The US and Israel have launched co-ordinated strikes across Iran, including Tehran, on Saturday, in a “preventative attack”.
Iran have retaliated with the Israel Defence Forces confirming that they had identified missiles launched towards them, and were intercepting the threat. Reports of explosions have also been made in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, which house US military bases.
President Donald Trump confirmed a “major combat operation” in an eight-minute speech, stating Iran could never have a nuclear weapon and adding: "It's been mass terror, and we're not going to take it any longer."
Witnesses said they heard the blasts in the Iranian capital, while footage appears to show columns of smoke rising above the city.
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.
The development comes amid heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme – its long-running effort to enrich uranium, which Western powers fear could be used to produce nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, staff have been withdrawn from the British Embassy in Iran, while at the US embassy in Jerusalem, non-emergency US staff and their families have been told to leave Israel due to safety risks.
Several Revolutionary Guard and Iranian officials killed in strikes
Several senior Revolutionary Guard commanders and political officials have been killed in the US-Israeli strikes, an Iranian source close to the establishment has said.
An Israeli official said that Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and Iran’s President Pezeshkian were both targeted.
The IDF have said they are still determining success of initial strikes on Iran.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 10:15
Jordan downs two ballistic missiles
Jordan’s military says it has downed two ballistic missiles targeting the country, as strikes continue across the Middle East.
Qatar’s interior ministry says attacks targeting the country did not result in any damage, after multiple explosions were heard in Doha.
Kuwait’s military said it has also dealt with missiles in its airspace, while explosions have been heard in Abu Dhabi.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 10:11
US Navy 5th fleet in Bahrain 'subjected to missile attack'
The US Navy’s 5th Fleet service centre was “subjected to a missile attack” on Saturday morning, the Bahraini state news agency says.
BNA said: "The service centre of the Fifth Fleet has been subjected to a missile attack, the National Communication Centre has announced.
"Further details will be provided in due course. The public is urged to follow instructions issued by the relevant official authorities and to obtain information from official sources only."
The US Fifth Fleet manages operations in the Middle East, including the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 10:01
Airstrikes kill at least two in Iraq's Jurf al-Sakhar, PMF spokesperson says
At least two Iraqi Hashid Shaabi fighters were killed and three others seriously wounded after at least four explosions occurred following airstrikes in Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad, a Popular Mobilization Forces spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday.
Search operations are ongoing for possible casualties, he added.
The PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, is an umbrella group of mostly Shi'ite paramilitary factions hat was formally integrated into Iraq's state security forces and includes several groups aligned with Iran.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:56
Watch: Flights divert Iran after US and Israel launch strikes
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:54
UK did not participate in US-Israeli airstrikes
The UK did not participate in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the Prime Minister will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee on Saturday morning.
A government spokesperson said: “Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution.
“Our immediate priority is the safety of UK nationals in the region and we will provide them with consular assistance, available 24/7.
“As part of our longstanding commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East, we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.
“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict.”
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:50
Iran will target all US military bases in the region, foreign minister says
Iran’s foreign minister has said the Iranian response will be to target all US military bases in the region.
The Iraqi foreign ministry said that they had been informed that Tehran will continue to defend itself as airstrikes continue.
US officials have said that this forms part of a multi-day operation conducted with Israel.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:48
What are Iran's ballistic missile capabilities?
Iran has the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, according to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence. They have a self-imposed range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles), which Iranian officials have said was enough to protect the country as they can reach Israel.
Many of Iran's missile sites are in and around Tehran. There are at least five known underground "missile cities" in various provinces, including Kermanshah and Semnan, as well as near the Gulf region.
The arsenal encompasses multiple long-range missiles that can reach Israel, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It says these include the Sejil, with a 2,000-km range; Emad, 1,700 km; Ghadr, 2,000 km; Shahab-3, 1,300 km; Khorramshahr, 2,000 km; and Hoveyzeh 1,350 km.
The semi-official Iranian news outlet ISNA published a graphic in April 2025 showing nine Iranian missiles it said could reach Israel, including the Sejil, which ISNA said was capable of flying at more than 17,000 km (10,500 miles) per hour and had a range of 2,500 km; the Kheibar, with a range of 2,000 km; and the Haj Qasem, 1,400 km.
Washington-based think tank, the Arms Control Association says Iran's ballistic arsenal included the Shahab-1, with an estimated range of 300 km; the Zolfaghar, 700 km; Shahab-3, 800-1,000 km; Emad-1, under development, 2,000 km; and a Sejil model under development, 1,500-2,500 km.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:44
Norwegian Air suspends all flights to and from Dubai after strikes on Iran
Nordic airline Norwegian Air suspended all flights to and from Dubai on Saturday after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, a company spokesperson said.
The carrier did not suspend flights to Tel Aviv in Israel or Beirut in Lebanon as these destinations are only active in summer, he added. He did not say how long the suspension would be for.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 09:37
Israel conducting large-scale attacks on military targets in Iran
Israeli military has said it is currently conducting large-scale attacks on a series of military targets in western Iran.
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry confirmed that the US and Israel had attacked a range of military and defence targets, as well as civilian infrastructure across various cities.
