WASHINGTON (AP) — American air defense systems and a Navy destroyer helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles Friday that Tehran launched in response to Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and top military leaders, U.S. officials said.
The U.S. has both ground-based Patriot missile defense systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defense systems in the Middle East capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Iran fired in multiple barrages in retaliation for Israel's initial attack.
A Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean Sea also shot down Iranian missiles heading toward Israel, one official said.
The United States also is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes.
The Navy directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House, U.S. officials said.
American fighter jets also are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and air bases in the region are taking additional security precautions, the officials said.
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public or to discuss ongoing operations.
President Donald Trump met with his National Security Council principals Friday to discuss options.
The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.
Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a U.S. official. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The Navy has additional assets that it could surge to the Middle East if needed, particularly its aircraft carriers and the warships that sail with them. The USS Carl Vinson is in the Arabian Sea — the only aircraft carrier in the region.
The carrier USS Nimitz is in the Indo-Pacific and could be directed toward the Middle East if needed, and the USS George Washington just left its port in Japan and could also be directed to the region if so ordered, one of the officials said.
Then-President Joe Biden initially surged ships to protect Israel, a close U.S. ally, following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza. It was seen as a deterrent against Hezbollah and Iran at the time.
On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military is helping intercept missiles that Iran fired in retaliation at Israel, a U.S. official says.
The U.S. has been moving assets nearer to Israel to assist in missile intercepts and to provide better protection of U.S. bases in the region.
While the official did not say how the U.S. provided assistance, both U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft and destroyer-based missile defenses have intercepted missiles in previous attacks.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran’s nuclear and military structure Friday, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to attack key facilities and kill top generals and scientists -- a barrage it said was necessary before its adversary got any closer to building an atomic weapon.
Iran retaliated by unleashing scores of ballistic missiles on Israel late Friday, with explosions flaring in the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shaking buildings below.
“Don’t think that they hit and it’s over. No. They started the work and started the war," Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message. "We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed.”
An Associated Press reporter saw smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. Israeli paramedics reported a handful of injuries in the Tel Aviv area.
Israel's ongoing airstrikes and intelligence operation and Iran's retaliation raised fears of all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.
Israel had long threatened such a strike, and successive American administrations had sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran’s dispersed and hardened nuclear program.
But a confluence of developments triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack — plus the reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump — created the conditions that allowed Israel to finally follow through on its threats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the U.S. was informed in advance of the attack.
On Thursday, Iran had been censured by the U.N.’s atomic watchdog for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.
The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday afternoon at Iran's request. In a letter to the council, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the killing of its officials and scientists “state terrorism" and affirmed his country's right to self-defense.
Israel's military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Its Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran ahead of time, and used them to target Iranian air defenses and missile launchers near Tehran, according to two security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It was not possible to independently confirm the officials' claims.
Among the key sites Israel attacked was Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. It also appeared to strike a second, smaller nuclear enrichment facility in Fordo, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southest of Tehran, according to an Iranian news outlet close to the government that reported hearing explosions nearby.
Israel said it struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan, too, and said it destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran. Iran confirmed the strike at Isfahan.
Israel military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the Natanz facility was “significantly damaged” and that the operation was “still in the beginning.”
The first wave of strikes had given Israel “significant freedom of movement” in Iran’s skies, clearing the way for further attacks, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the attack with the media.
The official said Israel is prepared for an operation that could last up to two weeks, but that there was no firm timeline.
Among those killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders: one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Iran confirmed all three deaths, significant blows its governing theocracy that will complicate efforts to retaliate. Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed.
Netanyahu said the attack had been months in the making. In a video statement sent to journalists Friday, he said he ordered plans for the attack last November, soon after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, one of Iran’s strongest proxies. Netanyahu said the attack was planned for April but was postponed.
In its first response Friday, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside its airspace, and it was not immediately clear whether any got through.
Israel’s military said it called up reservists and began stationing troops throughout the country as it braced for further retaliation from Iran or Iranian proxy groups.
Trump urged Iran on Friday to reach a deal with the U.S. on its nuclear program, warning on his Truth Social platform that Israel’s attacks “will only get worse.”
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire,” he wrote.
