Over 200 Dead Across 24 Provinces — Explosions ripple from Tehran to the Gulf as Iran, Israel, and the US trade blows, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire and regional stability hanging by a thread.
Kehinde Adegoke | The Independent
Iran has retaliated with strikes on US and Israeli military bases across theMiddle East, after cities includingTehran were struck on Saturday morning.
Explosions have been heard in Bahrain, where the US Navy’s 5th fleet is based, as well as in the UAE, Jordan and Qatar.
Iranian authorities report that 85 people were killed in a US or Israeli strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran.
Elsewhere, one person was killed as a result of falling debris in Abu Dhabi, and four people were injured after an air attack struck a world-famous Dubai hotel.
Sirens sounded across Israel, with citizens warned to take shelter, after Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu launched coordinated strikes across Iran in what they called a “preventative attack”.
President Donald Trump confirmed a “major combat operation” in an eight-minute speech, stating Iran could never have a nuclear weapon. This comes amid heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran and Israel have closed their airspace, while officials in Tehran said their supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been transferred to a secure location.
Scenes at Dubai hotel are ‘awful’, says UK foreign secretary
The UK’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, has condemned as “awful” the apparent strike by the Iranian military on Dubai’s The Palm hotel.
In a statement on X, she expressed her solidarity with the UAE following the attack.
“I have just spoken with @ABZayed [Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed] to express our solidarity with the UAE,” she wrote.
“The scenes in the Palm Hotel in Dubai are awful. The UK condemns these indiscriminate Iranian strikes.”
US suffered no combat casualties, says CENTCOM
The US military suffered no combat casualties after Iran retaliated against US-Israeli strikes with hundreds of missiles and drones, US Central Command said on Saturday.
“Damage to US installations was minimal and has not impacted operations,” the US military’s Central Command said.
The United States targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities along with Iranian missile and drone launch sites, the US military said on Saturday.
Qatar suspends public events
Qatar has suspended its public events and gatherings until further notice, according to a notice from Qatar Tourism.
It has also halted all Ramadan tents and iftars, which hotels and tourist venues typically host for companies, government entities and the public during the holy month of Ramadan.
Starmer speaks to leaders of Qatar and UAE
Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to the leaders of Qatar and the UAE following Iranian strikes on both countries.
In a call with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Prime Minister expressed his “deep concern” about Iran’s attacks and “reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to the defence of Qatar and its allies”.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “They set out their shared resolve to find a path to de-escalation, working with allies to protect civilians and defend regional stability.”
Speaking to UAE president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sir Keir expressed “solidarity with the UAE and partners across the region in response to the loss of life, casualties and damage that has taken place”.
The spokesperson added that Sir Keir “thanked the president for his efforts to keep British nationals in the UAE safe”.
More than 201 killed in Iran: Iranian media citing Red Crescent
At least 201 people have been killed in US-Israeli attacks which hit 24 provinces, Iranian media has reported, citing the Red Crescent, a non-governmental aid organisation.
Another 747 was injured, it reported.
Supreme Leader and President ‘safe and sound’, says Tehran
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry has said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are both “safe and sound”.
Speaking to Sky News, the spokesman said they have “some commanders who have been martyred as a result of this terrorist act of aggression”.
It comes despite satellite imagery showing extensive damage from a strike on the supreme leader’s compound.
They added: “But what matters is that the Iranian nation, our armed forces, our brave armed forces are taking necessary measures to defend Iran in the strongest way possible.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had previously told NBC News that the supreme leader was alive “as far as I know”.
At least 85 girls killed in strike on girls’ school, says Iran’s judiciary
We earlier reported the news that Iranian authorities had said dozens of people were killed in strikes on a girls’ school in southern Iran.
The latest death toll, according to Iran’s judiciary, is 85 people.
The White House and Israel have not yet commented on reports of the strike, after launching a series of attacks across Iran in the early hours of Saturday.
Venezuela condemns Iran attack
Venezuela’s government is the latest to condemn attacks against Iran as well as reprisals by Iran, following a US-Israeli attack that rocked Tehran.
“Venezuela condemns and regrets deeply that, in a context in which diplomatic efforts and ongoing negotiations are being developed, the military route was opted for, through attacks against Iran,” it said in a statement.
The government added that this caused an escalation, including the “undue and condemnable military reprisals against targets located in different countries of the region by Iran.”
Venezuela has been an ally of Iran, but the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuela’s president in an attack on its capital last month is testing its diplomatic relations.
France was not told in advance of Iran strikes, says Macron
President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that France was neither told in advance nor involved in the strikes against Iran.
“Our absolute priority is the security of our nationals and of our assets,” Macron said, adding that “diplomacy must regain the upper hand”.
Macron was speaking at the start of a meeting of France’s Defence and National Security Council in Paris to discuss the situation in Iran and the Middle East.