The United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes on Iran, marking a major escalation in Middle East tensions.
President Donald Trump said US forces began “major combat operations” aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile capabilities and countering what he described as imminent threats from the Iranian regime.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the objective was to remove what he called an existential threat posed by Iran. Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency and closed its airspace.
Key developments:
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory missiles and drones towards Israel.
- Bahrain has confirmed that the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet has been targeted by a missile attack.
- Qatar’s Defence Ministry is saying that an Iranian missile has been intercepted by the Patriot defence system.
- Explosions have been reported from UAE and Kuwait.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the strikes targeted Iran’s “territorial integrity”, including defensive and civilian sites, and described the US and Israeli actions as a violation of international law and the UN Charter. Citing Article 51, it said Iran reserves the right to self-defence and warned its armed forces are fully prepared to respond, adding that any retaliation would be decisive.
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