Where things stand
• Supreme leader killed: Iran has confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a massive US-Israeli attack that President Donald Trump indicated is aimed at regime change and would continue through the week. The strikes hit targets across the Islamic Republic, with one killing over 100 girls at an elementary school near a military base.
• Retaliatory strikes: Israel says it has carried out a new wave of strikes “in the heart of Tehran,” as Iran unleashes fresh attacks after Khamenei’s killing. Iran has already attacked US military bases, Israel and targets across the region. The conflict has damaged air hubs, rocked densely populated areas and disrupted oil shipments.
• Celebration and condemnation: The contrast of celebrations and mourning highlights deep divides in Iran. Across the US, people took to the streets, with some celebrating and others protesting the strikes on Iran.
Pro-Iranian protesters killed in Karachi after storming US consulate compound
Six protesters angered by the death of Iran’s supreme leader have been killed and 20 others injured after they stormed the heavily fortified US consulate compound in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, according to local emergency workers.
“Hundreds of people suddenly appeared near the American consulate” and police arrived quickly, said Karachi Police spokesman Rehan Ali.
Yelling heard on some videos posted to social media suggests the protest was motivated by the US-Israel attacks on neighboring Iran.
Videos geolocated by CNN show dozens of protesters breaking through the security barricades and beating the consulate’s windows with sticks, before flames can be seen in the windows. Shots can be heard in at least one video.
It is unclear how the six protesters died but images emerged of bloodied bodies lying on stretchers. CNN has reached out to the US Embassy in Islamabad for comment.
The movement of US government personnel had already been restricted in Karachi, with the consulate releasing a statement Saturday citing the “current regional tensions.”
Shiite Islam is the dominant branch in Iran while its followers form a large minority in Pakistan.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Oil tanker attacked near coast of Oman
An oil tanker was attacked about five nautical miles off the coast of Masandam in Oman, the country’s maritime security center said Sunday.
Four people were injured and the whole crew of 20 people was evacuated, it said. The vessel was called “Skylight” and flew the flag of Palau, a small island nation in the western Pacific.
The maritime security center said the rescues were carried out by the Omani navy and military, “reflecting the national readiness to deal with maritime incidents.”
Oman had played a key role in mediating the recent talks between Iran and the United States, which aimed to reach a new nuclear deal.
Israel targets "heart of Tehran" in new wave of strikes
The Israeli Air Force has carried out a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital Tehran, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
“For the first time since the start of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’: The IDF is striking targets that belong to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran,” a statement said, a day after joint attacks with the US killed Iran’s supreme leader.
“Over the past day, the Israeli Air force conducted large-scale strikes in order to establish aerial superiority and to pave the path to Tehran.”
Reports from Tehran say there were explosions in multiple areas of the city Sunday morning.
Images posted on social media purported to show large clouds of dense smoke rising from several parts of Tehran.
UAE will not “sit idly by” amid Iranian missile barrage, official tells CNN
The United Arab Emirates could switch to a more combative role if Iran continues firing missiles and drones on the Gulf Arab country, Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy told CNN.
“We are prepared to (defend ourselves). We hope it doesn’t come to it, but… we’re not going to sit idly by as we continue to be recipients of such a barrage of attacks,” Al-Hashimy told CNN’s Becky Anderson.
Asked if the UAE could switch to a more combative role, the senior official said “if it needs to come to that, it will come to that.”
“The ball is in Iran’s court right now about how they want to deal with a neighborhood and neighbor that has been traditionally a very fair and good neighbor to them,” she added.
Iran fired at least 137 ballistic missiles and 209 drones at the UAE, the UAE defense ministry said Saturday night, adding that the vast majority were intercepted with the exception of 14 drones that made impact.
Iran launched an unprecedented missile and drone barrage targeting the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi and economic and tourist hub, Dubai.
“We have one of the best air to missile defense systems in the world and we are doing everything to ensure that we are being safe and secure,” Al-Hashimy said. “We are in a safe place that has a very strong infrastructure…we will really leave no stone unturned to make sure that that continues to be the case for all of our citizens and residents alike.”
