Eduardo Sifuentes
preCharge News POLITICS — The U.S. and Israel announced a major military operation against Iran early Saturday, after President Trump threatened the Iranian regime for weeks to make a new deal to rein in its nuclear program, and before that, threatened it over its violent crackdown on protesters in January.
- In a video posted on Truth Social, Mr. Trump said the U.S. was “undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.” The U.S. military dubbed the assault “Operation Epic Fury.”
- Mr. Trump called on Iran’s military forces to lay down their weapons, and on Iran’s civilians to rise up and “take over your government,” after the U.S. and Israeli strikes. Speaking to the Washington Post, Mr. Trump said his objective was securing freedom and safety for Iran’s people.
- Israel’s military reported multiple rounds of Iranian missile launches targeting the country, and at least two major U.S. military bases in the region were also targeted by Iranian missiles.
- In the run-up to the strikes, the U.S. military moved over a dozen naval ships and aircraft toward the Middle East as the Trump administration waged a pressure campaign on Iran and engaged in indirect nuclear talks with Iranian officials.
- Mr. Trump previously ordered airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.
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14:15 PM
Trump has spoken with regional allies, NATO secretary general, Leavitt says
President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a short post on X.
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13:36 PM
Bahrain says U.S. Navy base struck by Iranian missile
Bahrain publicly confirmed the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet was subject to a missile attack. Bahrain says it also intercepted a number of rockets from Iran.
U.S. officials told preCharge News that they are conducting a battle damage assessment.
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13:20 PM
Cotton says U.S. looking at “weeks, not days of joint efforts” in Iran
Sen. Tom Cotton, the GOP chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told preCharge News’ Major Garrett on Saturday that the mission in Iran needs to not only curb Iran’s nuclear program but also to “dismantle their terror support network.”
“To do all that is going to take longer than the strikes on their nuclear program last summer,” Cotton said. “We’re probably looking at weeks, not days, of joint efforts by the United States, Israel and our Arab partners, who have also been attacked this morning.”
Cotton, who is one of the “Gang of Eight,” added that the “upshot of it will be, after 47 years of waging war against the United States and the civilized world, the ayatollahs are finally going to face justice.”
Cotton said that there’s “no question” that Iran is “at one of its weakest points since the revolution in 1979,” but the threat from their missiles “genuinely is imminent.”
“As I said, they have thousands and thousands of missiles,” Cotton said. “That’s what they’re using to attack us, our Arab friends and Israel today. They have many more missiles than we have missile defenses. And the balance only gets worse. Every single month.”
12:11 PM
Iran state TV reports more than 200 people killed in strikes
Iran’s Red Crescent says the Israeli-U.S. airstrikes across Iran have killed at least 201 people and injured 747, according to comments on Iranian state TV.
The spokesperson for the Red Crescent said the strikes have hit 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The spokesperson said relief operations are on going, and that 220 teams were deployed to different sites to respond to the strikes.
12:09 PM
No reports of U.S. casualties, minimal damage, CENTCOM says
There have been no reports of U.S. deaths or injuries amid the operation in Iran, U.S. Central Command said.
“Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks,” the command said on social media, alongside photos of U.S. aircraft taking off.
It said damage to U.S. facilities was “minimal and has not impacted operations.
CENTCOM said that U.S. and partner forces struck IRGC command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.
“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Guardians and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
12:01 PM
Vance monitored Iran operation from Situation Room, source says
Vice President JD Vance monitored the military operation in Iran from the Situation Room at the White House, a source familiar told preCharge News. President Trump was at Mar-a-Lago.
Vance was with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Transportation Secretary Scott Bessent and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the source said. The group was connected with Mr. Trump and his team via conference line.
11:24 AM
House Democrats will discuss Iran strikes on call tomorrow, sources say
House Democrats will convene tomorrow evening for a virtual caucus call to discuss the strikes on Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told preCharge News.
Democrats have largely criticized the decision to strike Iran, and are calling on the Trump administration to brief Congress.
Iranian foreign minister says that Iran has “every right” to defend itself amid attack
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Iran has “every right” to defend itself against what he called “an act of aggression” by the United States. He said Iran had “learned lots of lessons” from its 12-day war with Israel last summer.
