The United States and Israel carried out airstrikes across Iran on Saturday, with Israel’s public television saying Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among the targets.
An attack on a school in southern Iran has killed 63 people, a local official said. The AFP could not immediately access the site to verify the tolls.
In retaliation, Tehran fired missiles at Israel and Gulf countries that host US military bases, sparking fears of a possible wider conflict in the Middle East.
Why is Iran attacking US bases in other countries?
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain and Iraq that he would use all of his defense and military capabilities within the legitimate right of self-defense, Reuters reported, citing a telegram post.
Reuters reported Araghchi as saying: “What we are doing is an act of self-defense which is absolutely legal, legal and legitimate.”
Iran’s foreign minister also called on the international community to “bring criminals to justice” after the US and Israel launched a wave of attacks on targets in the Islamic republic, AFP reported.
In a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi “stressed the importance of decisive action by the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to stop aggressive actions and bring criminals to justice,” according to the ministry.
“Iranian Armed Forces Consider…”: Iran FM
According to an AFP report, Iran’s barrage of missiles in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes could be heard across much of the region, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Israel and Iraq, after Tehran vowed to respond violently if attacked.
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“Iranian armed forces consider the sites from which American and Zionist operations were carried out as legitimate targets,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Iranian television.
Thick plumes of black smoke were seen over Tehran on Saturday, including the Pasteur district, where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s residence is located. The city also saw a significant security presence deployed across the capital.
Smoke billows from the Azadi Square area after a pre-emptive strike by Israel and the United States in Tehran on Saturday. (WANA via Reuters/ANI Video Grab)(WANA via Reuters/ANI Video Grab)
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, more than 20 of the country’s 31 provinces have been hit by US and Israeli strikes.
In Israel, streets were largely empty as residents sought refuge in shelters while explosions from intercepted Iranian missiles rang out across the cities.
Araghchi said he had been in contact with the Gulf states and “explained to them that we do not intend to attack them, but we are actually attacking American bases in self-defense,” AFP reported.
He added that while there is no communication with Washington now, “if the Americans want to talk to us. They know how to contact me. We are certainly interested in de-escalation”.
Why did Israel attack Iran?
The US-Israeli strikes followed Donald Trump expressing frustration with Iran’s position in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programs. Trump said Washington’s goal was to “eliminate the immediate threats” from Iran.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a “preemptive strike”.
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The attacks followed statements by US President Donald Trump, who expressed frustration with Iran’s position in negotiations on its nuclear and missile programs.
Trump said Washington’s goal was to “eliminate immediate threats” from Iran, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the operation necessary to neutralize an “existential threat.”
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What we are doing is an act of self-defense that is perfectly legal and legitimate.
The hour of your freedom is approaching.
“We will destroy their missiles and level their missile industry. It will be completely, again, wiped out. We will destroy their navy,” Trump said, warning of possible US losses.
He also told Iranians that “the hour of your freedom is at hand” and urged them to rise up and “take over your government”.
Iran’s envoy to India has said that “all US and Israeli bases in the Middle East are legitimate targets”
Iran has identified all US and Israeli bases and assets in the Middle East as “legitimate targets” if military action is taken against it, Iran’s ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said on Saturday.
Citing Iran’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Fathali said Iran, as a sovereign nation, will take all necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity, independence and the security of its citizens.
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“If we are attacked militarily, all bases and assets of the United States and the Zionist regime in the region will be considered legitimate targets,” the ambassador said at the Iranian Cultural Center in New Delhi, as reported by PTI.
He emphasized that Iran’s armed forces are fully prepared for defense, just as they were for dialogue. “We have exhausted all options to prevent war. Now we will defend our motherland,” he said, according to a PTI report.
(With input from agencies)
Key things
- The conflict highlights the potential for rapid escalation of military tensions between Iran, the US and Israel.
- Iran’s military response underscores its commitment to self-defense and regional influence.
- International diplomatic efforts are essential to prevent further escalation and promote stability in the Middle East.
