The US has said the air strikes against Iran on Saturday should be the end of direct conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic.
The White House said that the early- morning attack by the IDF on around 20 targets in Tehran and other Iranian locations should “close out” direct conflict between the two countries.
Israel struck Iran in relation after it launched nearly 200 missiles and drones three weeks ago.
The barrage from Tehran was itself a response to Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, the terror group backed by Iran.
Speaking after Israel’s latest response, a senior White House official said: “Israel has responded to that attack as an exercise of self-defense”, adding: “As far as we’re concerned, that should close out that direct exchange between Israel and Iran.”
Washington said that it was “fully prepared to defend Israel and support Israel” if Iran chooses to respond again and “there will be consequences should Iran make that unfortunate decision.”
However the official added: “This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran. Israel has made clear to the world that its response is now complete.”
The White House also sought to promote the role of President Biden in encouraging Israel to take a measured approach which could see a de-escalation, rather than a step to intensify conflict in the Middle East.
The President and his national security team, of course, worked with the Israelis over recent weeks to encourage Israel to conduct a response that was targeted and proportional with low risk of civilian harm, and that appears to have been precisely what transpired this evening,” the official said.
“The President discussed the overall situation with Prime Minister Netanyahu last week. He encouraged the Prime Minister to design a response that served to deter further attacks against Israel while reducing risk of further escalation. And that is our objective; it’s Israel’s objective, as well, as they have stated this evening.”
05:03 PM BST
That’s all for today
Thank you for following our live coverage. The key developments from the day were:
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Israel launched a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against Iran in the early hours of Saturday, saying it targeted facilities used to make the missiles fired at Israel and surface-to-air missile sites. Two Iranian soldiers were killed.
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Iran vowed revenge for Israel’s strike on Tehran, saying it is “entitled and obligated to defend itself against external aggressive acts”.
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Esmail Kowsari, a member of Iran’s parliament national security committee, threatened Israel with a “very painful” response. “Iran’s response will be carried out at the best time, with all aspects considered and in line with national interests,” he said. “This response will be very painful for the Zionists.”
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Hamas condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as an “escalation”, calling it a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a threat to regional security.
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The European Union called for all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an “uncontrollable escalation”, while Sir Keir Starmer said he is “urging all sides to show restraint”.
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The US vowed to defend Israel. Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that the US would defend Israel from “threats from Iran and Iran-based terrorist organisations” and that it was determined to prevent escalation in the Middle East.
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Lebanese state media said the Israeli army dynamited houses in Lebanese border villages on Saturday, more than a month into its war with Hezbollah.
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Meanwhile, Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks killed 19 people in the country on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 2,653 since October 2023.
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The Israeli military has said that Hezbollah fired approximately 80 rockets at the country.
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Israeli forces withdrew from a hospital complex in northern Gaza one day after storming it. Health officials said on Friday Israeli forces had stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities struggling to operate in the area, and also stationed forces outside it.
04:51 PM BST
In pictures
04:37 PM BST
Hezbollah condemns Israel strike on Iran as ‘dangerous escalation’
Hezbollah warned Saturday of a “dangerous escalation” in the region, saying Washington bears “full responsibility” for the “treacherous” raids on Iran launched by its Israeli ally.
“Hezbollah strongly condemns the treacherous Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and considers it a dangerous escalation at the level of the entire region,” Hezbollah said in a statement, adding that the United States “bears full responsibility for the massacres, tragedies and pain” caused by Israel.
04:33 PM BST
Israeli attacks killed 19 in Lebanon on Friday, says health ministry
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks killed 19 people in the country on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 2,653 since October 2023.
04:23 PM BST
Iran vows revenge for Israeli strike on Tehran
Iran has vowed revenge for Israel’s strike on Tehran, saying it is “entitled and obligated to defend itself against external aggressive acts”.
Calling the Israeli attack a violation of international law, its foreign ministry said in a statement that Tehran “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security”.
Israel launched a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against Iran in the early hours of Saturday, saying it targeted facilities used to make the missiles fired at Israel and surface-to-air missile sites. It came in retaliation for a missile barrage from Iran at the start of the month.
Esmail Kowsari, a member of Iran’s parliament national security committee, has also threatened Israel with a “very painful” response. “Iran’s response will be carried out at the best time, with all aspects considered and in line with national interests,” he said. “This response will be very painful for the Zionists.”
The attack risks pushing the arch-enemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiralling violence across the Middle East.
Hamas condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as an “escalation”, calling it a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a threat to regional security.
04:13 PM BST
Lebanon state media says Israel army blows up houses in border village
Lebanese state media said the Israeli army dynamited houses in Lebanese border villages on Saturday, more than a month into its war with Hezbollah.
The official National News Agency said “the army of the Israeli enemy has since dawn blown up and destroyed houses” in the border village of Adaisseh.
The NNA also reported “large explosions” in the border village of Kfar Kila, saying the blasts were heard across the south as columns of smoke rose above the area.
The Israeli military had earlier reported “the explosion of a large quantity of explosives in Lebanon” that was strong enough to trigger earthquake warnings in large parts of Israel.