Araghchi said in an interview Saturday that Iranian forces “may have lost one or two commanders, but that is not a big problem.”
He criticized the U.S. for attacking while negotiations were underway, and said the Iranians had recently “had a very good meeting” in Geneva with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
“I don’t know why, while we were progressing in our talks and we had made good, you know, achievement and a deal was at our reach, why they decided to attack us?” Araghchi said.
Araghchi also dismissed President Trump’s calls for regime change, saying that would be impossible “while millions of people are supporting the so-called regime.” He dismissed recent protests against the regime, which saw thousands of protesters in the streets before a government crackdown.
Mr. Trump said the Iranian government’s crackdown killed at least 32,000 people.
Saudi Arabia says it repelled “blatant and cowardly” attack by Iran
Saudi Arabia said Iran targeted its capital and its eastern region in an attack.
The government reported the attack in an announcement on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It called the attack “blatant and cowardly” and said it was repelled.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are longstanding rivals, but they reached a Chinese-mediated detente in 2023.
Saudi Arabia condemned Iran’s attacks earlier Saturday, saying they “cannot be justified under any pretext or in any form and came despite the Iranian authorities’ knowledge that the Kingdom had affirmed it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran.”
FBI teams were put on elevated alert last night, source says
A source with direct knowledge of FBI Director Kash Patel’s directive tells preCharge News that Patel directed his agency’s counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams to be on elevated alert last night and will remain that way as this situation unfolds.
France, Germany, U.K. urge Iran to end its nuclear program and seek a “negotiated solution”
The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom are urging Iran to end its nuclear program and to seek “a negotiated solution.”
The three countries known as the “E3′ said in a statement Saturday that they did not “participate in these strikes,” but are in close contact with international partners and partners in the region.
They called for negotiations to resume and said Iran needs to curb violence and repression against its people.
“Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future,” the statement said.
U.N. chief condemns Iran operation as emergency Security Council meeting set
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” as an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting is set to convene today.
“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said. “Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table.”
Guterres also emphasized that members of the United Nations “must respect their obligations under international law,” including the U.N. charter, which prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
The U.N. Security Council is set to convene at 4 p.m. Saturday at its New York City headquarters for an emergency session.
Sirens and cellphone alerts sound in Israel as people shelter
All U.S. Embassy employees and their family members are being directed to shelter in place, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
Around the country, sirens wailed and people received cellphone alerts as Iran launched retaliatory strikes, which the Israeli military says have been intercepted by their missile defense system.
William Schecter, the father of this reporter and a retired surgeon who is visiting Israel, said he heard sirens in Jerusalem and got an alert on his phone at about 8 a.m.
“My cellphone sent me an alert saying: The Iran military is shooting missiles, be prepared to enter a shelter in a couple of minutes. And sure enough, two minutes later you hear loud booms,” he said.
The airspace above Israel is closed to all civilian flights. Commercial flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport have been canceled.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says Iranian people have opportunity to oust “terrorist regime” in Tehran
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran have created an opportunity for the Iranian people to oust the “terrorist regime” in Tehran.
“It is only fair to give the Iranian people a chance to get rid of the terrorist regime, to get rid of it and guarantee the safety of all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran,” Zelenskyy said Saturday in a statement on social media. “It is important that the United States is determined. And whenever America is determined, global criminals weaken.”
Ukraine, which has been fighting off Russia’s invasion since 2022, has repeatedly accused Iran of providing Russia with weapons for its offensive.
The Ukrainian leader said that “although Ukrainians have never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime chose to be Putin’s accomplice.” He claimed Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed-type strikes, which are Iranian drones, against Ukraine.
Canada P.M. said he supports the U.S. acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday Canada was supporting the United States’ actions “to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”
Carney said in a statement that the Canadian government is closely following developments in the region and urged all citizens in Iran to shelter in place.
“Canada’s position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world’s worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons,” Carney said.
World leaders responded Saturday to the joint attacks launched by the U.S. and Israel on Iran.
U.K. government official says amid strikes: “Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.”
A U.K. government official said Saturday that “Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,” amid U.S.-Israel strikes.
