Iran launched retaliatory attacks on US assets in several Gulf Arab states following a joint US-Israel strike on Iranian territory early Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. The Iranian government confirmed that multiple targets were hit in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which host American air bases.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that all Israeli and US military targets in the Middle East were struck by powerful Iranian missiles. The report also noted that Iran had fired waves of missiles and drones toward Israel, intensifying tensions across the region.

The developments mark a sharp escalation in hostilities between Iran and its adversaries, with potential implications for regional security and the stability of US alliances in the Gulf.

An Israeli airstrike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran’s Hormozgan province, killing 85 people and injuring 63 others, according to Iranian state media. The attack occurred on Saturday and is part of a broader wave of joint US-Israeli military operations across Iran. Iran’s Tasnim News Agency cited the local judiciary confirming the death toll, while workers continued clearing debris from the site.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike, calling it a crime against the Iranian people and vowing that it would not go unanswered. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei urged the United Nations Security Council to take action. Separately, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported another Israeli strike east of Tehran that killed at least two students. Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tehran said the attacks challenge US and Israeli claims that their targets are strictly military.

There has been no immediate response from the United States or Israel regarding Iran’s allegations. The report also recalled the June 2025 conflict, when similar attacks caused heavy civilian casualties and widespread infrastructure damage in Iran.

Nine months after a 12-day war ended with a truce, Iran is again under attack from both Israel and the United States. The new assault, launched on Saturday, targets Iranian officials, missile sites, and nuclear facilities, with both governments stating their goal of regime change in Tehran. The strikes come as nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US were showing progress in Geneva, where Omani mediator Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi announced that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched material stockpile and allow full IAEA verification.

Iran, which maintains its nuclear programme is for civilian use, retaliated by striking Israeli targets and US military bases across the Gulf region. The escalation follows years of Israeli opposition to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal under President Trump. Netanyahu, backed by Washington, launched the June 13, 2025, attack amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

US officials have expressed concern about being drawn into a prolonged conflict, while Vice President JD Vance said there is “no chance” of a long-term Middle Eastern war. The situation remains volatile as talks are set to resume in Geneva.

Following the joint strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran, several countries have voiced strong reactions. Pakistan, Norway, and Belgium each issued statements expressing deep concern and criticism of the attacks, calling for restraint and renewed diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned what he described as an “unjustified attack” on Iran and urged an immediate halt to hostilities. He emphasized the need for urgent diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis through peaceful dialogue. Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth said that although Israel claimed the strike was preventive, it did not align with international law, noting that preventive action requires an imminent threat. Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot expressed sorrow that earlier diplomatic efforts had failed and stressed that the Iranian people should not suffer for their government’s decisions.

All three nations highlighted the growing risk of military escalation and reiterated the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to restore stability in the region.

An Israeli attack on a girls’ school in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province has killed 53 students, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. The strike targeted a primary girls’ school in the city of Minab on Saturday, with reports indicating that three missiles were fired at the school. The Iranian Ministry of Education confirmed that 63 others were injured in the assault.

The incident occurred amid renewed hostilities across Iran, as both the United States and Israel reportedly launched attacks on Saturday morning. Tehran responded with retaliatory missile and drone strikes toward Israel, escalating tensions in the region. The IRNA report cited Al Jazeera as a source for additional details on the attack.

The strike marks one of the deadliest attacks on a civilian educational institution in Iran in recent years, highlighting the intensifying conflict between Iran and Israel and its growing humanitarian toll.

Iran carried out missile and drone strikes on several US military bases across the Middle East following attacks by Israel and the United States. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the retaliatory action, targeting bases in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, Qatar’s Al-Udeid, Kuwait’s Al-Salem, the UAE’s Al-Dhafra, and Bahrain. According to Fars News Agency, one person was killed in Abu Dhabi. Explosions were reported in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi, while Bahrain confirmed a strike on a US Navy Fifth Fleet facility.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack as a violation of national sovereignty and international law, asserting its right to respond. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry issued emergency alerts and instructed citizens to move to safe locations. Qatar reported intercepting two Iranian missiles, and Kuwait activated warning sirens. The United States had recently withdrawn hundreds of troops from its bases in Qatar and Bahrain amid rising tensions with Iran.

The United States maintains military installations in more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, hosting tens of thousands of personnel and extensive defense infrastructure, including air and naval assets.

British politician Baroness Saeeda Warsi has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump have become uncontrollable following a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. In a post on social media platform X, Warsi described the assault as a clear sign of their loss of restraint, noting that it occurred just as Oman announced progress in Iran-U.S. nuclear talks.

According to the report, the attack took place on Saturday, targeting multiple Iranian facilities. During the strikes, President Trump called for regime change in Iran, only hours after Oman's foreign minister had declared progress in nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. An Iranian source told Middle East Eye that the attack was preplanned and that the talks were merely a cover. Israeli media, citing a security source, reported that the operation had been prepared for months.

The incident has drawn regional attention, with reports mentioning reactions from Russia and several Middle Eastern countries condemning the assault.