03:57 PM BST
Picture: Israel launches missile at Lebanon
03:33 PM BST
Israel will be met with ‘very painful’ response, says member of Iran’s national security committee
Esmail Kowsari, a member of Iran’s parliament national security committee threatened Israel with a “very painful” response.
“Iran’s response will be carried out at the best time, with all aspects considered and in line with national interests,” he said. “This response will be very painful for the Zionists.”
03:23 PM BST
Israeli forces withdraw from northern Gaza’s last functioning hospital
Israeli forces have withdrawn from a hospital complex in northern Gaza one day after storming it, according to a report by Reuters.
Health officials said on Friday Israeli forces had stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities struggling to operate in the area, and also stationed forces outside it.
Medics said at least 44 of the facility’s 70-member team of the hospital had been detained by the army. It later said the army had released 14 of them, including the hospital’s director.
At least two children were also said to have died inside the intensive care unit after Israeli fire hit the generators and oxygen station in the facility on Friday.
Footage circulated by the health ministry – which Reuters could not immediately verify – showed damage to several buildings after the Israeli forces withdrew.
An Israeli military spokesperson declined comment on the hospital report. On Friday the Israeli military said it operated in the area of the hospital based on intelligence “regarding the presence of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure” there.
02:58 PM BST
EU calls for ‘utmost restraint’
The European Union has called for all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an “uncontrollable escalation” in the Middle East after Israel carried out deadly air strikes in Iran.
“The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliations risks causing a further expansion of the regional conflict,” the 27-nation bloc said in a statement. “While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defence, the EU calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an uncontrollable escalation, which is in no one’s interest.”
02:41 PM BST
Germany’s Scholz urges Iran to de-escalate after Israeli strikes
German chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on Iran to end the cycle of escalation following Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites early on Saturday.
“My message to Iran is clear: We cannot continue with massive reactions of escalation. This must end now. This will provide an opportunity for peaceful development in the Middle East,” Mr Scholz said in a post on X.
Mr Scholz said the Israeli attack aimed to minimise casualties, creating an opportunity to avoid further escalation.
“What is important is that there needs to be a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages. I call on all parties to do this. The same applies to Lebanon,” Mr Scholz said.
02:24 PM BST
Huddled with his generals deep in the night, Benjamin Netanyahu finally hit the button
Neil Johnston in Tel Aviv reports
It was just after 2.15am when Iranians woke to the sounds of explosions and the first plumes of smoke began to rise near the capital.
After weeks of speculation, leaks and fierce battles against Iran’s proxies on its borders, Israel finally launched its retaliation against Tehran’s missile barrage last month.
Codenamed “Days of Repentance”, Israel declared “mission completed” within four hours of the first strike, after bombing military targets across the Islamic Republic and triggering panic in Iranian cities by the time fighter jets returned home.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, had promised Iran “would pay for it” after launching a barrage of 180 missiles and drones which rained down on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Oct 1.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, he sat in a war room wearing a black puffer jacket and blue shirt as the order was given to fire the first missiles towards Tehran, southern Khuzestan and western Ilam provinces.
Flanking him were Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, and generals at the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) headquarters in Kirya, Tel Aviv, as fighter jets targeted the factories and storage facilities used to make the weapons launched 1,500km in the other direction three weeks ago.
At one point, Major General Herzi Halevi, commanding the mission, was seen looking tense, as General Tomer Bar, the Air Force commander, gave instructions on a military phone, as the first wave against Iranian air defences had been completed.
02:15 PM BST
Egypt says a cease-fire in Gaza the only way to de-escalate tensions
Egypt said it’s following with “great concern the rapid and serious escalation” in the region, including Israel’s attack on Iran, and warned about “serious confrontations” across the Middle East.
The foreign ministry said that a cease-fire deal in Gaza “is the sole means to de-escalate” tensions in the Middle East.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been leading efforts to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza, which includes the release of hostages held by Hamas as well as Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
02:10 PM BST
Lebanon says Israeli strike kills Hezbollah-linked rescuer
Lebanon’s health ministry said a Hezbollah-affiliated paramedic was killed Saturday in an Israeli strike on a medical centre in south Lebanon, which left five others wounded, three of them Hezbollah-linked paramedics.
“The Israeli enemy’s raid on a medical centre in Bazuriyeh resulted in” the death of a rescuer with the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee. It brings to 164 the number of rescuers and paramedics killed in Lebanon since Hezbollah and Israel began trading cross-border fire last year, the health ministry said.
01:57 PM BST
IDF says Hezbollah fired about 80 projectiles at Israel
The Israeli army on Saturday said Hezbollah had fired around 80 projectiles targeting the country, just hours after Israel launched air strikes targeting military facilities in Iran.
“As of 15:00 (12:00 GMT), approximately 80 projectiles that were fired by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation have crossed from Lebanon into Israel today,” the army said in a statement.
01:48 PM BST
Attack on a police convoy in Iran kills 10 officers
An attack on an Iranian police convoy in the country’s restive southern province of Sistan and Baluchestan killed at least 10 officers, authorities said.
