U.S., Israel strike Iran, trigger retaliations
The United States and Israel on Saturday launched "major combat operations" against Iran, claiming that the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed.
Iran retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region, with explosions reported in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the objective "is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from Iran, and the Israeli Defense Ministry said the country launched a "preemptive" strike against Iran "to remove threats to Israel."
Up to 160 people could have died in U.S.-Israeli strike on girls' school in S. Iran
Up to 160 people could have been killed in the deadly Israeli-U.S. airstrikes on a girls' school in southern Iran, local media reported Saturday, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday condemned the airstrikes in a statement, calling the strikes "inhumane," his office said.
Pezeshkian also urged all relief and medical centers and relevant officials in the region to prioritize the "immediate and uninterrupted care" of the injured and their families by mobilizing all resources.
Trump says Iran's supreme leader "dead" following U.S.-Israeli strikes
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli attacks earlier in the day.
Khamenei "is dead," Trump announced in a post on social media platform Truth Social.
Meanwhile, Trump said the massive military campaign against Iran will continue.
"The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!" Trump said in the post.
Iran's supreme leader still alive "as far as I know": Iranian FM tells NBC
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is still alive "as far as I know," Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told NBC News after U.S. and Israel launched massive strikes on Iran early Saturday morning.
Araghchi said in an exclusive interview with NBC News that two commanders had died, but senior Iranian officials, including the head of the judiciary and the parliament speaker, had survived.
"All high-ranking officials are alive," he said. "We are handling this situation, and everything is fine."
The Ynet Global, an Israeli major daily news source in English, reported that Israeli officials believe Khamenei was killed in the opening strike on Iran.
Netanyahu says strikes on Iran "will continue as long as necessary"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said the ongoing combat operations against Iran "will continue as long as necessary to ensure that Iran no longer poses a threat."
Israel "will strike thousands of targets in the coming days," he said in a live broadcast statement, noting that the Israeli army is prepared for any scenario of response from "Iranian proxies" in the region.
The initiative, he claimed, is now in the hands of Israel and the United States, which he said are acting in full coordination.
Iran launches missile attacks against U.S. bases in Mideast
Iran has launched multiple waves of missile attacks targeting U.S. military bases across the Middle East, including bases in Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, Iran's state media reported on Saturday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that all U.S. military bases in the region are now considered legitimate targets of Iran's military.
In Bahrain, a missile attack hit a service center belonging to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, Bahrain's National Communication Centre said.
Blasts were also heard over central Doha and near the Al-Udeid military base -- the largest U.S. military facility in the region, according to media reports.
Israel closes Gaza crossings, including Rafah, until further notice amid tensions with Iran
Israeli authorities announced on Saturday evening the closure of all crossings into the Gaza Strip, including the Rafah land crossing, until further notice amid heightened tensions with Iran.
In a statement, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said: "Following recent developments, security measures have been taken to safeguard lives." It added that crossings in the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, would remain closed until further notice.
The statement said West Bank crossings would also be closed, except for essential workers holding designated permits, who will be allowed to use the Eyal, Tarqumiyah, and Qalandia crossings.
Democratic lawmakers slam Trump for strikes on Iran
Multiple Democratic lawmakers on Saturday slammed President Donald Trump for launching massive military strikes against Iran without Congress war power authorization, saying the operation raises "serious legal and constitutional concerns."
"By the president's own words, 'American heroes may be lost,'" said Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "That alone should have demanded the highest level of scrutiny, deliberation and accountability, yet the president moved forward without seeking congressional authorization."
"The Constitution is clear: The decision to take this nation to war rests with Congress, and launching large-scale military operations -- particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States -- raises serious legal and constitutional concerns," said Warner.
UN chief condemns military escalation in Middle East
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday condemned the military escalation in the Middle East, saying that the use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security.
"All Member States must respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations," which clearly prohibits "the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations," Guterres said in a statement.
The UN chief called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation, warning that failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.
52 killed, 66 injured in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan
At least 52 people were killed and 66 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan since last Sunday, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Afghan government, said on Saturday.
According to the official, the casualties were reported across the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost and Kunar, as well as southern Kandahar.
Clashes erupted along the border between the two countries about a week ago. Since then, officials have reported that the cross-border hostilities have resulted in numerous casualties from both sides.
15 killed, 30 injured after plane crashes in Bolivia's western city
At least 15 people were killed and 30 others injured after a Bolivian military plane crashed on Friday in the western city of El Alto, local media reported.
A C-130 Hercules aircraft of the Bolivian Air Force skidded off the runway while landing at El Alto International Airport and hit several vehicles, fire department officials were quoted as saying.
The aircraft was reportedly transporting cash from the Central Bank of Bolivia, with a large amount of banknotes scattered across the crash site.■