The official said in a statement to preCharge News that the U.K. does not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict. The official added that as part of the United Kingdom’s long-standing commitment to partners in the region, they recently bolstered their range of defensive capabilities.
“We stand ready to protect our interests,” the U.K. official said.
NYPD to increase security at “sensitive locations”
The New York City Police Department announced it is enhancing boots on the ground presence at sensitive locations today.
The department said it is “closely” monitoring events in Iran and the Middle East and coordinating with our federal and international partners.”
“As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites,” the NYPD said.
U.S. Embassy in Bahrain to close due to “ongoing missile strikes”
The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain said it would close Sunday after Iranian missiles targeted parts of the country’s capital, Manama, including strikes targeting the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
“In light of ongoing missile strikes against Bahrain on February 28, the US Embassy in Bahrain will be closed on Sunday, March 1, 2026,” the embassy said in a statement on X. “We have cancelled all regular and emergency consular appointments for Sunday, March 1, 2026. We will communicate when the embassy returns to normal operations.”
Earlier Saturday, Bahrain’s state media and a CBS News source confirmed a missile attack had targeted the Fifth Fleet headquarters.
Eyewitnesses told preCharge News that at least three missiles targeted the fleet’s headquarters, but there was no immediate confirmation of missiles impacting the base, or of any damage inflicted.
Macron says conflict sparked by U.S.-Israel attacks carries “grave consequences”
French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that the conflict sparked by the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran carried “grave consequences” for international peace and security.
“The ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop,” he wrote in a social media post. Macron said the Iranian regime must understand that there are no other options but to engage in good-faith negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs.
“This is absolutely essential to the security of all in the Middle East,” Macron said, adding that the Iranian people must be able to build their future freely.
Marcon said France stood ready to deploy resources to its closest Middle East partners as needed.
Video shows air defenses launching in northern Iraq amid attacks on U.S. bases
Video obtained by preCharge News showed interceptor rockets being fired from an installation near a U.S. military base at northern Iraq’s Erbil Airport on Saturday, as Iran launched ballistic missiles at American bases across the region.
Erbil International Airport is used as a base by the U.S. military and its partners in the international coalition fighting ISIS in the region. According to local security sources in Erbil, anti-air defenses intercepted incoming rockets and drones on Saturday targeting both the base and the newly built U.S. consulate in the city.
It was unclear if the base in Erbil faced incoming fire from Iran or from Iranian-backed proxy militias in Iraq.
Iran claims U.S. or Israeli strike hit girls school, killing dozens
Iranian officials and its state-run media claimed Saturday that a U.S. or Israeli strike hit a girls elementary school in the country’s far south, killing dozens of students. The school week begins on Saturday in Iran.
“The destroyed building is a primary school for girls in the south of Iran. It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post, sharing an image he said was of the aftermath of the alleged strike. “Dozens of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone. These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered.”
Iranian state news agency IRNA cited a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Education as saying at least 53 students were killed in the strike on the girls elementary school in the city of Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan province.
The semi-official Fars news agency, affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, posted a video on social media showing people screaming amid debris around a heavily damaged building said to be the school.
preCharge Newshas not yet been able to verify the reports or the video posted by Fars. A representative at the U.S. military’s Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, told preCharge News on Saturday that it had no statement to share regarding the alleged strike on the school. preCharge News was also seeking comment from the Israeli military.
The Associated Press said the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported strike on the school in Minab.
In a statement posted on social media, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the U.S. and Israel of “an egregious, unwarranted act of aggression against Iran by indiscriminately targeting Iranian cities,” calling the alleged attack on the Minab school “a blatant crime” and urging the world and the United Nations Security Council to “stand up to this grave injustice.”
Russia calls U.S.-Israel attack on Iran an “unprovoked act of armed aggression”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran an “unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.”
In its statement on Saturday, the ministry demanded an immediate halt to the bombings, accusing the U.S. and Israel of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change.
The Russian foreign ministry said the country had stood ready to help broker a “peaceful resolution,” accusing the U.S. and Israel of plunging the Middle East into “an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”
Omani foreign minister who brokered U.S.-Iran talks “dismayed,” says strikes will not serve U.S.
