The United States and Israel have launched a sweeping joint military offensive against Iran, triggering retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran on Israeli and US-linked targets across the Middle East.
Huge explosions shook Tehran on Saturday, with satellite images showing extensive damage at the secure compound of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His whereabouts remained unclear, though Iranian officials said he had been moved to a safe location. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, was also reported safe.
Israel said its strikes targeted senior regime figures and military commanders. Iranian state media reported that 85 children were killed in a missile strike on a primary school in Minab.
US President Donald Trump, speaking from Mar-a-Lago, described the campaign as a “massive and ongoing operation” aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile capabilities and called on Iranians to overthrow their government.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with what it called a “first wave” of missile and drone attacks on Israel. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan said they intercepted incoming missiles, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reported attempted strikes on their territories.
The Pentagon has dubbed the campaign “Operation Epic Fury,” marking the most significant US-Israeli military action against Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Tensions have also rattled global energy markets. Iran’s Tasnim news agency claimed the Strait of Hormuz had been effectively closed, though shipping traffic was still moving, albeit at a slower pace. Analysts warn the conflict could send oil prices sharply higher when markets reopen.