Iran is unleashing a 2nd day of retaliatory strikes after the killing of its supreme leader. Catch up here
Iran is launching a fresh wave of strikes across the Middle East a day after joint US-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with a surviving leader vowing it will “stab” America in the heart
Explosions have been heard by CNN teams in several capitals. We’ve reported on action in Israel, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Iraq.
Iran’s retaliation has already rocked the region, with strikes disrupting global air travel and oil trade.
Here’s the latest:
- Supreme leader killed: Iran has confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the joint US-Israeli attack. His daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also killed. His death plunges the Middle East into uncertainty, with questions being asked about who will lead Iran, how Iran’s proxies will respond and how much more retaliation the US, Israel, and its regional neighbors can expect.
- Children killed: One strike killed more than 100 girls at an elementary school near a military base. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 133 civilians have been killed across Iran.
- Trump doubles down: President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliatory strikes, saying they would be met with strong force from the US if they continue to do so. Trump previously said the US strikes, aimed at regime change, would continue with throughout the week.
- Anti-US protests rage, with deaths in Pakistan: Protesters attempted to storm the Iraqi capital Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, where the US embassy is located, in response to the supreme leader’s killing. In Karachi, Pakistan, six protesters were killed after they stormed the heavily fortified US Consulate.
- List of slain leaders: Israel’s military shared a list of other senior Iranian officials it said were killed. Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of top general Mohammad Pakpour, key adviser to the supreme leader Ali Shamkhani, leader of the armed forces Lt. Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi, and defense minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh.
- Internet blackout: Iran has been offline for over 24 hours, “with national connectivity flatlining at 1% of ordinary levels,” according to internet monitoring experts at NetBlocks.
- Celebration and condemnation: The contrast of celebrations and mourning highlights deep divides in Iran. Across the US, people took to the streets, with some celebrating and others protesting the strikes on Iran. In London, a suburb home to a large Iranian community saw celebration.
Why Iran’s strategy of targeting Gulf Arab states could backfire
The Iranian regime has responded to the US-Israeli attacks by launching missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at civilian targets like hotels and airports in several Middle Eastern countries, most of which host US military bases.
Even Oman, which had mediated talks between the US and Iran last week, said Sunday that its Duqm commercial port was targeted.
The strikes indicate that, for Iran, “everything is on the table,” said Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think-tank.
Iran’s calculus, he said, is to “ratchet up the pain on the Gulf states, in order to compel them to apply pressure on the Trump administration to bring a quick end to the war.”
But this strategy could well backfire, Alhasan said, since it is not clear how much leverage the Gulf states have over the Trump administration.
What’s more, although the Gulf states all favor de-escalation, mass casualty events could compel them “to start considering options up the escalation ladder,” Alhasan said.
Iran launches fresh wave of strikes around the region
Iran launched a fresh wave of strikes across the Middle East Sunday morning, with explosions heard by CNN teams in several capitals and major cities.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched a “sixth wave” of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases in the region, according to Iranian’s semi official Tasnim news agency
In Israel: The Israeli military said it identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel and defensive systems were operational. Rounds of sirens sounded throughout central and southern Israel.
In Dubai: A CNN team on the ground in Dubai heard multiple blasts throughout the morning, and smoke in the sky. Debris from an aerial interception over Dubai’s Business Bay caused a fire the city’s major commercial port, Jebel Ali, authorities said. Plumes of smoke could also be seen rising from the port.
In Doha: A CNN team on the ground in Doha, Qatar, heard several loud explosions at 7:30 a.m. local time. Qatar’s Ministry of Interior said 16 people have been injured, with “limited material damage” in some parts of the country.
In Bahrain: Air defenses intercepted at least 45 missiles and nine drones overnight, state media reported. Video geolocated by CNN shows smoke rising from the vicinity of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Manama.
In Iraq: Photos geolocated by CNN show thick black smoke rising from a fire at the Erbil Airport. Iran’s Fars News Agency reported heavy explosions were heard in the Iraqi city on Sunday morning.
In Oman: The Duqm commercial port was targeted by two drones, injuring one worker, the country’s state news agency reported Sunday morning. The US Embassy in the capital city of Muscat has issued a security alert instructing staff and Americans in Oman to shelter in place “due to ongoing activity outside of Muscat.”