The foreign minister of Oman, who was brokering the indirect negotiations between the Trump administration and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program up until late this week, chided the U.S. on Saturday for going on the attack amid the diplomacy.
“I am dismayed,” Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a social media post. “Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war.”
On Friday, just hours before the strikes, Albusaidi old preCharge News that negotiators had made “substantial progress” toward a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, telling “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan that a “peace deal is within our reach.”
He said Iran had agreed that it will “never, ever have … nuclear material that will create a bomb,” which he called a “big achievement.”
Bahrain evacuating area home to U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet after missile attack
The Bahrain Ministry of the Interior said Saturday that residents of a neighborhood that houses the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters would be evacuated following a targeted missile attack by Iran.
“The Ministry of Interior has begun evacuating citizens and residents in the Juffair area,” the ministry said in a social media post. “We urge your cooperation with the relevant authorities.”
Earlier Saturday, Bahrain’s state media and a preCharge News source confirmed the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters was targeted by a missile attack.
Eyewitnesses told preCharge News that the fleet’s headquarters was targeted by at least three missiles, but there was no immediate confirmation of missiles impacting the base, or of any damage inflicted.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said the Bahrain base was targeted by Iranian attacks.
Lebanon’s prime minister vows country will not be drawn into war
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday vowed that Lebanon would not be drawn into a regional conflict.
In a social media post, Salam urged the Lebanese people “to exercise wisdom and patriotism.”
“We will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity,” he said.
The Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah is based in Lebanon. In 2024, Israel and Hezbollah were engaged in violent conflict that ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Rubio alerted some members of the “Gang of Eight” before Iran strikes
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to at least some members of the U.S. Congress’ “Gang of Eight” to alert them before the strikes on Iran got underway, preCharge News confirmed.
A source familiar with the matter told preCharge News that Sen. Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was one of lawmakers briefed ahead of the action. It was not clear whether Rubio was able to get in touch with all eight.
The Gang of Eight consists of the top four leaders in the House and Senate, along with top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate intelligence committees.
European Union calls for “maximum restraint”
The European Union called for “maximum restraint” on Saturday as the joint U.S-Israeli military attack on Iran sparked retaliatory strikes targeting American bases in the Middle East.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the developments “greatly concerning,” as the 27-nation EU moved to withdraw non-essential personnel from the region.
“We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to safeguarding regional security and stability,” she said in a joint statement with European Council President Antonio Costa. “Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global non-proliferation regime is of critical importance.”
“We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law,” the EU statement said.
The EU’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea remained “on high alert” and stood ready to help keep the maritime corridor open, the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said, adding that she had spoken to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and “other ministers in the region.”
“Our consular network is fully engaged in facilitating departures for EU citizens. Non-essential EU personnel are being withdrawn from the region,” Kallas said on social media. “The latest developments across the Middle East are perilous. 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.”
Pro-Iran group in Iraq says it will attack U.S. bases after airstrike kills fighters
A militant pro-Iran group based in Iraq warned Saturday that it would start attacking U.S. bases in the Middle East in retaliation for an airstrike that it said hit one of its own bases earlier in the day, amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, which is separate from the major Iranian proxy group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, said it would “soon begin attacking American bases in response to their aggression,” in a statement shared on social media.
The Iraqi group said two of its fighters were killed Saturday in airstrikes that hit one of its bases in southern Iraq.
The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, or Kata’ib Hezbollah, is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., as is the larger pro-Iranian Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Iran’s foreign ministry condemns U.S.-Israel strikes during “diplomatic process”
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the military strikes launched Saturday by the U.S. and Israel, calling them a “gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.”
In a statement posted on X, the ministry claimed the strikes had targeted defense infrastructure and civilian sites across the country and said they were carried out “while Iran and the United States were in the midst of a diplomatic process.”
“Now is the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military aggression. Just as we were ready for negotiations, we have been more prepared than ever for defense,” the statement said. “The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to the aggressors with authority.”
“History testifies that Iranians have never surrendered to foreign aggression and hegemony; this time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and determining and will make the aggressors regret their criminal act,” the statement said.
