and that wider war could break out across the Middle East.
He also stressed that the war could lead to higher energy costs, which would undercut one of Trump’s domestic political messages that gasoline prices have been lower since his return to the White House.
“Iran sits along the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes,” Vaez posted. “Even limited disruption could spike energy prices, fuel inflation, and rattle global markets.”
EU calls Iran a threat to global security
The European Union’s top diplomat called the conflict in the Middle East “perilous” and said she was working with Israel and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.
“Iran’s regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, along with support for terror groups, pose a serious threat to global security,” said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc, in a post on social media.
She said the EU was evacuating some staff in the region and keeping in place a maritime mission in the Red Sea.
The EU recently put fresh sanctions on Iran and leading figures, prompting retaliatory sanctions by Tehran.
Turkish Airlines suspends flights
Turkish Airlines says it is suspending flights to multiple Middle Eastern countries. Flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan will be suspended till March 2, an official said on X.
Meanwhile flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and Oman will suspended till Feb. 28. Further cancellations may be announced, the official said.
US 5th Fleet plays important role in securing shipping lanes
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet command that host nation Bahrain said was targeted by a missile attack is responsible for securing the shipping lanes around the oil-rich Middle East.
Those waters include the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The region contains three key chokepoints: the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb on either end of the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to shut the strait if attacked. Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen have said they will resume attacks on shipping routes and on Israel.
The extent of the damage on the 5th Fleet headquarters wasn’t immediately clear. The base is located just to the southeast of central Manama, the island nation’s capital.
Drone strikes Iran-linked militia HQ in Iraq
A drone strike Saturday hit a headquarters of the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq, in the Jurf al-Sakhar area southwest of Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding four others, two militia officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
There was not immediate comment from the U.S. or Israel.
Prior to Saturday’s strikes on Iran, the group had threatened to join the fray should Iran be attacked.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hassan said in a statement that he received a call from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in while Araghchi said Iran would target U.S. bases in the region out of self-defense.
“He clarified that these attacks were not targeting the countries involved, but were limited to military sites,” the statement said. It added that Hussein urged deescalation.
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By Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad.
Israel says Iran was stepping up missile program
In a briefing with reporters, an IDF official said Israel has identified “a sharp acceleration” in Iran’s missile program.
The official says Iran was beginning to make dozens of ballistic missiles a month. He also said there had been no significant hits in Israel. He spoke just before noon, roughly four hours after the operation began.
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By Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv.
Iran confirms response to attacks
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed its armed forces had “commenced a decisive response to these hostile acts.”
In a statement, it warned the Iranian people to travel to areas not included in the zones being targeted and said the government had made “prior arrangements” to ensure the supply of basic necessities.
Schools and universities were ordered to close while the statement said banks would continue to operate.
Germany says it was told of Israeli strikes in advance
The German government was informed in advance this morning about Israel’s military strikes on Iran, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Germany is in close consultation with its European partners, the spokesman said. Its crisis management team will meet at noon to discuss Iran.
The government urged German citizens in Iran, Israel, and the wider region to register on the official system for citizens abroad and follow the instructions of the local authorities for their own protection.
The foreign ministry said it was in “close and constant” contact with the embassies in Iran and Israel, as well as other missions in the region.
Iran makes plans with Iraqi militias, sources tell AP
Two officials with different Iran-backed militias in Iraq told The Associated Press that a meeting took place two months ago between Iranian officials and allied Iraqi militias to make plans for a response in case Iran was attacked, including distributing tasks among the Iraqi armed groups.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
One of the officials said it was decided that the response would target U.S. forces and interests in Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region and in neighboring Jordan.
U.S. troops have vacated bases where they were previously stationed in Iraq in areas under the control of the central government in Baghdad. This followed an agreement to end the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, but U.S. forces remain in the Kurdish region.
One of the most prominent Iraqi militias, Kataib Hezbollah, on Thursday issued a public statement urging its fighters to “be prepared to engage in a war of attrition that may be prolonged and exceed the expectations of the U.S. administration.”
It also issued a warning to the Kurdish regional government in Iraq “against collaborating with hostile foreign forces” that “could threaten its security and future.”
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By Qassim Abdul-Aahra in Baghdad.
Israeli media show images of damaged building
Israeli media showed images of damage to an apartment building in northern Israel, reportedly from impact with parts of an interceptor.
Israeli police said shrapnel fell in multiple sites. Rescue services said there were no known injuries from the missile barrages launched on all parts of the country.
