THE TIMES OF INDIA | Feb 28, 2026, 17:15:42 IST
Israel Attack Iran Live Updates: Israel launched a daylight strike on Saturday targeting Tehran, the capital of Iran, with plumes of smoke seen rising from the city’s downtown area. The attack reportedly occurred near offices associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It was not immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was present at the time. Khamenei has not appeared publicly in recent days amid rising tensions with the United States.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the operation as “to remove threats,” but provided no further details. The strike comes as Washington has deployed a substantial fleet of fighter jets and warships to the region in an effort to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme. Tehran has warned that any escalation could result in attacks on American military personnel and bases across the region.
Witnesses in Tehran reported hearing the first blast near Khamenei’s office. Iranian state television later confirmed the explosion without specifying a cause. Following the strikes, Iran shut down its airspace, issuing warnings to pilots as additional explosions were reported across the capital.
Meanwhile, sirens sounded across Israel, prompting the Israeli military to issue a “proactive alert” and advise civilians to be ready for possible missile attacks. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Home Front Command warned citizens to stay close to bomb shelters and avoid non-essential travel, although it noted that immediate sheltering was not required.
The situation affected international travel as well. Passengers at Tel Aviv airport, including those on Air India flight AI 140 to New Delhi, were asked to abandon their baggage and rush to bomb shelters. Air India announced it will suspend operations on the sector for a week to monitor the evolving situation.
The attack marks a serious escalation in the region, reflecting ongoing tensions between Israel, Iran, and the United States. The full extent of casualties, if any, remains unknown, and both military and diplomatic responses are being closely monitored.
Israel Attacks Iran Live: Death toll at Minab girls’ school rises to 40
The state-run IRNA news agency is reporting that the death toll from the US-Israeli strike on an elementary girls’ school in Minab has risen to 40.
This significantly higher figure follows earlier reports from local officials and provincial news outlets that had placed the count at 24.
Israel Attacks Iran News: Kataib Hezbollah warns of imminent attacks on US bases
The Iran-aligned Iraqi group Kataib Hezbollah has announced that it will soon begin targeting US bases in the region, according to Reuters.
US Attacks Iran: Death toll in strike on girls’ school in Minab rises to 24
The number of students killed in an Israeli strike on an elementary girls’ school in Minab, Hormozgan province, has reportedly risen to 24, according to Al-Jazeera.
While initial reports indicated five fatalities, Iran’s Fars news agency and the local governor, speaking to Tasnim, have updated the toll to at least 24 students.
The school was hit during a broader wave of strikes across southern Iran.
US, Israel Attack Iran: IRGC strikes US and Israeli bases, warns of continued retaliation
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announced that it has launched missile strikes against Israeli and US bases, stating that its retaliatory operations will persist until the enemy is “decisively defeated.”
According to reports from Reuters, Iran has declared that all US bases, resources, and interests across the region are now considered legitimate targets for further attacks.
Israel Attacks Iran News: Bahrain interior ministry evacuating Juffair residents near US naval base
Bahrain’s interior ministry has announced the evacuation of residents in the Juffair area, which hosts a US naval base.
As per Al-Jazeera, the ministry urged citizens to cooperate with relevant authorities following reports of smoke rising over the district.
Israel Attacks Iran Live: Russia condemns strikes as ‘act of armed aggression’
Russia’s foreign ministry has issued a statement strongly condemning the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, characterising the military operation as a “pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression.”
Israel-Iran News Live: US-Israeli strikes on Iran trigger widespread airspace closures and flight cancellations
The joint military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran has led to significant disruptions in regional and international air travel, with several countries closing their airspace on Saturday.
The United Arab Emirates—home to major carriers Emirates and Etihad—along with Israel and Qatar have shut their skies, forcing Qatar Airways to temporarily cancel all flights to and from Doha. In response to the closures, planes en route to Israel were rerouted to alternative airports, while passengers at Ben Gurion International Airport were shuttled back from their gates.