Details remain scarce over the attack in Gohar Kuh, some 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) south-east of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Initially, reports simply described an attack by “miscreants” without more information. But shortly after, Iranian state media said 10 officers had been killed.
01:07 PM BST
Pictures: Funeral of three journalists killed in Beirut
12:37 PM BST
Iraqi facilities not affected by Israeli attack on Iran, agency reports
No Iraqi military, economic or civilian facilities were affected during Israel’s Saturday morning strikes on neighbouring Iran, the Iraqi state news agency cited a security source as saying.
12:29 PM BST
Russia says it’s deeply concerned about escalation
The Russian foreign ministry said it was deeply concerned about the escalation between Israel and Iran and urged normalisation of the situation in the Middle East, after Israel carried out airstrikes on military sites in Iran.
“We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint, stop the violence and avoid a catastrophic scenario,” the ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
12:21 PM BST
Turkey calls for end of Israeli ‘terror’ after strikes on Iran
Turkey on Saturday condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran and called for an end to what it said was Israel’s “terror” in the region.
“Putting an end to the terror created by Israel in the region has become an historic task for the establishment of international peace and security,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli attack on Iran. By committing genocide in Gaza, preparing to annex the West Bank and killing civilians every day in Lebanon, Israel has brought our region to the brink of a greater war,” the ministry added.
12:07 PM BST
Gaza death toll climbs to 42,924, health ministry says
At least 42,924 people have been killed and 100,833 injured in Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct 7, 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
11:57 AM BST
Gaza’s civil defence unable to respond to emergency calls
The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza has been unable to respond to emergency calls from residents in the Jabalia region, according to Al Jazeera.
Defence operations have been “completely halted due to ongoing Israeli targeting and aggression in northern Gaza”, statement published by the organisation said.
We are unable to respond to numerous pleas for help from homes that have been targeted and burned by Israeli bombardment in Jabalia and Jabalia Nazla in northern Gaza.
The region has been under siege for 22 days, and on Friday Gaza’s health ministry accused Israeli forces of storming the Kamal Adwan hospital – the last functioning facility in northern Gaza.
11:38 AM BST
Lebanon condemns Israeli airstrikes on Iran
Lebanon’s foreign ministry on Saturday condemned Israel’s airstrikes on multiple sites in Iran, describing them as a violation of Iranian sovereignty and a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.
11:30 AM BST
Gulf warns over Israeli ‘escalation’ after strikes on Iran
Saudi Arabia has led Gulf warnings of Israeli “escalation”, after Israel struck military targets in Iran.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation” of the Israeli strikes and emphasised its “firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region”, which “threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples” in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said on X.
Qatar, a mediator trying to end the Gaza war, expressed in a foreign ministry statement its “deep concern about the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation” by Israel on Saturday.
The United Arab Emirates also condemned Israel’s targeting of Iran and voiced “deep concern” for the “repercussions on regional security and stability”.
Oman, which has long played a mediating role between Iran and Western countries, said Israel’s attack on Iran “fuels the cycle of violence and undermines efforts” to de-escalate.
Kuwait’s foreign ministry also expressed condemnation and accused Israel of “endangering the security of the region”.
11:17 AM BST
EgyptAir cancels flights to Baghdad and Erbil
Egyptian national carrier EgyptAir said on Saturday it had cancelled flights to Iraq’s capital Baghdad and northern city of Erbil, citing regional developments, after Israeli airstrikes on military targets in neighbouring Iran.
11:12 AM BST
Three health workers injured and dozens detained at north Gaza hospital, says WHO
The World Health Organization said it has regained contact with staff at a besieged northern Gaza hospital, finding that three health workers had been injured and 44 detained.
Kamal Adwan, northern Gaza’s last functioning hospital, “is still under siege, but we managed to get in touch with the staff”, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Three health workers and another employee have been injured, 44 health workers have been detained and four ambulances damaged,” he said.
On Friday Gaza’s health ministry accused Israeli forces of storming Kamal Adwan hospital in the Jabalia camp, where it launched a major operation earlier this month.
It said the raid left two children dead, and accused the Israeli forces of detaining hundreds of staff, patients and displaced people.
The Israeli military said its forces were operating around Kamal Adwan, but was “not aware of live fire and strikes in the area of the hospital”.
10:57 AM BST
Watch: Iran’s air defences activated during Israeli strikes
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10:44 AM BST
Israel’s attack on Iran is ‘an escalation’, warns Hamas
Hamas has condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as an “escalation”, calling it a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a threat to regional security.
“We strongly condemn the Zionist regime’s aggression against Iran which targeted military sites in several provinces,” Hamas said on Saturday.
“This is a clear violation of Iran’s sovereignty and an escalation aimed at undermining regional security and the security of its people,” the terrorist organisation added.
Israel hit multiple military targets across Iran in the early hours of Saturday in a long-awaited retaliation for missile barrage from Iran at the start of the month. The terror group blamed Israel and the US for any fallout of the strikes, which targeted at least three Iranian provinces.
“We hold the occupying regime, backed by the US, fully responsible for the consequences of this aggression,” Hamas said.