CNN is also working to verify blasts reported in other cities and we’ll update you with any developments.
Oman's Duqm Port targeted by drones, state media reports
Oman’s Duqm commercial port was targeted by two drones, injuring one worker, the country’s state news agency reported Sunday morning.
“One of them struck a mobile workers’ accommodation unit, injuring an expatriate worker, while debris from the other fell in an area near the fuel tanks without causing any human casualties or material damage,” Oman News Agency reported, citing a security source.
The US Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert Sunday instructing staff and Americans in Oman to shelter in place “due to ongoing activity outside of Muscat.”
Downed drone crashes in Kuwait
Video geolocated by CNN appears to show a Shahed drone crashing into the ground in Bnaider, on the Kuwaiti coastline. In the video, the fiery silhouette of the drone can be seen falling out of the sky trailed by a thick black smoke trail.
Two injured by falling debris over Dubai
Two people were injured in Dubai after debris from drones intercepted by air defenses fell into the courtyards of two homes, authorities said.
“The injured have received the necessary medical care,” the Government of Dubai’s Media Office said in a post on X.
Officials also confirmed that the explosions heard across the emirate Sunday were the result of “successful interception operations.”
CNN reporters in Dubai have been hearing a series of blasts throughout the day, starting around 8 a.m. local time.
Texas Military Department to activate service members following strikes on Iran
The Texas Military Department announced today that they are activating service members across state to help protect citizens and critical infrastructure from any potential retaliation threats following the US and Israel’s joint strikes on Iran.
“At the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Military Department (TMD) is activating Service Members for Operation Fury Shield - working alongside our state partners to protect our citizens and critical infrastructure from any potential threat of retaliation,” the Texas Military Department wrote on X.
The department, which is composed of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and the Texas State Guard, said they plan to increase patrols at key locations, including energy facilities, ports and the southern border, as well as engage in efforts to enhance cybersecurity capabilities.
Senior Iranian official says no US warships can enter Persian Gulf
No US warships would be allowed to enter the Persian Gulf Moshen Rezaei, a former top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and senior Iranian official, said Sunday.
Rezaei’s pronouncement came in a Telegram post from the state-run Fars News Agency.
The US Navy amassed what President Donald Trump has called an “armada” of ships in the region before Saturday’s attack on Iran. In the days leading up to the strikes, at least a few of those US ships were in the Gulf while others were in the Arabian Sea. The exact location of US ships in the region was unknown on Sunday.
Video released by US Central Command since the strikes began showed US warships launching Tomahawk missiles as part of the strikes on Iran as well as fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier.
Protesters attempt to storm Green Zone, home to US embassy in Iraqi capital
Protesters attempted to storm Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, where the US embassy is located, in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
Video obtained by CNN shows protesters and Iraqi security forces clashing Sunday morning on the 14th of July Bridge, which crosses the Tigris River into the Green Zone.
Flash bangs and smoke can be seen before protesters retreat.
Baghdad’s Green Zone houses Iraqi government offices and several embassies, including the US.
Elsewhere in Iraq, large crowds marched in the southern provinces of Dhi Qar and Basra, condemning Khamenei’s killing. Videos obtained by CNN show crowds marching through the streets, chanting and waving flags.
The Iraqi government has declared three days of mourning and sent condolences to Iran following Khamenei’s death.
Government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi said the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran was a “blatant act of aggression and a condemnable deed that violates all humanitarian and moral norms.”
How conflict in the Middle East could affect oil prices
CNN’s Matt Egan explains how conflict in the Middle East could disrupt global oil markets, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil flows daily.
CNN's Matt Egan explains how a war in the Middle East could disrupt global oil markets, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil flows daily. A shutdown or attacks on key oil facilities, especially in Saudi Arabia, could cause oil prices to surge, driving up gasoline costs and adding pressure to economies already facing high living expenses.
US State Department increases travel warning for Bahrain, allows non-emergency personnel to depart
The US State Department is warning Americans to reconsider travel to Bahrain and has allowed non-emergency US government personnel and their family members to depart the country “due to safety risks.”