Airlines across the globe are adjusting operations: Emirates has warned of delays and cancellations, and Virgin Atlantic has scrapped its London-Dubai service while rerouting other flights to avoid Iraqi airspace, a move expected to lengthen travel times for routes to India, the Maldives, and Riyadh.
Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until Monday, with further cancellations affecting the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Additionally, Dutch carrier KLM and several other international airlines had already begun suspending Tel Aviv services earlier in the week in anticipation of the escalation.
US attack Iran: Mehbooba Mufti offers prayers for Iran amid Israel tensions; seeks strength for Khamenei
Israel-Iran News Live: Air India Express suspends all westbound international flights amid Gulf tensions; airline cites passenger safety
Israel-Iran News Live: Iran says retaliation to continue relentlessly; 1 dead in UAE
Israel-Iran News Live: Rahul Gandhi flags concern over US-Israel-Iran hostilities; urges Centre to ensure safety of Indians in Middle East
US attack Iran: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say retaliation will continue relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated — IRGC statement
Israel-Iran News Live: Qatar condemns Iranian missile attack, says it reserves right to respond
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the country reserves the right of response following the Iranian attack, in according with international law. It said Qatar strongly condemned the targeting of Qatari territory with ballistic missiles, considering it a flagrant violation of its national sovereignty, a direct assault on its security and an unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region.
US attack Iran: Iran says 5 students killed at a girls’ school in Israeli-US strike
Iran on Saturday said the US-Israeli airstrikes in southern Iran killed five students at a girls’ school, the first confirmed fatalities in the operation. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the strike happened in Minab in the province of Hormozgan. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has a base in the city.
Israel-Iran News Live: Qatar Airways announces temporary suspension of Qatar Airways Flights due to the Qatari Airspace Closure
Israel-Iran News Live: Israeli Air Force says IDF and US Army carried out ‘broad offensive’ in synchronised operation; strikes across Iran to continue
US, Israel attack Iran: Rocket reportedly targets a US military base in Iraqi Kurdistan
Israel attack Iran Live: ‘Moments of destiny lie ahead,’ says former Iranian Crown Prince, tells people he will announce street protest timeline
Reza Pahlavi in a video posted on X said, “My dear compatriots, Moments of destiny lie ahead of us. The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived. This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter–not the country and great nation of Iran. But, even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”
US, Israel attack Iran: Several senior Revolutionary Guards commanders and political officials reportedly killed in US-Israel strikes
US attack Iran: Israeli sources claim ‘very high success’ in strikes against Iranian leadership
According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, citing unnamed Israeli sources, Israel assesses that the strikes on Iran have achieved “very high success” in the goal of eliminating the Iranian leadership, including senior commanders and President Masoud Pezeshkian.
According to Times of Israel, the report, which was broadcast within the limitations of military censorship, noted that a presidential facility was targeted and stated it is “not clear” that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei did not “undergo a dramatic event,” with Israel reportedly being “very satisfied” with the results.
Israel attack Iran News: Iran says ‘time has come to defend the homeland’ after US-Israeli strikes
Iran’s foreign ministry has issued a statement declaring that “the time has come to defend the homeland” following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel.
Israel-Iran live updates: Qatar thwarts missile attacks, intercepts all threats successfully
Qatar’s defence ministry confirmed that it has successfully neutralized multiple attacks targeting the country, Al-Jazeera reported.
“The Ministry of Defense confirms that the threat was dealt with immediately upon detection, in accordance with the pre-approved security plan, and that all missiles were intercepted before reaching Qatari territory,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israel-Iran conflict live updates: Blasts heard in Qatar’s capital Doha
Israel attack Iran News: IDF says US, Israel carried out joint strikes to ‘remove existential threats’
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said months of “close and joint planning” with the United States enabled a coordinated campaign of strikes targeting Iran.