10:40 AM BST
Egypt voices grave concern over Israeli airstrikes on Iran
Egypt is gravely concerned over the escalation in the Middle East including the Israeli air attack on Iran, and condemns all measures that threaten regional security and stability, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
10:30 AM BST
Iran ‘entitled and obligated to defend against external aggressive acts’, foreign ministry says
Iran is “entitled and obligated to defend itself against external aggressive acts”, its foreign ministry said on Saturday after Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military targets.
Calling the Israeli attack a violation of international law, the ministry said in a statement that Tehran “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security”.
10:29 AM BST
Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it launches drone strike at Israeli airbase
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah said it had launched drones against an Israeli air base south of Tel Aviv, its first claimed attack against the facility.
At war with Israel since last month, after a year of tit-for-tat cross border exchanges, Hezbollah regularly announces the targeting of Israeli military facilities but its statement that it launched “an aerial attack with drones” against Tel Nof base was the first claim of its kind in one year.
10:22 AM BST
Pakistan condemns Israeli strikes on Iran
Pakistan condemned Israeli strikes on military targets in Iran on Saturday, saying Israel bore “full responsibility” for escalating the conflict in the Middle East.
“Pakistan strongly condemns Israel’s strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the early hours on Saturday,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.
“These strikes undermine the path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region.”
It added that “Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict”.
10:09 AM BST
Syria backs Iran right to self-defence after Israeli strikes
Syria condemned Israeli air strikes against Iran on Saturday, saying it affirmed its ally’s right to self-defence.
Expressing its “solidarity” with Iran, the Syrian foreign ministry said in a statement that it supported “Iran’s legitimate right to defend itself and protect its territory and the lives of its citizens”.
10:01 AM BST
Qatar condemns Israeli airstrikes on Iran, urges restraint and dialogue
Qatar’s foreign ministry on Saturday condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Iran and urged restraint and dialogue to avoid regional instability.
10:01 AM BST
Watch: Aftermath of attack on factory complex
A Factory Complex within the Shamsabad Industrial City to the Southwest of Tehran, suffered Significant Damage as a result of last night’s Israeli Missile Attack; with the Factory targeted, believed to have been involved in the Development and Production of Military Drones. pic.twitter.com/5lNjYG8FR4
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 26, 2024
09:56 AM BST
Tehran residents fear escalation
Iranian officials and media have played down the attack, but on the streets of Tehran many were concerned that it had marked a new escalation and a step towards all-out war.
“If they attack, it will be us who will be crushed,” said Moharam, a 51-year-old day labourer.
Hooman, a 42-year-old factory employee, was on a factory night shift when he heard the blasts.
“It was an echoing sound … terrible and horrifying,” he told AFP. “Now that there is war in the Middle East, we are afraid that we will be dragged into it.”
09:46 AM BST
Pictures: Iranians on Saturday
09:37 AM BST
Iraq says Israel ‘expanding’ conflict
Iraq has issued a statement criticising Israel for continuing “its aggressive policies and expansion of conflict in the region”.
“[Israel is] employing blatant acts of aggression without deterrence. This time, its hand of aggression has targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran through an airstrike on Iranian targets early this morning,” the statement said, adding that Iraq “reiterates its firm stance calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and for comprehensive regional and international efforts to support stability in the region”.
09:28 AM BST
Israel’s worked in ‘close coordination’ with US, according to source
Israel conducted a “calculated” attack on Iran’s military sites in “close coordination” with the United States, a source familiar with the issue told The Telegraph.
“The attack was extensive but designed in such a way that it showed the Israeli public that Iran was hit hard, but at the same time giving Iran a chance to chose not to respond,” said the source, reported by Jotam Confino in Tel-Aviv.
“Israel was encouraged about the UK’s reaction, which reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself.,” the source added. “Israel is looking to wrap up the war in Gaza and bring the hostages home”
09:14 AM BST
Russia gave Iran heads up hours before Israeli strikes began
Sky News Arabia, quoting an unnamed source, said that Russia warned Iran ahead of the impending Israeli airstrikes this morning.
The report said that the intelligence was provided hours before Israel announced the waves of strikes on Iranian military targets.
09:13 AM BST
US vows to defend Israel after largest ever direct attack on Iran
The US has vowed to defend Israel after it launched a direct attack on Iran in a double wave of airstrikes across the country.
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that the US would defend Israel from “threats from Iran and Iran-based terrorist organisations” and that it was determined to prevent escalation in the Middle East.
Mr Austin “reaffirmed” the US’ “ironclad commitment… to Israel’s security and self-defence”.
Israel hit multiple military targets across Iran in the early hours of Saturday in a long-awaited retaliation for missile barrage from Iran at the start of the month.
A senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration said that Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran was “targeted and proportional with a low risk of civilian harm”.
“Should Iran choose to respond, we are fully prepared to once again defend against any attack,” the official continued.
Israel sent a message to Iran ahead of its airstrikes warning them not to retaliate, according to US reports. The IDF has said it will be “obliged to respond” to any attack by Tehran.