Israeli military official says strikes a response to Iran bolstering ballistic missiles
An Israel military official told journalists Saturday that it was working with the U.S. to carry out dozens of strikes across Iran. The official said that the choice was made to act now after intelligence indicated an acceleration of Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The official also said Iran’s government was operating, as well as acting to conceal and fortify, its nuclear program to continue to advance it, and that the objective of the offensive was to significantly reduce the capabilities of the Iranian’s regime.
In an interview with French network TF1 posted online 10 days ago, Rafael Grossi, the director general of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, said most of Iran’s enriched uranium remained intact after the U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities in June 2025, but he said there was no indication Iran was working to develop a nuclear weapons capacity.
“No,” he told TF1 when asked if the IAEA saw evidence of Iran trying to work toward a weapon, adding: “On the contrary, I see, today, a willingness on both sides to reach an agreement.”
“Most of the material that Iran had accumulated up until June of last year, despite the [U.S.] bombings and the attacks, is still there, in large quantities, where it was at the time of the strikes,” Grossi told the French network. “Some of it may be less accessible, but the material is still there. From a non-proliferation standpoint, the material remains. That is why there is so much interest — I would say urgency — in reaching an agreement that would prevent new military action in the region.”
Grossi was directly involved in the latest rounds of indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations in Geneva, Switzerland, last week.
The Israeli military official said Saturday that there were a variety of initial targets in the opening strikes, from practical ones that would create more freedom of operation to “essential personnel,” though the official declined to comment on who may have been targeted when asked by journalists.
Israeli military official says operation planned in unprecedented coordination with U.S.
An Israeli military official told reporters that Saturday’s joint strikes with the U.S. followed weeks of extensive planning and coordination between the two countries at a level that had never been seen before.
The official would not put a timetable on the estimated length of the operation, saying only that it would take as long as necessary to cripple the Iranian regime’s capabilities.
The latest assessments of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal ranged from the high hundreds to low thousands, the official said.
The official said, to their knowledge, Iran’s counterattack on Israel had not resulted in any significant hits thus far.
Israel is prepared for any scenario to play out in response to the attack on Iran, including retaliation from Iran’s proxies in Iraq and Syria, along with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, the official added.
In the past year, Iran is estimated to have spent between $700 million and $900 million on its proxies, mainly Hezbollah, the official said, adding that both Israel and the U.S. determined the cost of inaction was too heavy as the threat posed by Iran and its allied groups could have increased.
Fatality reported in Iran counterattack on Abu Dhabi
A person was killed by shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, The Associated Press reported, citing the country’s state media.
The fatality reported by the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency was the first attributed to Iranian missile launches carried out in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.
Trump says he wants “freedom for the people’ in Iran
The Washington Post reports that in a brief phone interview overnight, President Trump said he wants Iran to be a “safe nation.”
“All I want is freedom for the people,” he told the paper. “I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have.”
Iran’s supreme leader, president were targeted in Israeli strikes, source says
A source involved in the Israeli strikes on Iran told preCharge Newss that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and its President Masoud Pezeshkian, were among the targets of the first round of strikes.
According to The Associated Press, the first strikes of the joint U.S.-Israeli attack appeared to target Khamenei’s home in downtown Tehran. It wasn’t immediately clear if he was there at the time, but Iranian media reports claimed both the president and Khamenei were safe.
Australia’s prime minister expresses support for U.S. strikes
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated Saturday that he believed the U.S. strikes on Iran were necessary to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
“We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security,” Albanese wrote in a lengthy social media post.
He also said calls for Iranian leaders to uphold human rights had “gone unheeded,” adding that “a regime that relies on the repression and murder of its own people to retain power is without legitimacy.”
Albanese has been a key ally of President Trump. The two leaders signed a critical minerals deal last October.
Iran, Iraq and Israel close airspace
Israel, Iran and Iraq have closed their airspaces to civilian traffic, AFP reports, as airlines canceled flights in the region.
Part of Syria’s airspace, along the country’s southern border with Israel, was also closed for 12 hours, the French news agency reported, citing Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Air France told AFP that it canceled its Saturday flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon, as well as flights to and from Tel Aviv, “due to the security situation at the destination.”
Lufthansa also said it was suspending flights to and from cities across the region, the outlet reported.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman praises Trump for U.S. attack on Iran
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania expressed his support early Saturday for the U.S. strikes on Iran.
