Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.
Some of the first strikes on Iran appeared to hit areas around the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Smoke could be seen rising from the capital as part of strikes that Iranian media said occurred nationwide. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was in his offices when the attack occurred.
Iran calls for ‘immediate action’ from UN
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written to the U.N. Security Council calling for the 15-member body to “take immediate action in response to this breach of international peace and security.”
The council, which is currently under the presidency of the United Kingdom until midnight Saturday, is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Saturday.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran will continue to retaliate by all means necessary and that “all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile forces in the region shall be regarded as legitimate military objectives.”
EU to hold emergency security meeting on Monday
The European Union will hold an emergency security meeting on Monday over the conflict in the Middle East, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Iran’s unjustified attacks on partners in the region,” she said on a Saturday in a social media post.
Egyptian leader speaks with Saudi crown prince
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has spoken by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
El-Sissi expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to “contain the escalation” in the region.
“Continued military escalation will only bring more suffering to the people of the region and undermine development opportunities,” el-Sissi said.
Leading Democrat denounces US strikes on Iran
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia has questioned whether President Donald Trump has learned anything “from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East.”
“For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war — especially wars that aren’t authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don’t have a clear objective,” Kaine said in a statement.
“These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,” he said.
He called for the U.S. Senate to “immediately return” to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit strikes on Iran.
UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting
The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Israel’s U.N. Mission says the meeting will take place at 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) at the request of Bahrain and France.
Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon said Israel “is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat.” Danon also said that “Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the strikes on Iran and the Islamic Republic’s retaliation.
“The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security,” Guterres said in a statement. He also called for an immediate ceasefire and for all parties to return to the negotiating table.
Iran's supreme leader and its president are alive — minister says
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells NBC News that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are alive “as far as I know.”
Egypt consults with several countries
Egypt’s top diplomat has discussed the military escalation in the Middle East with his counterparts in several regional and European countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany and France.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned that the escalation in Iran will have “dire repercussions” on Mideast security and stability. In a statement, he called for prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to avert a “comprehensive confrontation” in the region.
US Congress was notified before strike, source says
Congress was notified before the strikes on Iran, as required by law.
The notifications mentioned ballistic missiles, but didn’t indicate that the strikes would be so expansive or the goals so broad, according to a person familiar with the notifications who requested anonymity to discuss them.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out personally to some top lawmakers.
Saudi Arabia says it repelled 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 the country reached a Chinese-mediated detente with Iran in 2023.
US is entering ‘war of choice,’ lawmaker says
One of the senior U.S. lawmakers recently briefed by Trump administration officials on Iran says that the United States is entering a “war of choice.”
“Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame,” said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
He also expressed his concerns to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly that military action in the region “almost never ends well for the United States.”
“It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history,” Himes said.
China calls for halt to military actions
China’s government said it is “highly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military actions and a return to negotiations.
“Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.
Ukraine's president supports US-led strikes
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced support for US-led strikes on Iran, calling the country “an accomplice of Putin” for supplying Shahed drones and the technology for Moscow to produce them and other weapons in its four-year war against Ukraine.
“Over the course of this full-scale war, Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed-type attack drones against the Ukrainian people, cities, and energy infrastructure. Other nations have also suffered from Iranian-backed terror. Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian leader said the emphasis now should be to save as many lives as possible and prevent any expansion of the war.
“It is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians,” Zelenskyy said.
Omani mediator in recent talks urges US to not 'get sucked in further’
Oman’s top diplomat has urged the U.S. “not to get sucked in further” to a conflict with Iran. Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi posted his comments on X hours after Israel and the U.S. launched joint strikes on Iran.
“I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war,” he wrote.
Albusaidi was the key mediator in talks over Iran’s nuclear program seeking to avoid a U.S. attack. He said in an interview with CBS News that negotiations over a deal had made “substantial progress” in the last round talks in Geneva.
Iranian authorities make a highway one-way to help people leaving Tehran
Iran’s state news agency IRNA has reported that authorities turned a major highway connecting Iran’s capital with the country’s north into a one-way route to accommodate traffic leaving Tehran.
The agency reported heavy traffic heading north out of the capital.
Iran’s top national security body had earlier told residents they should consider leaving Tehran for their safety.
Canada’s leader supports US action
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its government from further threatening international peace and security.
He says Canada is clear in its position that “the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East.” Carney is also urging Canadians in Iran to shelter in place.
Flights are disrupted across the Middle East and beyond
The U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran is disrupting flights across the Middle East and beyond. Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar closed their airspace on Saturday. Airspace in southern Syria was also closed.
Some planes that were en route to cities like Tel Aviv and Dubai were diverted or returned to where they took off from.
The situation is changing quickly and airlines urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. Many major airlines are canceling flights to and from parts of the region through Sunday or early next week.
Dubai’s airport operator said flights have been halted indefinitely at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international flights, and the Dubai World Central — Al Maktoum International Airport on the Gulf city’s outskirts.
Targets of the Israeli strikes included members of Iran’s leadership
Two people familiar with the operation, including a U.S. official and a person briefed on the attacks, said the targets of the Israeli strikes included members of Iran’s leadership. There was no word on whether the attacks had been successful. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified information on an ongoing operation.
Both Israel and the U.S. are striking military targets in Iran.