09:09 AM BST
Two Iranian soldiers killed
Two Iranian soldiers were killed during Israel’s overnight attack, according to an official statement from Iran’s army, Akhtar Makoii writes.
The soldiers died as Iranian forces worked to counter Israeli “projectiles” during the pre-dawn strikes, the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran said.
The statement described the soldiers as having been “martyred” while “defending Iran’s borders and preventing harm to the Iranian people.”
The deaths mark the first reported Iranian military casualties from Israel’s direct strike on Iranian territory.
“In defence of the security of Iran’s borders and to prevent harm to the Iranian people and their interests, the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran sacrificed two of its combatants last night while countering projectiles from the criminal Zionist regime,” the statement said.
08:31 AM BST
Iranian government praises air defences
Iran’s government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani on Saturday praised the country’s air defence forces for their response to Israel’s overnight strikes, Akhtar Makoii writes.
She said that Iran remains “strong and resilient” in the face of the attack.
“As the official statements from the country’s air defence show, only limited damage was caused,” she said.
“It is important for the dear people to remain calm, avoid paying attention to rumours, and follow news only from official media and air defence statements.”
Mohajerani said Iran has returned to normal operations, with commercial flights resuming their regular schedule from 9am.
“We must praise the power and resolve of the nation’s youth, whose actions have revived the national pride of Iranians,” she said.
08:09 AM BST
Starmer: ‘Iran should not respond’
Sir Keir Starmer said he is “urging all sides to show restraint” when asked if he considers Israel’s air strikes to be proportionate.
The Prime Minister said: “On the question of the strikes, I think we need to be really clear that Israel does have the right to defend itself, but we are urging, and have been urging all sides to show restraint, and that’s why I’m very clear today, Iran should not be responding to this.
“And those are really important messages of de-escalation that at this moment in time, I think it’s very important everybody needs to heed.”
08:08 AM BST
Saudi Arabia condemns Israel
Saudi Arabia condemned Israeli strikes on military targets in Iran on Saturday, warning against any further expansion of the conflict in the Middle East.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation” of the Israeli strikes and emphasised its “firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region”, which “threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples” in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said.
Israel had been moving towards opening full diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia before Oct 7 but the war in Gaza stalled the efforts.
Saudi Arabia has long been a regional rival to Iran and severed diplomatic ties in 2016. But relations have warmed under a China-brokered deal last year, and Iran and Saudi Arabia took part in joint naval drills last week.
07:38 AM BST
How the attack unfolded – and what it means
Israel said its warplanes had targeted missile-manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays and other military sites.
The attacks appear to have come in two waves. First Israeli fighter jets targetted Iranian air defence units to clear the way for a second strike on missile and drone bases and productions sites.
Experts said this is likely to have been designed to avoid triggering a major escalation but also to please Western allies concerned about Iran’s growing capabilities and alliance with Russia.
Analyst Jason Brodsky said: “You can see here how Israel is very cleverly focusing on Iran’s regime’s missile and drone production sites. This is to keep the US and Europeans on board as they will be quietly cheering the attacks on these same sites which are arming Russia against Ukraine.”
07:26 AM BST
Largest attack on Iran in three decades
Israel’s attack on Saturday marked the largest direct strike by a foreign air force on Iranian territory in over three decades, Akhtar Makoii writes.
The last big foreign military strikes on Iranian soil happened during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) when Iraqi forces frequently targeted military installations, industrial and civilian population centres.
Central Iran, including the capital Tehran, largely avoided attack due to its distance from Iraqi airbases and the limited range of Iraq’s air force at the time.
In January, Pakistan’s military targeted purported “terrorist positions” following a missile and drone attack by the IRGC on Pakistani territory.
07:11 AM BST
Analysis: View from Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu decided to listen to President Biden who publicly said he wouldn’t support an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear or oil sites, writes Jotam Confino in Tel-Aviv.
The decision to target Iran’s ballistic missile production sites and air defence batteries was therefore meant to send three messages.
Firstly, Israel wants to avoid angering the U.S. during a time where it needs a full American backing.
Secondly, Israel wants to show Iran that it can hit them wherever and whenever they want.
Thirdly, Israel is now giving Iran a chance to wrap up the direct confrontation, as none of their essential sites were hit, nor were any civilians targeted.
Iran’s propaganda machine is already working overtime, trying to downplay the scope of Israel’s attacks, claiming it thwarted some attacks.
06:16 AM BST
Iran to reopen airspace
Iran is to reopen its airspace and resume flights at 9am local time (1:30 EDT) after Israel concluded its airstrikes.
06:10 AM BST
What happens next after Israel attacks Iran
With Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran, a devastating, all-out war between the Middle East’s two most dominating powers is threatening to engulf the region.
Early on Saturday morning, the Israeli Defence Forces unleashed wave after wave of missile strikes on a number of Iranian cities in response to Tehran’s ballistic missile barrage against Israel earlier this month.
Israel and Iran, which don’t share a border, have long been fighting a cloak-and-dagger conflict through proxies and subterfuge.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah, two terrorist groups backed by Tehran, are in ground wars with Israel.