At least 86 students were killed in an Israeli attack on a girls’ school in Minab, a city in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, according to Al Jazeera. The incident occurred on Saturday when three missiles struck the primary school, leaving many others injured. Iran’s Ministry of Education spokesperson Ali Farhadi confirmed the attack and the rising number of casualties.

The report added that the strike was part of a broader wave of assaults carried out by the United States and Israel across Iran earlier that morning. Tehran later launched retaliatory attacks in response. The Iranian government has also sent a letter to the United Nations urging action against the aggression.

The situation remains tense as Iran continues to assess the damage and casualties from the coordinated attacks, while international attention focuses on the escalating conflict in the region.

Iran has sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council and Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for an emergency meeting to address what it described as 'aggressive actions' by the United States and Israel. The letter, reported by Al Jazeera, urged the UN to fulfill its responsibility to maintain international peace and to convene the Security Council without delay to respond to these incidents.

In the letter, Iran asserted that the actions of the United States and Israel pose a 'real and serious threat' to international peace and security. Tehran called for immediate and necessary measures to stop what it termed illegal use of force and to ensure accountability for those responsible. It also urged all UN member states to condemn the aggression and take urgent, coordinated steps to counter it.

According to Iran, the current situation represents an 'unprecedented threat' to both regional and global stability, underscoring the need for swift international intervention.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that a few Iranian commanders were feared killed in an Israeli attack. He emphasized that most Iranian officials remain safe and alive but did not provide further details. Araghchi also stated that Iran possesses weapons capable of reaching the United States and warned that Tehran would respond firmly if the attacks continue.

He added that the extent of damage to Iran’s missile bases has not yet been confirmed. Araghchi noted that Iran has been in discussions with Russia’s foreign minister and is also engaging diplomatically with regional countries including Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions following Israeli strikes and ongoing diplomatic efforts by Iran to address the situation through international and regional channels.

Iran’s state-owned Al-Alam TV announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will deliver a speech within minutes, following reports that the United States and Israel launched attacks in Iran on Saturday. The strikes reportedly targeted Iran’s religious and political leadership. Iranian authorities confirmed that despite the attacks, Khamenei and other top leaders remain safe.

According to statements cited by Iranian media, Foreign Minister Araghchi said nearly all Iranian officials are alive and unharmed. The country’s foreign minister also confirmed that Khamenei survived the assault. Reports that senior Iranian leaders and military chiefs were killed were denied by officials. Meanwhile, U.S. Republican Thomas Massie has expressed opposition to war with Iran.

Further details about Khamenei’s upcoming address are expected soon, as Al-Alam TV indicated it will provide more information shortly.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive following reports of a joint Israel-United States attack that allegedly killed Iran’s defense minister and the head of the Revolutionary Guard. Speaking to NBC News, Araghchi said, “Ali Khamenei is alive, as far as I know.” He added that while one or two commanders were killed, most Iranian officials remain alive.

Araghchi dismissed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s message about regime change in Iran as “impossible” and insisted that any discussion could only begin after the attacks stop. The statement came amid widespread rumors about casualties among Iran’s top leadership and uncertainty over the country’s internal stability.

According to the report, Khamenei is expected to deliver a speech soon, and most Iranian officials are reported to be safe. The situation follows heightened tensions after the alleged joint military strike by Israel and the United States.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview with NBC that almost all Iranian officials are alive, healthy, and in safe locations following what he described as a joint US-Israel attack. He dismissed the reported assault as completely baseless, illegal, and illegitimate. Araghchi acknowledged that Iran may have lost one or two commanders but emphasized that it was not a major issue.

The statement came amid reports of escalating tensions, including claims that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard commander had been killed and that Iran had launched missiles and drones toward Israel. Araghchi’s remarks appear intended to reassure the public and counter external narratives about instability within Iran’s leadership.

The interview underscores Iran’s effort to project control and continuity in the face of international reports about casualties and military exchanges.

British independent MP Ayub Khan has condemned the joint United States and Israeli attack on Iran, calling it a reckless and dangerous escalation. In a social media post on February 28, 2026, he said Israel carried out the strike with strong backing, pushing the conflict toward prolonged warfare. Khan urged the world’s major powers not to remain silent, describing the assault as a violation of international law.

According to Middle East Eye, an Iranian source claimed the attack was pre-planned while Washington was engaged in talks with Tehran, suggesting the discussions served merely as a cover. The source also noted that the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier had arrived in Haifa the previous day, indicating preparation for the strike.

Multiple explosions were heard early Saturday in Tehran as Israeli and US forces targeted several sites in the Iranian capital. Details about the specific targets and the extent of damage were not immediately available.

Reuters has reported that Iranian Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Pakpour were killed in an Israeli attack. The information was attributed to two sources familiar with the military operation and one regional source, according to the Reuters report published on February 28, 2026.

The report stated that the deaths were believed to have occurred as a result of the Israeli strike, though no official confirmation from Iranian authorities was mentioned in the source. The incident adds to ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, with recent reports of missile and drone exchanges between the two countries.

The source also referenced related developments, including statements from Iranian officials asserting that most of their senior figures remain safe, and diplomatic outreach by Iran’s foreign minister to counterparts in six Middle Eastern countries.