Israel launches major attack on Iran: What we know so far
Key updates
- Israel says it targets Iran's nuclear facilities, missile capabilities and commanders
- Iran says Israel and the US will pay a 'heavy price' for Israeli attack
- Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is alive, security source tells Reuters
- Iranian state media confirms killing of Revolutionary Guards chief in Israeli strike
- Iranian state TV says children killed on strike on Tehran residential area
- 'We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history' - Netanyahu
- Rubio says US not involved in Israeli operation
- Israel notified Washington before Iran strike, state Israeli broadcaster says
Israel carried out "preemptive" strikes against Iran yesterday, targeting its nuclear plant and military sites, after US President Donald Trump warned of a possible "massive conflict" in the region.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Israel said it was declaring a state of emergency in anticipation of a missile and drone strike by Tehran.
Here are real-time updates-
07:00pm
Trump urges Iran to make a deal after Israeli attacks
US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Friday to make a deal on its nuclear program before it faced more attacks from Israel that he said would be "even more brutal."
"There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end," Trump said in a post on his social media platform.
"Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left."
04:12pm
Fire at Tabriz airport in northwest Iran after Israel attack: media
AFP
04:00pm
Iran says at least 95 wounded in Israeli attack
AFP
03:45pm
Fresh blasts heard in northwest Iran: state TV
A fresh round of explosions was heard in northwestern Iran on Friday, state television reported, after Israel carried out a wave of strikes on multiple cities.
"A few minutes ago, new explosions were heard in East Azerbaijan," the broadcaster said, as the Tasnim news agency said an earlier wave of strikes had hit 10 sites in the province, killing at least three people.
AFP
03:41pm
Iran says Israel attack 'declaration of war'
Iran said Israel's deady strikes on its military and nuclear facilities on Friday were a "declaration of war" and called on the UN Security Council to act.
In a letter to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as a "declaration of war" and "called on the Security Council to immediately address this issue", the ministry said.
AFP
03:35pm
Senior adviser to Iran's Khamenei wounded in Israel attack: state media
A senior adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was wounded during Israel's deadly attack on Iran on Friday, state media reported.
"Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to the supreme leader... was injured in today's attack by the Zionist regime," according to Iran's state TV.
AFP
03:30pm
Most of Iran's revolutionary Guards Air Force leadership eliminated, claims Israel
Israeli Defence Minister said that most of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's Air Force leadership has been eliminated while convening at underground headquarters.
Reuters
03:27pm
Israel's actions were unprovoked and unacceptable: Russian Foreign Ministry
Russia's foreign ministry has said that Israel's actions were "unprovoked and unnacceptable, adding that its actions "damange regional and international security".
It also urged restraint from Israel and Iran to prevent escalation of tensions into full-scale war.
Reuters
03:20pm
All Israeli pilots returned home safely from Iran mission, official says
All Israeli pilots involved in today's strike on Iran have returned safely home, an Israeli military official said, as the country's armed forces continued assessing the results of the operation.
The official, speaking to a group of foreign reporters on condition of anonymity, said the air force had launched simultaneous strikes on multiple targets, including Iranian ballistic missiles that were pointed towards Israel.
Reuters
03:10pm
Iran names new top brass after Israel killings
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly appointed new Revolutionary Guards and armed forces chiefs to replace those killed in targeted Israeli strikes on Friday.
In separate decrees, Khamenei named Mohammad Pakpour to replace Hossein Salami as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Abdolrahim Mousavi to replace Mohammad Bagheri as chief of the armed forces general staff.
AFP
03:04pm
German Chancellor warns Israel, Iran against 'further escalation'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday urged both Israel and Iran to avoid any "further escalation" after Israel launched a wave of strikes on the Islamic republic.
Both sides should refrain from steps that could "destabilise the entire region," said Merz, adding that he had been briefed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the raids and had convened a meeting of Germany's security cabinet.
AFP
03:01pm
Kremlin condemns Israel-Iran 'escalation': Russian state media
The Kremlin on Friday condemned and expressed concern over the "sharp escalation" between Israel and Iran, Russian state media reported, as its embassies urged Russians to stay away.