But the two nations have always sought to avoid direct confrontation because of the cost it would endure.
Read the full analysis from Joe Barnes here.
06:01 AM BST
Watch: Trump claims Harris ‘partied with Beyonce’ during Israel strike
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05:24 AM BST
Biden official: Strike was ‘targeted and proportional’
A senior official in Joe Biden’s administration has reportedly said that Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran was “targeted and proportional with a low risk of civilian harm”.
“Should Iran choose to respond, we are fully prepared to once again defend against any attack,” the official told The Times of Israel.
“This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran. Israel has made clear to the world that its response is now complete.”
05:16 AM BST
IDF says it targeted factories used to attack Israel
The IDF says that its targets included facilities which were used to manufacture missiles used by Iran to target Israel over the past year.
05:10 AM BST
Fuel queues in Tehran’s Niavaran neighbourhood
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04:58 AM BST
Reports: Israel warned Iran not to respond to airstrikes
Israel sent a message to Iran on Friday ahead of its retaliatory airstrikes warning the Iranians not to respond, Axios reports.
Sources said the message was an attempt to limit the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran and prevent a wider escalation, the sources said.
Iran has vowed an “approrpriate reaction” to the strikes, although it is currently unclear what form this will take.
04:56 AM BST
US vows to defend Israel from Iran
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, is said to have “reaffirmed” the US’ “ironclad commitment… to Israel’s security and self-defence” when he spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant today.
According to a readout of their conversation, Mr Austin “emphasised the enhanced force posture of the United States to defend US personnel, Israel, and partners across the region in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organisations and the US determination to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region.”
04:46 AM BST
Israel strikes have concluded
Lt. Col. Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesman, has said that Israel’s strikes on Iran have now concluded. He said in a statement:
I can now confirm that we have completed the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel.
We carried out targeted and precise attacks against military targets in Iran – and thwarted immediate threats to the State of Israel.
The IDF mission has been completed.
If the regime in Iran makes the mistake and starts a new round of escalation – we will be obliged to respond.
Our message is clear: anyone who threatens the State of Israel and strives to drag the region into a wider escalation will pay a heavy price.
We proved today that we have the ability to act decisively, and that we are ready, in attack and defence, to defend the State of Israel and the citizens of Israel.
04:44 AM BST
Watch: Cars queue for fuel in Tehran after Israel strikes
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04:43 AM BST
Israel strike was codenamed ‘Days of Repentance’
Israel launched waves of attacks on Iran using dozens of fighter jets in an operation codenamed “Days of Repentance”, Axios’ Barak Ravid reports.
Several locations in Iran are said to have been attacked, and all of the jets involved in the strike returned to their bases safely, IDF officials said in a briefing.
“The targets that were attacked expanded the IDF’s freedom operation over Iran’s skies, and damaged Iran’s military infrastructure, including the air defence systems and ballistic missiles capabilities”, an official said.
04:18 AM BST
Tehran confirms Israeli attacks
Iran’s national air defence headquarters confirmed Saturday that Israeli forces struck military facilities across three provinces while claiming their air defences largely repelled the attack, Akhtar Makoii writes.
In their first detailed statement about the overnight strikes, Iranian military officials acknowledged hits on “military centres” in Tehran, southern Khuzestan, and western Ilam provinces.
The statement marks the first official confirmation of specific locations targeted in the Israeli operation.
“Despite previous warnings… to refrain from any adventurous actions, this illegitimate regime carried out a provocative attack early this morning,” the headquarters said, describing the Israeli operation as “criminal and illegal.”
While asserting that Iran’s “integrated air defence system successfully intercepted and countered this aggressive action,” officials admitted that “limited damage was inflicted on some areas.” The full extent of the damage remains under investigation, according to the statement.
The military command urged citizens to maintain “unity and calm” during the crisis.
In what appears to be an effort to control the narrative, the statement specifically directed the public to rely on “national media” for updates while warning against “rumours spread by enemy media.”
04:13 AM BST
Iran threatens citizens over sharing videos
Iranian authorities have warned citizens who share footage or information about the overnight Israeli strikes with foreign media outlets that they could face 10 years in prison.
“Citizens are informed that any transmission of images or news to hostile media affiliated with the Zionist regime is considered a crime,” the police said.
Iranian authorities label Western media as hostile.
Under the regulations, “any individual or group cooperating in any way with hostile foreign governments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, if not recognised as waging war, will be sentenced to imprisonment for one to ten years,” the statement detailed.
Waging war against God is a serious charge in Iran and carries the death penalty.
The threat of legal action comes as Iranians have been using VPNs to circumvent internet restrictions and share eyewitness accounts of the strikes on social media platforms.
04:07 AM BST
Iran confirms air defences activated
Iranian authorities launched an investigation into overnight Israeli strikes.
Defence officials confirmed their air defence systems were activated in response to what they described as “attempted attacks” by Israel.
“Air defence systems in several locations around Tehran and across the country have responded to the Zionist regime’s attempted attacks on various sites within Iran,” a Tehran air defence official said.
The official added that “the scope of the incident is under investigation.”
