Where things stand now
• US and Israel strike: President Donald Trump has indicated today’s massive US-Israeli attack on Iran is aimed at overturning Tehran’s government. The attack has killed more than 200 people, according to Iranian state media. Israel’s prime minister says there are signs Iran’s supreme leader is “no longer with us,” but an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson says he’s “safe and sound.”
• Unprecedented retaliation: Iran unleashed strikes on US military bases, Israel and other targets across the Middle East, disrupting air travel and oil shipments. An Iranian drone struck a densely populated neighborhood in Dubai.
• Latest from the US: The military has reported no combat-related casualties to Americans and only minimal damage to bases. Meanwhile, FBI counterterrorism teams are on high alert, and the State Department advised US citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution.”
• Global reaction: The United Arab Emirates called the conflict a “historic moment” in the Middle East, saying world leaders had failed to ensure the region’s stability. The leaders of some US allies expressed concern, while some Arab nations condemned Iran’s retaliation.
Here's a recap of our most recent headlines if you're just joining us
News continues to roll in from the Middle East as Iran retaliates to strikes from the US and Israel.
With the situation still evolving rapidly, here’s a quick overview of our latest headlines:
- Israel’s prime minister said there are signs Iran’s supreme leader is “no longer with us” after the attacks, though Tehran is refuting that claim, with a foreign ministy spokesperson insisting both the supreme leader and Iranian president are “safe and sound.”
- More than 200 people have died as a result of the US-Israeli strikes, according to Iranian state media Press TV, which cited the Iranian Red Crescent.
- The US hasn’t suffered any combat-related casualties in its operation, US Central Command said in a statement. Damage to US installations has been minimal and hasn’t affected operations, CENTCOM said.
- Iranian armed forces operations “will continue with even greater force,” a military spokesperson said in a video message. Iran intends to continue its retaliatory offensive “until the aggressor is punished,” an Iranian source with knowledge of the country’s military strategy tells CNN.
- The FBI’s counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams are on elevated alert nationwide, a bureau official told CNN, and the State Department advised US citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution.”
- The US and Israel’s attack generated immediate unease among close allies in the MAGA base, who expressed fears that the strikes could drag the US into yet another prolonged entanglement in the Middle East. President Donald Trump had previously vowed to avoid regime-change efforts in Iran.
- Some oil tankers have U-turned to avoid sailing through the Strait of Hormuz — the critical channel between Iran’s southern coast and the northern tip of Oman — according to the latest tracking data from the analytics firm Kpler.
- Israel dropped hundreds of munitions against approximately 500 targets as part of the massive wave of strikes, the Israeli military said.
"I can go long": Trump says he's weighing multiple options for an endgame in Iran
President Donald Trump said he has multiple paths forward in the US operation against Iran, including a long-term effort to “take over” the country, in a brief interview with Axios.
“I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: ‘See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding’” the country’s nuclear capabilities, he told Axios today.
Trump also predicted it would take “several years” for Iran to recover from the joint US-Israeli attack, which came after the negotiations with the country’s leadership stalled, according to the US president.
In the interview, Trump cited the lack of progress in talks over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its decades-long record of being linked to attacks around the world. The president also claimed Iran had begun rebuilding some of the facilities that the US struck last year, which he previously claimed had been “obliterated.”
Trump did not provide a specific timeline for the offensive, saying it would depend on developments on the ground, including the fate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Axios reported.
Iranian supreme leader and president are "safe and sound," government spokesperson says
Iran’s president and supreme leader are “safe and sound,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told ABC News on Saturday.
Iran’s government “system is working,” Baghaei said.
Baghaei’s comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “there are many signs” that Iran’s supreme leader is “no longer with us.”
Kamala Harris condemns US strikes on Iran without congressional approval
Former Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran Saturday, claiming Congressional approval was necessary prior to such action.
“Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” Harris said in a statement on X.
Harris went on to call out the discrepancy between her former opponent’s promises on the campaign trail of a less interventionist US foreign policy and the decision to strike Iran.
“Donald Trump promised to end wars rather than start them. It was a lie,” the statement read. “Then last year, he said ‘we obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear program. That, too, was a lie.”
US State Department issues worldwide alert telling Americans to "exercise increased caution"
The State Department on Saturday advised US citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution” after the US and Israeli military strikes against Iran.
“Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest US embassy or consulate,” the worldwide caution alert said.
“They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures,” it said. “The Department of State advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.”