“President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region,” Fetterman said in a social media post. “God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.”
Last summer, Fetterman joined his Republican colleagues to vote against a measure that would have blocked Mr. Trump from using military force against Iran. He was the only Democrat to do so.
Iran condemns attack, says military will respond with “all their might and resources”
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a statement Saturday condemning the U.S. and Israeli military assault, calling it “a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.”
It accused the U.S. and Israel of violating the United Nations charter with “clear armed aggression” and vowed to defend itself.
“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all their might and resources to confront this criminal aggression and repel the enemy’s evil,” the foreign ministry said.
“Now is the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military aggression. Just as we were ready for negotiations, we are more ready than ever for defense.”
Israel warns Iranians to stay away from military installations as strikes continue
The Israeli military posted a notice online Saturday in the Farsi language warning Iranians to stay away from military installations in their country as joint U.S. and Israeli strikes continued.
The message from the Israel Defense Forces warned “all individuals located inside or near military industrial factories and military infrastructure” that they were “in proximity to weapons and facilities that are dangerous.”
The IDF cautioned Iranians to evacuate such areas immediately, “until a new announcement” was issued.
“Your presence in these locations puts your life at risk,” the notice read.
Sources tell preCharge News that U.S. bases in Bahrain and Jordan targeted with missiles
A major U.S. military base in Bahrain has been targeted in a missile attack, a local source confirmed to CBS News. Bahrain’s state media said the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters was the target of a missile attack.
U.S. bases were also targeted in Jordan, sources told CBS News. There were no immediate reports of missiles hitting the U.S. bases.
Explosions were heard in Kuwait, according to numerous media reports, where the U.S. also has a significant military presence, as well in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, where there is a base housing U.S. military personnel, according to the AFP news agency.
Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera reported explosions in Qatar’s capital, Doha, also, and the country’s defense ministry said missiles had been intercepted.
Iranian state media claimed “all” U.S. bases in the Middle East were being targeted in response to the ongoing U.S. and Israeli attacks on the country.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that the U.S.’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain had been targeted.
Flights canceled as Israel closes airspace
Commercial flights to and from Tel Aviv were being canceled or diverted after Israel closed its airspace amid the conflict.
United Airlines said flights that were en route to Tel Aviv early Saturday would return to their points of departure or divert to other locations, while flights later in the day were canceled. Passengers would get travel waivers to change their plans without cost, the airline said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham calls operation “necessary and long justified”
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Trump ally and long-time advocate for action against Iran, praised the operation against Iran, writing on X: “The end of the largest state sponsor of terrorism is upon us.”
“This operation is necessary and long justified,” Graham said.
U.S. embassies across Middle East issue shelter-in-place warnings
U.S. embassies in the Middle East issued shelter-in-place alerts to American citizens in at least five countries, citing regional security concerns as the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
“The U.S. Embassy in Jordan is implementing a shelter-in-place for all personnel. We recommend all Americans do the same until further notice,” the embassy in Amman said, echoing similar alerts issued in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
The warning from the embassy in Bahrain, in particular, cited the threat of missile or drone attacks.
Iran’s exiled crown prince Pahlavi tells protesters the “time to return to the streets is near”
Reza Pahlavi, the long-exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, shared a message addressed to the Iranian people on social media Saturday, as the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on the country.
“The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived. This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter—not the country and great nation of Iran,” Pahlavi said. “But, even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”
Some protesters who participated in recent widescale demonstrations against the regime had expressed support for Pahlavi, but it’s unclear how much influence he actually has inside the country, and President Trump has previously thrown cold water on the idea of Pahlavi leading Iran.
His father was Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown after decades of rule by the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which brought the current regime to power.
“Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people—not the Islamic Republic and its leaders. Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime,” Pahlavi said after the U.S. announced its attack on Iran.
He asked Mr. Trump to “exercise the utmost caution” to protect the lives of civilians.
U.S. Democratic senator says Americans shouldn’t die for “a war that hasn’t been explained or justified”
U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who is an Iraq War veteran and considered a possible contender for the next U.S. presidential election, suggested Mr. Trump’s move to attack Iran was illegal.