04:06 AM BST
Israel’s retaliation against Iran spells all-out war
With Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran, a devastating, all-out war between the Middle East’s two most dominating powers is threatening to engulf the region.
The scale of Israel’s initial retaliatory strikes was not immediately clear. It can be expected that the more destructive they are, the harder the response from Iran will be.
03:44 AM BST
Iran suspends all flights
A spokesperson for Iran’s civil aviation organisation said all international and domestic flights have been suspended until further notice.
”Passengers who have purchased tickets will be informed about the resumption of flights through the airlines,” a spokesman said on state TV.
“It is for the safety of flights .. people should not go to airports before flights resume.”
03:36 AM BST
Watch: Missiles in the air over Iran
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03:08 AM BST
Iran vows response to Israel strike
Iranian media is quoting unnamed officials threatening that the Islamic Republic will retaliate, Akhtar Makoii writes.
“Informed sources told Tasnim that, as previously stated, Iran is prepared to respond to any act of aggression by Israel,” the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported.
“They added that Iran reserves the right to respond to any aggression, and there is no doubt that Israel will receive an appropriate reaction to any action it takes.”
03:05 AM BST
Lebanese drone crashes in Israel
Following an earlier alert in the north, the IDF said that a drone from Lebanon impacted in the Western Galilee. No injuries were reported, Neil Johnston writes.
03:04 AM BST
Watch: Explosions over Tehran as Israel launches strike
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03:02 AM BST
Reports: Israel strike to last one night
Israel’s strike on Iran is expected to last just one night, a source has told ABC News. They added that there were no reports of Israel casualties or damage to Israeli planes as yet.
02:59 AM BST
How Iran is ‘preventing public panic’
Contrasting narratives between Iranian and Israeli media coverage of the strikes reveal complex strategic messaging from both sides.
Unlike past attacks Iranian state media moved quickly to acknowledge the strikes and attribute them to Israel, although carefully calibrated to downplay the impact.
Multiple state TV channels broadcast live footage from across the country, with presenters reassuring viewers that “everything is calm.”
The response shows the desire of Iranian authorities to maintain the regime’s credibility while preventing public panic and potential unrest.
The government’s attempt to control information through internet restrictions has been partially circumvented by citizens using VPNs to share their own accounts, creating a parallel narrative to the official state version.
For Iran, the primary objective is to maintain domestic stability while projecting resilience internationally.
In contrast, Israeli media has emphasised the operation’s scale, reporting that 100 jets participated in the strikes.
The messaging appears designed to demonstrate military capability and operational success to both domestic and international audiences.
02:44 AM BST
Israel security cabinet ‘voted unanimously for strike’
Israel’s security cabinet voted unanimously to approve the strikes in Iran, the prime minister’s office has told CNN.
The vote took place during a phone call in the hours before the attack, it said.
02:40 AM BST
Pictures: Latest images from Tehran released after first strike
02:36 AM BST
Reports: Israel has launched second wave of strikes
Israel has now launched a second stage of its strike on Iran, a US official has told the Wall Street Journal. The attack is unfolding in stages, they added.
02:34 AM BST
US defence secretary speaks to Israeli counterpart
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, has spoken with his Israel counterpart Yoav Gallant following the Israeli strikes on Iran.
The pair are said to have spoken on a regular basis to keep abreast of the latest developments in the Middle East.
02:32 AM BST
Watch: Netanyahu in military bunker during Iran strike
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02:25 AM BST
Iraq suspends flights after Israel strike
Iraq has suspended flights across all airports until further notice “due to regional tensions,” state news agencies report, after the Israel conducted strikes against Iran.
02:18 AM BST
‘Over 100 planes took part in strike on Iran’
The Jerusalem Post reports that over 100 planes were involved in the attack including the F-35 stealth fighter, Neil Johnston writes.
The publication said the IDF also launched an attack on the Bureij refugee camp in Gaza at the same time.
02:16 AM BST
Iran claims Israel tried to strike three locations
Iranian state TV reports: “The loud noises heard around Tehran were from air defence activities countering the Zionist regime’s attempt to strike three locations outside the city.”
It has previously been reported that six explosions were being investigated by authorities in the Iranian capital.
02:13 AM BST
Iran claimsIsrael strike was ‘unsuccessful’
Iranian media claim Israeli strikes were intercepted by the Islamic Republic’s air defence system, Akhtar Makoii writes.
“Iran’s air defence successfully carried out its duties, and the Israeli operation was unsuccessful,” Sabereen News reported.
02:12 AM BST
Israelis told to take shelter after drone reports
Communities in northern Israel have been told to take shelter amid an alert of a drone from Lebanon, Neil Johnston said.
The Home Front Command has issued an alert for a “hostile aircraft intrusion” around the northern city of Nahariya and other parts of Galilee.
02:11 AM BST
Iranian airspace to stay closed for hours
Iran’s airspace will be closed until 8:30am Israel time – for more than four hours – according to reports.
01:51 AM BST
Iranian media: IRGC bases have not been hit
Tasmin, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) news agency, has claimed that “no strike has happened against IRGC military centres in the west or southwest of Tehran so far”.