The alert advised US citizens abroad to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and to follow a security updates channel on WhatsApp.
The State Department issued a worldwide caution alert last June on the same day as “Operation Midnight Hammer,” when the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities.
Here's where Iran struck in response to US-Israel strikes
In response to the US-Israeli strikes in Iran, Tehran unleashed strikes on US military bases, Israel and targets in other countries across the Middle East. This has disrupted air travel and oil shipments. An Iranian drone struck a high-end, densely populated neighborhood in Dubai.
"We don't know" what happens next if Iran's supreme leader is killed, CNN analyst says
CNN analyst Brett McGurk told anchor Kaitlan Collins that the key question now is whether the strikes on Iran have killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
While a satellite image captured black smoke rising from Khamenei’s compound, it’s unclear if he was on site at the time of the strikes. If Khamenei is killed, succession is “not totally well-defined,” McGurk said.
Watch more of McGurk and Collins’ conversation here:
US and Canadian citizens in Abu Dhabi feel safe but anxious amid regional uncertainty
Some foreign residents in the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, said they had a normal weekend outside but started becoming more anxious as blasts intensified over the city.
Michelle, a 35-year-old American living in Abu Dhabi told CNN, “this place is more of a home to me than the US and it’s the first time in 10 years that I feel a little scared.”
Restaurants were busy with families enjoying their Saturday afternoon even as interceptors continued shooting down Iranian missiles, she added.
“There is a little looming dread of where do I go if it turns out not okay, but I still feel like nothing bad is going to happen to me here,” she said.
A Canadian resident in Abu Dhabi who chose to remain anonymous said she’s feeling “uneasy” and “conflicted.“
“The UAE, and Abu Dhabi specifically, are the safest places in the world, but hearing the explosions today sent my curiosity to look outside my window. I wasn’t expecting to see anything but I ended up spotting three intercepted missile clouds,” the 35-year-old resident said.
Netanyahu says “there are many signs” Iranian supreme leader is “no longer with us”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that “there are many signs” that Iran’s supreme leader is “no longer with us,” while stopping short of saying definitively that he was killed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier told NBC that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials in Iran are still alive, as far as he knew. Iran has not published a video of Khamenei since the strikes began Saturday morning.
CNN previously reported that Khamenei was one of the targets of the opening salvo of strikes on Iran along with other senior leaders, but Israeli sources said there was no confirmation that Khamenei had been killed.
“There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer with us,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel had destroyed his compound.
Netanyahu also said the operation against Iran requires “patience” and will “last as long as it needs.”
“This war will lead to real peace,” Netanyahu vowed in his statement.
How governments in Latin America are reacting to the Iran attack
Governments and leaders in Latin America reacted with concern to the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran that began this Saturday.
Some of them are in tension with President Donald Trump’s government, such as Cuba; others count among its allies, like Argentina, and others have recently approached Trump after exchanges and threats, as in the case of Colombia.
Here’s a look at the latest reactions from Latin America:
Cuba: President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that the US and Israeli attacks against “ruin for a second time the efforts of diplomacy regarding the nuclear issue.”
Argentina: President Javier Milei raised the security level to “high throughout the entire national territory” due to the attacks. Meanwhile, Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this Saturday in a separate statement that it “values and supports” the joint military actions.
Colombia: President Gustavo Petro said US President Donald Trump “made a mistake today” following the strikes. The peace of the world is the common cause of humanity. Peace and life are the foundations of existence,” said Petro in a post on X, at a time when the South American leader has recently grown closer to Trump.
Guatemala: The Government of Guatemala expressed “deep concern” over the military attacks and called for respect for international law to avoid an escalation of violence.
Mexico: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico said the country’s embassies in the Middle East are in permanent contact with the Mexican community “and have activated their protection and consular assistance protocols” for both nationals and for the families of diplomatic personnel in those countries.
Lee más aquí sobre cómo están reaccionando los gobiernos en América Latina.
Russia and Qatar call for end to military action in the region
As the US and Israel continue to trade blows with Iran, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani and Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, during a phone conversation Saturday, called for an end to “any military actions that risk destabilizing the entire region,” according to a readout from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“A shared view was expressed on the need to urgently return to a political and diplomatic process in order to resolve all issues between the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” the statement added.
“It is necessary that all sides fully take into account the legitimate interests of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.”
