U.S., Israel Launch Strikes Against Iran, Sparking Fears of Wider Conflict
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Saturday, escalating tensions in the Middle East and prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran. The strikes targeted multiple locations within Iran, including areas near its capital, Tehran, and cities like Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the “major combat operations” in a video message posted on his Truth Social account, stating the objective was to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” He described the Iranian government as a “vicious group of very hard, terrible people.”
Israel’s attacks reportedly targeted Iran’s supreme leader and president, according to sources. Explosions were reported in cities across the Middle East, including Jerusalem, as Iran launched counterattacks. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates condemned Iran’s missile strikes against their territories.
“The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation of the targeting of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles,” Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement. The UAE reported intercepting multiple ballistic missiles.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed identifying missiles launched from Iran toward Israel and activated defensive systems.
Bahrain also reported a missile attack targeting a service center of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, while the U.S. embassy in Manama issued a security alert urging citizens to shelter in place due to an “imminent drone/missile attack.” A similar shelter-in-place alert was issued by the U.S. embassy in Abu Dhabi.
The attacks follow the collapse of negotiations aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program. Trump had warned earlier in February that “really bad things” would happen if Tehran did not reach a deal. The U.S. and Iran held a third round of talks in Switzerland on Thursday, but disagreements over Iran’s ballistic missile program proved to be a major sticking point.
Trump asserted that Iran has continued to pursue nuclear weapons despite ongoing negotiations, referencing a previous operation, “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which he claimed obliterated Iran’s nuclear program at Fordow and Isfahan.
A senior Middle East diplomat, speaking anonymously, suggested Israel intervened to disrupt the diplomatic process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Trump for his “historic leadership” and insisted Iran “must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons.”
Iran condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned of “grave consequences” from the escalating conflict and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Russia also condemned the strikes, criticizing the timing given the ongoing negotiations.
The escalating tensions have already impacted energy markets, with oil prices climbing to six-month highs. Iran, a major oil producer and a key player in the Strait of Hormuz, holds significant strategic importance.
— Riya Bhattacharjee, Victor Loh and Emma Graham contributed to this report.