The increase in the travel advisory level, issued Saturday, comes after the US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, with Tehran retaliating with military strikes across the region.
“Following the onset of hostilities between the United States and Iran on February 28, there has been an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran and significant disruptions to commercial flights,” the updated travel advisory said.
Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters, which was targeted by Iran on Saturday.
The authorized departure is the first since the start of the military action. On Friday, the State Department authorized non-emergency personnel to leave Israel and last Monday it ordered non-emergency personnel to depart from Lebanon.
Iran confirms deaths of defense minister and chief of armed forces
Iran’s defense minister and the chief of staff for its armed forces were both killed in the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday, Iranian state media has confirmed.
Lt. Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi, who has led the armed force since his predecesor was killed during the 12-day conflict last June, died in Saturday’s strikes, the semi-official Tasnim news agency confirmed.
The country’s defense minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, was also killed, Tasnim reported.
Earlier, Iran confirmed the deaths of two other key figures: Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, who led the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Defense Council.
Falling shrapnel causes fire in Doha's Industrial Area
Qatar’s Civil Defence has been dispatched to deal with a minor fire on the outskirts of the capital Doha, the country’s Ministry of Interior said on X.
The fire in the city’s Industrial Area was caused by “falling shrapnel” after a missile interception, authorities said. No injuries were reported.
What’s next for Iran?
CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reports on what big questions remain in the Middle East.
Iran has started trading fire after the US and Israel launched strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reports on what big questions remain in the Middle East.
Iranian strikes raise questions over how much firepower Tehran has in its arsenal
Despite deep cuts inflicted by the United States and Israel on the Iranian regime, Tehran continues to launch waves of attacks across the region.
In June last year, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran that destroyed parts of its nuclear program, severely damaged missile production sites and killed key military commanders.
Though suffering heavy losses, satellite imagery analysis showed that Iran has rebuilt damaged missile facilities and was rapidly fortifying several of its nuclear facilities.
The death of Iran’s supreme leader in US and Israeli airstrikes is a clear victory for the two allies, but much uncertainty lies ahead.
While the US and Israel claim highly successful strikes at a range of Iranian targets, including eliminating other key leaders, analysts note only a few independent satellite images of damage in Iran have been seen so far, including those that show the destruction of the supreme leader’s compound and others that show a cloud of black smoke rising over a docked Iranian warship.
Some suggest it will take at least 48 hours to get solid information – and more satellite photo evidence – on how successful the first day of US-Israeli strikes were.
The lack of independent evidence of the destruction of Iran’s missile forces leaves open to question how much firepower Tehran still has in its arsenal.
While it has struck back against a range of targets across the Middle East since the conflict began – hundreds of ballistic missiles and more than a thousand drones by some accounts – analysts note that in last summer’s 12-day war with Israel, Iran held off using much of its inventory of missiles and drones until later in the conflict.
Iran strikes back: There was a hint of this early Sunday as Iran said it was launching a fresh wave attacks across the region, with Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Israel reporting incoming Iranian munitions throughout the morning.
Video of Iranian counterattacks since the combat began shows a large volume of missile interceptors being used in targeted countries like Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.
Stockpiles: The US and Israel in particular used huge quantities of their limited and hard-to-replace air defense interceptors in the 12-day war last summer, there are doubts about how long current stocks will last if Iran still has ballistic missiles and drones in reserve for an extended conflict.
Analyst warns Iran could retaliate with terrorist attacks in US
Iran could launch terrorist attacks on US soil in retaliation for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing, a CNN intelligence analyst has warned, citing previous thwarted plots by Tehran to assassinate prominent figures in the US, including President Donald Trump.
The Iranian regime had tried to target individuals in the US but had always refrained from planning broader attacks, said John Miller, CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst.
“It was a line they wouldn’t cross,” he said.
US authorities had foiled Tehran-driven plots to assassinate Iran critic Masih Alinejad, Trump’s former security adviser John Bolton and the US president himself before he was reelected, Miller said.
“What we did not see, and this could come into play now, is the kind of plot which would involve attacking a location with the intent of multiple casualties,” he said, adding “desperate times call for desperate measures.”
