The USA and Israel bombed Iran by air and sea in the early hours of Saturday (28). In retaliation, the Iranian government fired missiles and drones into Israeli territory.
The joint operation began with smoke seen over Tehran, the Iranian capital, after attacks that Israel classified as preventive. Shortly thereafter, Trump used his Truth Social platform to post a surprise video statement announcing US combat operations in Iran, with the aim of “eliminating imminent threats.”
Smoke was seen rising over Tehran’s Pasteur district — home to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and there was a huge security deployment in the capital. The US and Israel said their operations targeted Iranian military sites. The Israeli army warned Iranians in or near military infrastructure across the country to evacuate, saying the attacks came after months of joint planning between the allies.
In southern Iraq, a bombing targeting a military base housing a pro-Iran group killed at least two people, authorities said. Explosions were also heard near the US consulate in Erbil, Iraq, according to AFP journalists.
Wave of missiles and drones
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain after a first wave of missile and drone attacks were launched against Israel.
“The first wave of widespread missile and drone attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the occupied territories has begun,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement, referring to Israel.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it was treating a man with explosion injuries in the north of the country. Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared it would respond “decisively” to the attacks, insisting that Tehran had done “everything necessary to prevent war from breaking out.”
Explosions in the Gulf
Explosions were reported across the Gulf region. AFP correspondents in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, heard loud explosions, as well as in the Bahraini capital, Manama, and in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates claimed to have intercepted Iranian missiles and reserved the right to respond to the attacks. Residents of Abu Dhabi told AFP they heard loud explosions in the Emirati capital, which hosts a base with US personnel. Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted several missile attacks, while Kuwait also faced incoming attacks.
Airspace closures and flight cancellations
- Qatar: Airspace temporarily closed; Qatar Airways has suspended all flights.
- Iraq: Closed airspace; fighter jets and missiles were seen in the skies.
- Syria: It closed part of its airspace in the south, along the border with Israel, for 12 hours.
Airlines: Air France, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air India and Swiss International Air Lines have suspended or canceled flights to several cities in the region, including Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman and Tehran.
Allied support and warnings
The UK government has expressed fears that the military strikes could escalate into a wider conflict in the Middle East. Australia expressed support for the US action, while Ukraine said Iranian government violence triggered the attacks.
The European Union classified the events as “dangerous” and called for the protection of civilians. The former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, criticized Washington for the attack on Iran, stating that the country “showed its true face”.