It continued: “The sounds heard were related to the Army’s air defence in three locations around Tehran against Israeli military actions.”
Iranian state TV has reported that authorities are investigating six explosions around Tehran.
01:48 AM BST
Syrian media: Israel targeted military sites
Israel targeted some military sites in Syria’s central and southern parts early on Saturday, Syrian state news agencies have reported.
Syrian air defences intercepted missiles launched by Israel “from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the Lebanese territories” and shot down some of them, it added.
01:41 AM BST
Iranian media: Explosions were air defences being activated
Iranian media has reported that the explosions heard over Tehran and Karaj occurred when the air defence system was activated. “Iranian security sources say several sounds of explosion are related to air defence systems,” Iran’s Press TV said.
01:34 AM BST
Tehran residents ‘wake to sound of blasts’
A resident of Tehran has said that she “woke up to a distant sound of blasts” in the early hours of Saturday morning local time.
She told CNN there was a heavy Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps presence in the city “all day” on Friday, but could not provide more details.
01:32 AM BST
IDF chief commanding strike from Kirya military base
Herzi Halevi, the chief of the IDF’s general staff, is currently commanding the strike on Iran from the Israeli Air Force underground command centre in the Kirya military base, the IDF has said.
01:28 AM BST
Reports: Netanyahu and Gallant authorised strike Friday
Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, reported that the cabinet authorised Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant to carry out the strike on Iran in a phone discussion on Friday, Neil Johnston writes.
Cabinet ministers had been updated earlier this week about the framework of an attack plan.
01:28 AM BST
Israel ‘not striking oil or nuclear facilities’
Israel is not striking Iranian nuclear facilities or oil fields and is focusing on military targets, an Israeli official has told NBC News.
“We’re targeting things that might have threatened us in the past or could do in the future,” the official added.
Iranian media has said that there were no fires or explosions reported at a key Tehran refinery south of the capital.
01:23 AM BST
Reports: Military bases near Iranian capital struck
Several military bases in the west and south-west of Tehran have been targeted by the strikes, Iranian media reports.
01:19 AM BST
Strike happened shortly after Blinken Middle East tour
Israel’s strike on Iran took place shortly after Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, left the Middle East.
Mr Blinken met the Jordanian foreign minister in London on Friday following his 11th diplomatic tour of the region, where he visited Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
01:07 AM BST
IDF spokesman confirms Israel launched strike
In a video statement, IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari confirmed strikes were being carried out and there were no instructions to civilians, Neil Johnston writes.
“The IDF is fully prepared in attack and defense. We are following the developments from Iran and its proxies in the region,” he said.
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X/@IDF
“We are conducting a continuous assessment of the situation in the home front, and at this stage, there is no change in the instructions of the Home Front Command. You must continue to be alert and vigilant, and obey the guidelines of the Home Front Command,” Hagari adds.
The Home Front Command App alerts Israelis to imminent rocket strikes and instructs them to find shelter if an attack is detected.
01:02 AM BST
Official: No US involvement in Israel’s strike
There was no US involvement in Israel’s strike on Iran, an official has said.
Sean Savett, White House National Security Council spokesperson, said: “We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defence and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1.
“We would refer you to the Israeli government for more information on their operation.”
The White House is reported to have been made aware of the attack shortly before it took place.
12:57 AM BST
White House issues statement on strikes
The White House has said in a statement that it understands that Israel is conducting strikes on Iranian military targets as an act of self-defence.
12:51 AM BST
Syria engaging ‘hostile targets’ around capital
Syrian air defences have engaged “hostile targets” around Damascus, according to state news agencies. Explosions had previously been reported around the Syrian capital.
12:49 AM BST
First pictures after strike on Iran
12:48 AM BST
White House ‘notified before Israel began strike’
The White House was notified shortly before Israel carried out air strikes on Iran, Fox News reports.
12:46 AM BST
Blasts heard in Syrian capital
Loud blasts have also been heard near the Syrian capital, according to state media.
Explosions are said to have been heard in the Damascus countryside and central region.
As yet, nothing has been confirmed on whether this is connected to Israel’s strike on Iran.
12:38 AM BST
IDF confirms it was behind the strike
Israel has taken credit for the strike on Iran.
“In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel – right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement on social media.
“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil.”
In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel—right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran.
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024
12:37 AM BST
Israel ‘sending a message of deterrence with strike’
Israel has launched a retaliatory attack on Iran following “days” of communications with the US, Fox News reports.
Trey Yingst, the network’s chief foreign correspondent, wrote on social media: “Israel has started their attack against Iran, Fox News can confirm.
“The strikes are meant to send a message of deterrence, I’m told. There was communication with the Americans ahead of the strikes over the past several days.”
12:34 AM BST
Reports: Israel has launched retaliatory strike
The explosions heard in Tehran are reported to be a retaliatory attack on Israel by Iran.
Barack Ravid, an Axios reporter, wrote on Twitter: “Israel began its attack against Iran early Saturday morning local time in retaliation for its massive ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1, two sources with knowledge told me.”