"Russia is concerned and condemns the sharp escalation of tensions," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies.
The Russian embassy in Tel Aviv pressed Russians in Israel to leave the country if they could and said it "strongly recommends" against travelling there until the "situation normalises."
Moscow's mission in Tehran issued a similar warning, saying it was recommending citizens to "refrain from visiting Iran", to avoid going near military facilities, and not to take photos or videos anywhere in the country.
AFP
02:49pm
Israel stands down alert for citizens to remain near shelters
Israel announced that citizens are no longer required to stay near protected spaces nationwide, a precaution it imposed in anticipation of an Iranian response to Israel's strikes on Iran.
"End of the need to stay near protected space," the military's home front command said in a new guideline issued to citizens.
AFP
02:47pm
UN nuclear watchdog chief ready to travel to Iran to assess situation
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Friday he was ready to travel to Iran to assess the situation there after Israel carried out widespread military strikes that hit the sprawling nuclear complex at Natanz.
"Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward - for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community - is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation," Grossi said.
Reuters
02:44pm
Iran condemns 'silence' from UN nuclear watchdog after Israel attack
Iran sharply criticised the UN nuclear watchdog on Friday, accusing it of "silence" over Israel's strikes on its nuclear facilities and scientists.
In a statement, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said it considers the "silence" from the International Atomic Energy Agency "as a form of cooperation with the Zionist regime," adding that the Israeli attack was a "defeat for the IAEA resulting from its unjustifiable shortcomings".
AFP
02:42pm
IAEA head says nuclear facilities 'must never be attacked'
UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi said today that nuclear facilities "must never be attacked" and called "on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation" following Israeli strikes on Iran.
"This development is deeply concerning... I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond," Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a statement to board members.
AFP
02:24pm
Iran confirms damage at Natanz nuclear site, extent unknown
Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz was damaged in an Israeli attack on Friday, the country's atomic energy organisation said in a statement, but investigations have not shown any radioactive or chemical contamination outside the site.
"The attack has damaged several parts of the facility. Investigations are ongoing to assess the extent of damages," the statement said.
Reuters
02:14pm
IAEA chief urges all parties to show restraint after Israeli attacks on Iran
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi today called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation in response to Israeli attacks on Iran overnight.
Reuters
01:35pm
Israel's Mossad commandos led covert operations in heart of Iran, Israeli security source said
Israeli Mossad commandos led a series of covert operations deep inside Iran leading up to Israel's strikes on Friday, an Israeli security source said.
Those operations included deploying precision-guided weapons in open areas near Iranian surface-to-air missile systems sites, advanced technology used against Iran's air defence systems and the establishment of an attack-drone base near Teheran, the security source said.
Reuters
12:57pm
Jordan intercepts missiles and drones in its airspace: state media
Jordan's military intercepted a number of missiles and drones that entered its airspace this morning, according to the state news agency.
Reuters
12:47pm
Qatar, Emirates, other major airlines suspend flights
Qatar Airways has cancelled all flights to and from Iraq and Iran, while Emirates has suspended services to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran. Lufthansa has halted all flights to and from Tehran, and Russia's Aeroflot says it has cancelled its Moscow–Tehran route and adjusted other Middle East services.
Reuters, AFP
12:42pm
Israel intercepting Iranian drones outside its territory, says military
An Israeli military official has confirmed that Israeli forces have begun intercepting UAVs launched from Iran beyond Israeli borders, amid ongoing aerial confrontations.
Reuters
12:33pm
IAEA: No impact on Fordow enrichment plant so far
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that, as of now, Iran's Fordow fuel enrichment plant has not been affected by recent Israeli strikes.
Reuters
12:31pm
Israeli media: Air Force intercepting drones over Saudi Arabia
Israel's Channel 12 reports that the Israeli Air Force has begun intercepting drones over Saudi Arabian airspace.
Reuters
12:13pm
IAEA: Iran's Isfahan nuclear site not impacted
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says further contact with Iranian authorities has confirmed that the Isfahan nuclear facility was not affected by recent Israeli strikes.