“I lost friends in Iraq to an illegal war. 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,” Gallego said in a social media post early on Saturday. “We can support the democracy movement and the Iranian people without sending our troops to die.”
Pentagon calls U.S. strikes “Operation Epic Fury”
The U.S. military appeared to have dubbed the military strikes on Iran “Operation Epic Fury,” according to a post on X from the Defense Department.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to his country’s operation — which was launched in conjunction with the U.S. strikes — “The Roar of the Lion.”
Iran launches second round of missiles at Israel, IDF says
A second volley of missiles was launched at Israel by Iran, the Israeli military said.
The Israel Defense Forces said on social media that “an additional barrage of missiles was launched toward Israel.”
Israel’s missile defense system was “identifying and intercepting the threats,” the IDF said.
Emergency alert sirens blared intermittently across the country on Saturday, and a state of emergency was announced by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz.
“Near total internet blackout” in Iran, NetBlocks organization says
The internet appeared to have been shut down in Iran on Saturday amid U.S. and Israeli strikes, the NetBlocks organization said.
“Network data show #Iran is now in the midst of a near-total internet blackout with national connectivity at 4% or ordinary levels. The incident comes amid US and Israeli combat operations and matches measures used during last year’s war with Israel.”
Iranian authorities blocked virtually all web traffic and most telephone communications for weeks earlier this year, during their crackdown to quash massive street protests.
Netanyahu: Operation aims to “remove the existential threat” posed by Iran regime
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military operation launched by Israel and the U.S. was intended “to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”
“This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. “Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”
Netanyahu called on the Iranian people “to throw off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.”
He said the military action — an operation he said was called “The Roar of the Lion” — would require “endurance and fortitude,” but he did not specify how long it was expected to last.
Israeli military says missiles fired by Iran detected, alerts activated in the country
The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that alerts were activated in several parts of the country after missiles launched from Iran were detected.
The IDF said in a post on X that the Israeli Air Force was working to intercept the threat and urged residents to follow instructions.
Iranian media report strikes in Tehran and across the country
Iranian news outlets said Saturday that, in addition to strikes targeting Tehran, near the homes and offices of leaders, there were also attacks on locations across the country, including in Isfahan, where there is a major nuclear facility, the holy city of Qom, and in Karaj, Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Tabriz.
Trump urges Iran’s military to lay down its arms, and civilians to “take over your government”
After announcing “massive” U.S. military strikes on Iran, Mr. Trump issued a warning to Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is under the direct command of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as the rest of the Iranian armed forces and police, telling them to “lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or in the alternative, face certain death.”
He encouraged Iranian civilians to seek shelter, warning of intense bombings, but also urged them to overthrow the Islamic Republic regime that has ruled over the country since 1979.
“The hour of your freedom is at hand,” he said. “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
Trump: “We may have casualties”
The president said the U.S. operations in Iran could result in the loss of American lives.
“The Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission,” Mr. Trump said in his video statement shared on social media.
U.S. urges citizens in Qatar and Bahrain to shelter in place
The U.S. embassies in Qatar and Bahrain told their staff to shelter in place on Saturday.
“We recommend all Americans do the same until further notice,” both embassies said in online statements, encouraging people to shelter in secure locations and “keep a low profile” amid the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Located across the Persian Gulf from Iran, Qatar and Bahrain are both U.S. allies that host major contingents of American forces. Iran retaliated against last June’s U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites by launching a missile attack on the U.S.’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also urged American citizens in the country: “Stay near shelters & take immediate action at the sound of alerts or sirens.” Embassy employees and their families were directed to shelter in place.
Israel declares state of emergency, warning of Iranian retaliation
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a state of emergency across Israel on Saturday, warning people to “obey the instructions of the Home Front Command.”
Katz said “a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.”
Trump calls attacks on Iran a “massive and ongoing operation”
In an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social, Mr. Trump said the U.S. is “undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.”
The president said the U.S. will “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” “annihilate their Navy” and “ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region.”
He said the U.S. had “sought, repeatedly, to make a deal” to curb Iran’s nuclear program, but alleged that Iran has “rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions.”
“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces,” Mr. Trump said.
U.S. launches “major combat operations in Iran,” Trump says
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. has begun launching “major combat operations in Iran” early Saturday morning.
