U.S. and Israeli forces carried out a large, coordinated assault on Iran early today, striking hundreds of sites across the country. President Trump and Israeli officials said Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the action. U.S. and Israeli statements said the strikes hit air defenses, missile and drone launch facilities, regime compounds and the private compound of the supreme leader in Tehran. U.S. Central Command published footage of cruise missiles and fighter jets involved; U.S. officials called the operation the biggest concentration of American military power in the region in a generation.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the Middle East, dispatching strikes at U.S. bases and allied facilities. Explosions were reported near the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, and Iranian drones struck residential towers in Manama. Attacks and damage were reported in the United Arab Emirates, including reports of damage at Dubai’s airport and at least one luxury hotel. Iran also launched strikes into Israel that destroyed homes and killed civilians. Iranian authorities additionally claimed dozens — and in some accounts hundreds — were killed at a girls’ school in Tehran following the airstrikes; independent confirmation of an exact toll was not immediately available.
President Trump announced the operation on social media, saying U.S. forces had “destroyed their missiles and razed their missile industry to the ground.” In a recorded message aimed at Iranians, he said, “Your hour of freedom is at hand,” urging citizens to take control of their government. White House officials later framed the strikes as preemptive measures intended to prevent an imminent conventional missile threat to U.S. personnel and partners. The president monitored the operation from his Florida residence and warned the campaign could continue until U.S. objectives were met.
Cellphone and battlefield footage showed fires and explosions across the region as Iran’s counterstrikes struck multiple countries. U.S. officials reported no immediate American casualties, but the rapid spread of attacks raised fears of wider escalation. Several regional governments were drawn into the fighting, and reports said Turkey had begun diplomatic outreach to de-escalate. Global leaders expressed alarm and urged restraint even as some public reactions ranged from celebration to protests.
At home, Democrats criticized the administration for not seeking congressional authorization before launching the strikes. Representative Seth Moulton, a former Marine, argued the president should have presented the case to Congress, citing constitutional requirements. House Democrats planned to force a vote on a bill requiring authorization for the use of military force against Iran; Republicans were expected to resist, and the White House indicated the president could veto such legislation.
Federal and local security agencies warned of heightened threats on U.S. soil. Law enforcement increased security at sensitive sites and in dozens of cities. Hundreds of people marched near the White House while authorities monitored protests with additional resources. New York City counterterrorism officials said their primary domestic concern is lone actors and urged public vigilance as investigators followed numerous tips.
CBS reporters on the ground described stark scenes in Tehran and Tel Aviv. In Tehran, smoke rose over neighborhoods after strikes on air defenses and launch sites; some residents celebrated reports of the supreme leader’s death while security forces carried out crackdowns in other districts. In Tel Aviv, emergency crews worked into the night amid destruction of residential areas and injuries to civilians.
Analysts cautioned that the strikes mark a pivotal moment for Iran. CBS correspondents noted the attacks could end 36 years of Khamenei’s unchallenged authority and leave the regime fragmented and unpredictable — opening space for reform or triggering violent repression and even civil conflict. Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster said the operation had degraded Iranian capabilities and fragmented leadership, but warned Iran could respond with terrorism or attacks on strategic waterways and that the campaign could be prolonged.
Across the United States, Iranian-American communities reacted with a mix of grief, fear and, in some cases, celebration. In Los Angeles, some expatriates took to the streets hoping for regime change while others mourned relatives in Iran amid disrupted communications.
Pentagon officials underscored that the U.S. had been building a larger regional presence in recent weeks and defended the strikes as intended to reduce the risk of greater American casualties. But critics questioned the timing, whether diplomatic options had been exhausted and how closely allies were consulted.
The situation remains fluid. Iran continued to launch retaliatory strikes across the region, international diplomacy was in motion, and U.S. officials warned the campaign could continue until stated objectives are met. With civilian casualties reported, heightened security at home and widespread uncertainty about what comes next, leaders and analysts warned the risk of further escalation remains high.