Reuters
12:08pm
UAE and Qatar condemn Israeli strikes on Iran
The UAE has condemned in the strongest terms Israel's military targeting of Iran, expressing deep concern over the repurcussions on regional security.
Qatar also strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a "flagrant violation" of Iran's sovereignty and security.
Reuters
11:46am
Six Iranian nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes
Iranian state media said that the Israeli airstrike has killed six nuclear scientists.
Reuters
11:42am
11:32am
Starmer calls for restraint and return to diplomacy
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy. He also said that reports of Israel-Iran strikes are concerning, urging all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently.
Reuters
11:27am
Airlines clear skies over Israel and Iran
Airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan was rapidly cleared today after Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24. Airlines scrambled to reroute or cancel flights to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Reuters reports that Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport has been closed until further notice, while Israeli air defence systems remain on high alert for potential Iranian retaliation. Israeli flag carrier El Al has suspended all flights in and out of the country.
Iran has also closed its airspace, according to state media.
Reuters
11:13am
Iran says Israel's 'cowardly' attack shows why Tehran insists on nuclear and missile capabilities
Iran's government has condemned Israel's overnight strikes as a "cowardly" act, saying the attack highlights why Tehran insists on enrichment, nuclear technology and miissile power.
Reuters
11:06am
IAEA: No rise in radiation levels at Natanz nuclear site after reported Israeli strike
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said, in a post on X, that there has been no increase in radiation levels at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, which was reportedly targeted in Israeli strikes
Reuters
11:02am
IAEA: Iran says Bushehr nuclear plant not targeted in Israeli strikes
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iranian authorities informed the agency that the Bushehr nuclear power plant was not targeted in the recent Israeli strikes.
Reuters
11:01am
Israeli military says Iran launched over 100 drones towards Israel
The Israeli military has announced that Iran has launched more than 100 drones towards Israel in the past few hours.
Reuters
10:58am
Israeli military says over 100 targets struck in Iran overnight, 200 fighter jets involved
An Israeli military spokesperson has said that more than 100 targets across Iran were hit overnight involving 200 fighter jets.
Reuters
10:42am
Iran says Israeli strike on Tehran residential area killed 5, injured 20
Iran's state-run Press TV reports that the Israeli airstrike which hit a residential neighbourhood in Tehran, killed five people and injured at least 20 others.
Reuters
10:38am
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli strikes on Iran
Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned Israel's recent attacks on Iran, saying the strikes violate Iranian sovereignty, threaten regional safety, and breach international law.
In a statement, Riyadh called for restraint and urged the international community to prevent further escalation.
Reuters
10:23am
Trump says he is hoping Iran gets back to negotiating table after Israel attack, Fox News reports
US President Donald Trump said that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and that the United States was hoping to get back to the negotiating table, in an interview with a Fox News following the start of Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
"Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back," Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin quoted Trump as saying in a post on X.
Reuters
10:20am
Head of Iran's armed forces killed in Israeli Attack
Iran's state television has reported that Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the head of Iran's armed forces, has been killed in the Israeli attack.
Reuters
09:34am
Iran warns its 'sworn enemies' should expect decisive retaliation
Israel will pay a heavy price for its attack on Iran which killed Revolutionary Guards top commander Hossein Salami, the Guards said in a statement on Friday, warning of a decisive retaliation against its "sworn enemies".
"The Israeli attack was carried out with full knowledge and support of the wicked rulers in the White House and terrorist U.S. Regime," the Guards' statement said.
09:21am
Israel says Iran approached 'point of no return' in pursuit of nuclear weapon
Israel said it had no choice but to attack Iran, adding that it gathered intelligence that Tehran was approaching "the point of no return" in its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
"The Iranian regime has been working for decades to obtain a nuclear weapon. The world has attempted every possible diplomatic path to stop it, but the regime has refused to stop," the Israeli military said in a statement.
The military did not disclose the purported evidence that it had recently accumulated.
Reuters
09:15am
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei says Israel will face harsh punishment following attack
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel will receive "harsh punishment" following an attack on Friday targeting Iran's nuclear programme and killing several military commanders.
