US and Israel launch strikes against Iran: Live Updates

The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump confirming that “major combat operations” are underway.

In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump vowed to decimate Iran’s military, eliminate its nuclear program, and bring about a change in its government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a video statement that a “joint operation” had been launched against what he described as the “existential threat” posed by Iran. He said the US-Israeli military action could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the US and Israel had struck military and civilian targets, “blatantly violating” the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that, in response to aggression by a “hostile and criminal enemy” against the Islamic Republic of Iran, it has launched the first wave of extensive missile and drone strikes on Israeli targets. Explosions are reportedly being heard in Israeli cities. The Israeli military said it had detected ballistic missiles launched from Iran towards Israel, describing them as the first wave of retaliation.

Large explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and residents reported seeing smoke rising from a district that houses the presidential palace and the Supreme National Security Council, according to local accounts.

The strikes came after indirect nuclear talks in Geneva between Tehran and Washington ended inconclusively on Friday and amid a massive US military build-up in the region.

Washington had stepped up pressure on Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal, with Trump saying he was “not happy” with Iran’s negotiating position and warning the Islamic Republic would not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. US demands have included dismantling key nuclear facilities and removing enriched uranium stockpiles, while Tehran has insisted its program is peaceful and a sovereign right.

This latest military action also marks the second major campaign by Israel against Iran in less than a year. In a 12-day war in June 2025, Israel struck Iranian military and nuclear sites, and the US later joined by hitting three key facilities, including an underground enrichment plant at Fordow.

Washington claimed at the time that the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program had been completely derailed, although officials in Tehran insisted that this was not the case.