Israel warns Iranians near military sites to evacuate
The Israeli military issued a warning in Persian for the immediate evacuation of areas near weapons production and military facilities in Iran.
“Your presence in these locations puts your lives at risk,” the military said on its Persian-language X account.
Iran ‘will not hesitate’ to respond
Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to the joint strikes Saturday, saying that the country “will not hesitate” in its response to the renewed military aggression.
“The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault,” the foreign ministry posted in a statement on X. “Just as we were prepared for negotiations, we have been even more prepared for defense at all times. The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will decisively respond to the aggressors with full authority.”
Qatar shoots down missiles
Qatar’s Defense Ministry says its military shot down several missiles before they reached its space. The ministry said the missile were dealt with as soon as they were detected “in accordance with the pre-approved security plan.”
The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the Qatari Armed Forces possess the full capabilities and resources to protect the country.
US struck Iran from air and sea
The U.S. strikes took place from both air and sea, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations.
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By Konstantin Toropin in Washington.
Blasts heard in Qatar as Iran responds to attack
Explosions could be heard in Qatar on Saturday as Iran launched a counterattack over the joint U.S. -Israel campaign targeting the Islamic Republic. There was no immediate word of any damage.
Iran responded to the campaign as it had been threatening to do for months — it first launched a wave of missiles and drones targeting Israel. Then later, it began apparently targeting U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Qatar as explosions could be heard.
Reactions from US lawmakers reflect political divisions
The early response from federal lawmakers to the U.S. government’s bombarding of Iran largely revolved around their feelings about Trump.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has long pushed for regime change in Iran, called for God to bless Trump. He said on social media that the attacks could provide freedom for the Iranian people, saying, “This operation is necessary and long justified.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who was a Marine in the Iraq War, warned, “Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has emerged as an opponent of Trump, said the president had engaged in “acts of war unauthorized by Congress.”
UAE closes airspace
The United Arab Emirates has closed its airspace as Israel and U.S. conduct strikes on Iran.
The disruption will have a major effect on global air travel as the country is home to two major long-haul carriers, Emirates and Etihad.
Bahrain says several sites attacked
Bahrain’s state news agency says that several facilities were hit inside the kingdom as a result of “an aggression” from outside the country.
The agency called the attack “a flagrant violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and security,” and said authorities in Bahrain are implementing “emergency measures.”
“The kingdom of Bahrain strongly condemns this treacherous aggression that forms a direct threat to the kingdom and its citizens,” it said.
Mobile phone warnings in Qatar
In Qatar, warning alerts went off on mobile phones, urging people to take shelter.
Sirens and blasts reported in Kuwait
Witnesses heard sirens and explosions in Kuwait, home to U.S. Army Central. There was no immediate word on any damage.
US and Israeli strikes suggest wider campaign, Dutch analyst says
Strikes in Iran by Israel and the U.S. suggests “shaping actions” designed to degrade air defenses in a pattern typical of a wider military campaign, a Dutch intelligence firm said.
“The broader pattern suggests preparatory shaping actions,” said Eric Schouten, CEO of Dyami security intelligence firm in the Netherlands. “This appears less like a symbolic strike and more like the opening phase of a coordinated campaign designed to establish air superiority and operational freedom of movement.
“Neutralizing radar systems, surface-to-air missile batteries, and command nodes would create more permissive conditions for sustained air operations over Iranian territory.”
Streets in Israel empty as sirens wail
In Israel, the public was instructed to stay close to shelters. Streets were mostly empty as a series of sirens continued to sound for most of Saturday morning. Israel’s main news programs shifted their broadcasts to bomb shelters as well.
US 5th Fleet service center was attacked, Bahrain says
Bahrain’s state news agency says the service center of the U.S. 5th Fleet was subjected to a missile attack. The agency said it will give further details later.
Israel says operation was planned for months
Israel said the attack on Iran was carried out as a “broad, coordinated, and joint operation against the regime” that has been planned for months between the Israeli and U.S. militaries.
Explosions heard in skies over Syria and Lebanon
Associated Press journalists in Damascus and in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon heard sounds of explosions Saturday, apparently as a result of Israeli air defenses intercepting Iranian missiles.
US embassies in Middle East advise Americans to take cover
U.S. embassies or consulates in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel posted on social media that they told staffers to shelter in place and recommended all Americans “do the same until further notice.”
Iranian state TV shows damaged buildings
Iranian state television aired footage of heavily damaged buildings in Tehran, with rescuers digging through the rubble, looking for survivors.
Iran launches drones and missiles against Israel
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says it has launched its “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, suggesting it planned further attacks.