U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes on Iran early Saturday in an operation officials described as the product of weeks of planning. A senior Israeli military official said the campaign is intended to continue “as long as necessary” to degrade Iran’s military capabilities, including its ballistic missile forces, which assessments put in the high hundreds to low thousands.
President Trump announced on social media that the U.S. had begun major combat operations in Iran, later calling the effort a massive, ongoing campaign to destroy Iran’s missile industry, degrade its navy and weaken proxies that destabilize the region. He warned of possible American casualties, urged members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and security forces to surrender with offered immunity, and encouraged Iranian civilians to act against their government, framing the strikes as aimed at freeing the Iranian people and creating a safer nation.
U.S. and other sources said the first wave of strikes targeted sites near Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Early reports indicated attacks near Khamenei’s residence in Tehran, though Iranian state media said senior leaders were safe. Iranian outlets reported strikes across multiple cities, including Tehran, Isfahan (near a major nuclear facility), Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah, Lorestan and Tabriz.
Iran responded with multiple missile volleys. The Israel Defense Forces reported a second barrage launched toward Israel and said intercepts occurred; alerts and sirens sounded across the country and a national state of emergency was declared. Iran also launched strikes aimed at U.S. facilities and regional targets; Iranian state media named bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain as being targeted. Local reports said a missile attack in Abu Dhabi killed one person, the first reported fatality linked to Iran’s counterattacks.
Sources reported missiles struck near the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and targeted U.S. bases in Jordan. Explosions were reported in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, where officials said missiles had been intercepted. Initial reporting provided no immediate confirmation of direct hits on U.S. bases.
U.S. embassies across the Middle East issued shelter-in-place orders and advised American citizens to remain in secure locations in at least five countries, including Jordan, Israel, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. Israel closed its airspace, prompting flight cancellations and diversions; carriers such as Air France and Lufthansa suspended regional services.
NetBlocks reported a near-total internet blackout in Iran, with national connectivity falling to roughly 4% of normal levels — a tactic previously used during major protests. The Israeli military posted warnings in Farsi telling Iranians to avoid military installations and evacuate areas near military-industrial sites, describing those locations as dangerous.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the campaign The Roar of the Lion and said it was designed to remove what he described as an existential threat from Iran and to create conditions for Iranians to determine their own future. The U.S. Defense Department appeared to refer to the strikes as Operation Epic Fury. Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the assault as a gross violation of its territorial integrity and vowed to use all available resources to repel the attacks. Iran’s supreme leader had earlier warned that U.S. strikes would spark a regional war.
U.S. political reactions were mixed. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham praised the operation as necessary and long justified. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman expressed support, while Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego criticized the action and warned Americans should not die for a conflict that has not been fully explained or justified.
Allied leaders also weighed in: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese voiced support for U.S. action to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and criticized Tehran’s human rights record. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, urged Iranians to return to the streets and called on security forces to side with the people.
The strikes come after months of heightened U.S. pressure over Iran’s nuclear program and proxy activities. Washington and Tehran held multiple rounds of talks earlier this year aimed at a nuclear accord, but negotiations stalled. The U.S. previously struck Iranian nuclear sites in June and in recent weeks surged naval and air assets to the region, including at least two aircraft carrier strike groups and additional warplanes.
Iran has faced large anti-government protests in late 2025 and early 2026, attracting international attention and U.S. warnings against violent repression. The current U.S. administration has framed recent threats and strikes as efforts to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and to limit Tehran’s ability to fund and arm regional proxies.
Civilian and infrastructure impacts were reported across Iran, and international travel and communications were disrupted. Emergency and shelter orders remained in effect at U.S. diplomatic posts and allied locations across the region. The situation remained fluid, with missile exchanges and counterstrikes continuing and officials on multiple sides warning of potential further escalations.