"The Zionist regime (Israel) unleashed its wicked and bloody hand in a crime against Iran this morning and revealed its vile nature. With this attack, the Zionist regime has prepared a bitter fate for itself, which it will definitely receive," Khamenei said in a statement.
Reuters
09:09am
After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights, airspace closed
Airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq early on Friday after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, Flightradar24 data showed, with carriers scrambling to divert and cancel flights to keep passengers and crew safe.
Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern.
Reuters
09:05am
Trump administration seeks to distance US from Israeli strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump's administration sought to distance the United States on Thursday from Israel's strikes on Iran, attacks that are likely to complicate Trump's drive for a nuclear deal with Tehran.
Marco Rubio, Trump's secretary of state and national security adviser, stressed that Israel's strikes were unilateral, while saying the U.S. had known attacks would occur.
"We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region," Rubio said in a statement. "Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense."
Reuters
09:04am
Israel notified Washington before Iran strike, state Israeli broadcaster says
Israel has fully coordinated with Washington on Iran and notified the United States before its strike on Iranian targets, state broadcaster Kan quoted an Israeli official as saying on Friday.
The official, who was not named, told Kan that recent reports of rifts between Israel and Washington were false, but had not been denied as part of a media ruse to confuse Iran.
Reuters
08:55am
Iran says Israel and the US will pay a 'heavy price' for Israeli attack
Israel and the United States will pay a "heavy price" following an Israeli attack early on Friday on Iran, Iranian armed forces spokesperson Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told state TV.
Reuters
08:42am
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is alive, security source tells Reuters
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive and is being continuously briefed about the situation, a security source told Reuters, following an Israeli attack on Iran early on Friday.
07:51am
Iranian state media confirms killing of Revolutionary Guards chief in Israeli strike
Iranian state media confirmed on Friday the killing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami in an Israeli strike.
07:08 AM
Israel launches major attack on Iran
An Israeli military official said Israel was striking "dozens" of nuclear and military targets. The official said Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.
"Following the preemptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate timeframe," Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Later, the Israeli military said it "completed the first stage" of strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets.
An Israeli defence official said the strikes might have killed members of Iran's general staff, including the chief of staff and several senior nuclear scientists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's strikes targeted the "heart of Iran's nuclear programme" and the operations will continue as long as needed.
Two US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Israel had begun carrying out strikes on Iran and there was no US assistance or involvement in the operation.
CNN reported that US President Donald Trump was convening a cabinet meeting.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel told the US that it attacked Iran for 'self-defense'.
Rubio warned Iran not to respond to Israeli strikes by hitting US bases, saying Washington was not involved.
"Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel," Rubio said in a statement.
Iran's state TV said several explosions were heard in Tehran and the country's air defence system was on full alert.
Iran also suspended flights at the capital's main international airport Imam Khomeini after loud blasts were heard around Tehran, state TV reported.
Oil prices surged as much as 6 percent on the strikes, which came after Trump warned of a possible Iranian attack and said the US was drawing down staff in the region.
"I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen," Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday when asked if an Israeli attack loomed.
Trump said he believed a "pretty good" deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.
The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but said: "I don't want them going in, because I think it would blow it."
Trump quickly added: "Might help it actually, but it also could blow it."
US intelligence had indicated that Israel was making preparations for a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, and US officials said on condition of anonymity that Israel could attack in the coming days.
Israel has long discussed striking its longtime foe Iran in an effort to block Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The US military is planning for the full range of contingencies in the Middle East, including the possibility that it might have to help evacuate American civilians, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied.
Israel again called for global action after the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations.
The resolution could lay the groundwork for European countries to invoke a "snapback" mechanism, which expires in October, that would reinstate UN sanctions eased under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by then US president Barack Obama.
Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term and slapped Iran with sweeping sanctions.
Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as "extremist" and blamed Israeli influence.
In response to the resolution, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment centre in a secure location.
Iran would also replace "all of these first-generation machines with sixth-generation advanced machines" at the Fordo uranium enrichment plant, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.
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