Back in September, Qatar was struck by Israel a few months after the 12-day-war between Israel and Iran. The Gulf nation is known as a neutral country in an otherwise polarized region, and the attack was unprecedented.
Trump spoke with Gulf leaders and NATO chief after launching Iran operations, White House says
President Donald Trump spoke with several key international leaders following the launch of US military operations in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said today.
“President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte,” Leavitt posted on X.
The press secretary had also confirmed the president’s call with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a previous post.
US military: There have been no American casualties and minimal damage to US facilities
The US hasn’t suffered any combat-related casualties in its operation against Iran, US Central Command said in a statement.
Damage to US installations has been minimal and hasn’t affected operations CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM said the military operation known as “Operation Epic Fury” started Saturday at 1:15 a.m. ET “to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat.”
CENTCOM said targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
US used one-way attack drones for the first time as part of operation
The US military used one-way attack drones for the first time in combat as part of its Saturday strikes on Iran.
“The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea,” a statement from US Central Command said. “Additionally, CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.”
Task Force Scorpion Strike, which is a one-way attack drone squadron established by CENTCOM last year, uses drones crafted after developers reverse-engineered an Iranian Shahed drone captured by the US years ago.
CNN previously reported that US strikes were focused on military targets and nuclear disarmament of Iran. The CENTCOM statement was accompanied by photos and video of fighter aircraft taking off from aircraft carriers and munitions firing from ships.
What it looks like on the ground in Iran after today's attacks
Throughout the day, CNN reporters have been gathering video and information from the site of Israeli and US attacks across Iran.
Here’s a look at the aftermath:
Videos show Trump swaying to music at Mar-a-Lago fundraiser hours before Iran strikes
Hours before the US military conducted strikes against Iran, videos show President Donald Trump joined guests at a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago last night.
One video, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows Trump swaying back and forth to “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood in a Mar-a-Lago ballroom as guests sing along.
“Have a good time everybody,” Trump said. “We gotta go work. I gotta go to work.”
Trump was wearing a white “USA” ball cap, the same one he was sporting in the video address he gave to Americans when announcing a “massive and ongoing” military operation in Iran.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement earlier today that Trump “monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team.”
Another video, posted by Instagram user Nic Shafer, showed Trump swaying along to the music.
At least 201 people killed in US-Israel strikes on Iran, state media reports
More than 200 people have died as a result of the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran today, according to Iranian state media Press TV, which cited the Iranian Red Crescent.
The aid group’s latest toll counts 201 people killed and another 747 injured across 24 provinces, the outlet reported.
Among those killed are 85 people who died following a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran, according to state news agency IRNA, which cited the prosecutor of Minab city, where the school was located.
Social media posts show Trump once opposed attacking Iran
President Donald Trump’s authorization of an attack on Iran today, and his urging of regime change there, marks a hard shift in tone from before he first took office.
In old posts on X, Trump claimed that any conflict with Iran would be due to then-President Barack Obama’s low poll numbers, or his inability to negotiate a deal with the country.
- In October 2012, Trump wrote, “Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin – watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate.”
- A year later, he posted, “Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!”
- During the 2016 campaign, he characterized his opponent Hillary Clinton as pro-war and said at the Republican National Convention that year, “We must abandon the failed policy of nation-building and regime change that Hillary Clinton pushed in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Syria.” He went on to pledge that he would “break the cycle of regime change.”
In the lead-up to the 2024 election, Trump administration officials also promised an administration that would not focus on foreign conflicts.
- During the 2024 campaign, Trump adviser Stephen Miller wrote on X, “Kamala = WWIII. Trump = Peace.”
- In 2024, now-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wrote on X, “A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for Dick Cheney and a vote for war, war and more war. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to end wars, not start them.”
Analysis from CNN’s Aaron Blake: Trump launches the regime-change effort in Iran he once pledged to avoid
Videos show numerous drone strikes in Bahrain
Videos geolocated and verified by CNN show Iranian Shahed drones striking numerous locations in Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.
One video, originally shared by the open-source research collective Faytuks, shows a Shahed striking the upper floors of the Era Views Tower in Manama, a residential high-rise roughly a mile from a US Navy base. Footage of the aftermath shows the building wreathed in smoke.
Another video from earlier in the day shows a Shahed drone directly hitting a radar dome at the same naval base.
Tehran is prepared "for a long war," Iranian source says
Iran intends to continue its offense “until the aggressor is punished,” an Iranian source with knowledge of the country’s military strategy tells CNN.