“The strike targeted dozens of military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated, and joint operation against the regime,” the IDF said. It added that the campaign aims to “thoroughly degrade” the Iranian regime and “remove existential threats to Israel,” according to CNN.
“Even at this hour, Israeli Air Force fighter jets continue to strike targets across Iran based on precise intelligence,” the statement said. “Operations will continue as required.” According to reports, Iranian ballistic missiles and launchers were among the first targets of the strikes.
US, Israel attack Iran: Tehran warns all US bases and interests are within its reach
As the conflict escalates, the Iranian officials have told Reuters that all US bases and interests are within Iran’s reach.
Israel attack Iran Live: Israeli military says strikes targeted ‘dozens of military sites’ in joint US operation
The Israeli military said its strikes on Iran, carried out in coordination with the United States, targeted dozens of military sites following months of joint planning.
“The strike targeted dozens of military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated, and joint operation against the regime,” the army said in a statement.
It added, “In the months preceding the strike, close and joint planning was conducted between the IDF and the US military, enabling the execution of the broad strike in full synchronisation and coordination between the two militaries.”
US attack Iran Live: Explosions heard in Kuwait, sirens activated
US, Israel attack Iran Live: UAE closes it airspace as Israel and US conduct strikes on Iran: AP
Israel -Iran news live: Bahrain’s headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet has been targeted by a missile attack.
US attack Iran Live: Qatar issues advisory for civilians
Qatar has issued an alert on mobile devices, recommending all residents to stay indoors whether at home or elsewhere, away from military bases, according to Al-Jazeera.
US attack Iran: Multiple explosions reported near US bases in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar
Reports are emerging of multiple explosions across Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, locations that host United States military bases.
Emergency sirens heard near US base in Qatar: AFP
Israel attack Iran Live: Explosions reported in Bahrain, authorities issue emergency alert
Reports indicate multiple explosions in Bahrain amid escalating regional tensions. The Interior Ministry of Bahrain has issued an emergency alert, urging citizens to move to the nearest safe locations, according to Al-Jazeera.
Israel-Iran news live: Key developments in Iran in recent years
Israel attack Iran News: Tehran’s Interior Ministry calls Tel Aviv’s strikes a ‘criminal attack’
Iran’s Interior Ministry has condemned the recent strikes as a “criminal enemy, once again, in violation of all international laws and during negotiations, has attacked our dear homeland again,” according to Tasnim News Agency.
The ministry has instructed governors across all provinces to follow previous directives, provide “prompt” reports on local situations and ensure the mobilisation of all facilities to address the urgent needs of the people.
Israel Attack Iran Live: Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard launches first wave of drones and missiles at Tel Aviv
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said it has launched its first wave of drones and missiles targeting Israel, marking a direct escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Israel attacks Iran live updates: Tehran hit by near-total internet blackout
Iran is experiencing a near-total internet blackout, according to online freedom watchdog NetBlocks.
“Confirmed: Network data show #Iran is now in the midst of a near-total internet blackout with national connectivity at 4% of ordinary levels,” NetBlocks said in a post on its Telegram channel.
“The incident comes amid US and Israeli combat operations and matches measures used during last year’s war with Israel,” according to CNN.
The disruption follows previous instances where Iranian authorities restricted online access during periods of unrest. Earlier this year, Iranians faced widespread internet shutdowns as the regime blocked communications while cracking down on anti-government protests.
US Attack Iran Live: Explosions heard in Dezful and Kharg Island, Fars reports
Explosions have been reported in Dezful and near Kharg Island in Iran, according to the Fars News Agency, adding to multiple blast reports across the country amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.
US Attack Iran Live: Lufthansa suspends flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman as tension escalates
Germany’s flagship carrier Lufthansa announced it is suspending flights to and from Dubai on Saturday and Sunday as security concerns escalates.
The airline also said it will halt operations to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman until March 7. The move comes as military tensions intensify in the Middle East, prompting several international carriers to reassess flight routes and passenger safety.
Israel Iran News Live: US calls Iran strikes ‘Operation Epic Fury’
Israel Iran News Live: Qatar monitoring ‘developments closely’ as Iran-Israel conflict escalates
Qatar remains secure after US and Israeli attacks on neighbouring Iran but is monitoring developments closely, the interior ministry said on Saturday.
“The situation inside the State of Qatar is stable and secure, and there are currently no indications of concern at the level of internal security,” the ministry said in a statement said.
US Attack Live: Benjamin Netanyahu praises Donald Trump’s ‘historic leadership’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for regime change in Tehran on Saturday morning in his first video statement about the US-Israel strikes on Iran. He began his video statement by thanking President Donald Trump “for his historic leadership.”
Netanyahu called on “all parts of the Iranian people” to “cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.” He said, “Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.
During the 12-day war with Iran in June, Netanyahu had also called on the Iranian people to rise up against the regime.
Israel Attacks Live: Netanyahu says US-Israel operation aims to remove ‘existential threat’ from Iran regime
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a first statment said that the United States and Israel have launched a joint operation to eliminate what he described as the “existential threat” posed by Iran’s regime.
“Israel and the United States have launched an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terror regime in Iran,” Netanyahu said, adding that the operation would create the conditions for the Iranian people “to take their fate into their own hands.”
He asserted that Iran “must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons,” and described Tehran as a “murderous regime” that cannot be permitted to gain nuclear arms.
Civilians staying in a shelter after alarms announced that Israel had launched an attack on Iran (AP image)
Israel Attacks Iran Live: Large security deployment in Tehran, roads blocked around Khamenei residence
‘Additional barrage of missiles was launched toward Israel’: IDF
‘Very close to final victory’: Reza Pahlavi says in a video message
The son of Iran’s last shah voiced confidence Saturday in victory against the Islamic republic after the United States and Israel launched an attack.
“We are very close to final victory. I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,” Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the Washington area, said in an online video address.
Sirens heard in Jordanian capital Amman
US and Israel strike Iran: Timeline of decades-long hostilities intensifies
The United States and Iran, long-standing adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, faced a new flashpoint on Saturday as Israel launched strikes on Tehran, with the US joining in “major combat operations,” President Donald Trump confirmed.
The conflict follows a series of historic confrontations between the two nations: the 1979 hostage crisis, US labeling Iran part of the “axis of evil” in 2002, withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, the 2020 killing of General Qasem Soleimani and the 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Tensions escalated further in 2026 after Trump deployed a US “armada” to the Gulf amid Iran’s crackdown on protests, prompting indirect talks mediated by Oman. Despite negotiations, Trump warned on February 19 of a limited window to reach an agreement, saying, “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum… otherwise bad things happen.”
Saturday’s strikes represent the latest chapter in a decades-long confrontation. Iranian nuclear and military sites were targeted, including areas near Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s offices. Tehran has warned of retaliation. Israel and Iran both have closed their airspace and issued alerts to civilians.
Israel carried out a daylight strike on Tehran on Saturday, targeting areas near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Smoke was seen rising from downtown Tehran, though it was unclear if Khamenei was present. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the operation as “to remove threats,” without providing further details.
The strike coincides with increased US military presence in the region, including fighter jets and warships, aimed at pressuring Iran over its nuclear programme. Tehran has warned that any escalation could target American personnel and bases.
Explosions were reported across Tehran, prompting Iran to shut down its airspace and issue warnings to pilots. In Israel, sirens blared nationwide, with the military advising civilians to be prepared for possible missile attacks and to stay close to bomb shelters.
The situation disrupted international travel, with passengers at Tel Aviv airport, including those on Air India flights, asked to leave their baggage and move to shelters. Air India has suspended operations in the sector for a week to monitor the evolving situation.
While the full extent of casualties remains unknown, the attack represents a significant escalation in regional tensions, with Israel, Iran, and the United States closely watching the unfolding developments.