On Wednesday, the U.S. pulled some American diplomats from Iraq’s capital and offered voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East. On Friday, the U.S. began shifting military resources in the region, including ships, as Israel prepared for more retaliation, two U.S. officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Officials in Washington had cautioned Israel against an attack earlier in the week, so as not to disrupt U.S. negotiations with Iran over its nuclear enrichment program. They stressed Friday that the U.S. had not been involved in the attack, and warned against any retaliation targeting U.S. interests or person
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JERUSALEM (AP) —Air raid sirens have sounded across Israel as Iranian missiles strike the country. The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem on Friday, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said dozens of missiles were launched, and the army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters. Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran that targeted its nuclear program and military sites, killing at least three top military officers and raising the prospect of an all-out war
Air raid sirens have sounded across Israel as Iranian missiles struck the country in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders.
The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem on Friday, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said dozens of missiles were launched, and the army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters.
Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran that targeted its nuclear program and military sites, killing at least three top military officers and raising the prospect of an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. For years, Israel had threatened such a strike and successive American administrations had sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran's dispersed and hardened nuclear program.
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Here's the latest:
Iran's supreme leader vows revenge for Israeli attacks
In a recorded message to the nation broadcast as Iranian missiles flew toward Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the military was prepared to counterattack.
"Don't think that they (Israel) hit and it's over. No. They started the work and started the war. We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed," he said.
Air raid sirens sound across Israel amid Iranian missile attack
The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The army said dozens of missiles were launched.
The army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters.
Israel says Iran has launched missiles
The Israeli military's Home Front Command has instructed people to move into shelters ahead of an expected Iranian missile attack.
The army says Iran has launched missiles, and the safety order applies to the entire country.
Israel's Channel 13 TV says the missiles are expected to take about 10 minutes to arrive.
Israeli military briefing cut short by possible incoming Iranian attack, official says
Israel's military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said that despite Israel's attack, "Iran has capability to hurt Israel's civilian front in a meaningful way."
Defrin's briefing was cut short. An Israeli military official says this was due to an incoming Iranian attack on central Israel. The official spoke on condition pending a formal announcement.
Israel claims striking an Iranian nuclear site in Isfahan; Iran does not immediately acknowledge
The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic program.
France says conference on two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is postponed
French President Emmanuel Macron says a top-level U.N. conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians has been postponed because of renewed tensions in the Mideast.
France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-host the conference in New York next week, and Macron had been scheduled to attend.
Macron said Friday it was postponed for logistical and security reasons and because some Palestinian representatives couldn't come to the event.
US fighter jets take flight to protect personnel and installations in Middle East
American fighter jets are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, according to a U.S. official. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.
It comes at the same time as the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean. A second destroyer also has begun moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House.
Iran reports explosions at another nuclear site
The Fordo nuclear enrichment facility is buried hundreds of meters underground.
Nour News, which is close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that two explosions were heard from the area nearby.
Separately, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported that a radar site near Tabriz was attacked, according to an official in the East Azerbaijan province.
Majid Farshi told IRNA that 11 military sites in East Azerbaijan province have been attacked, and that 18 people were killed, including one Red Crescent aid worker.
Israel's military orders all residents to be close to protected areas and minimize movement
Israelis are on high alert bracing for a larger response from Iran, which has already launched over 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation for Friday's attacks.
Israel says it intercepts missile launched from Yemen, setting off sirens in Jerusalem
There were no immediate reports of casualties or fallen shrapnel in Israel. A loud boom could be heard in the Holy City, possibly from Israeli interceptor fire.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen did not immediately claim the attack.
A new wave of attacks appears to have begun in Tehran
Civilian witnesses told The Associated Press they heard what sounded like loud explosions in neighborhoods in the capital's east, west and center, while an AP journalist in the city's north also heard a blast.
Air defense systems were heard going off Friday night in Tehran. There was no immediate acknowledgement from authorities.
Netanyahu says Israel informed US before attacking Iran
In a video statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel told the U.S. about its plans to attack Iran in advance. "They knew about the attack. What will they do now? I leave that to President Trump."
Netanyahu says Israel's attack on Iran was months in the making
Netanyahu said he ordered an attack plan in November 2024, shortly after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah — one if Iran's strongest proxies. That's when Israel forecasted Iran would start rapidly advancing its nuclear program.
In a video statement circulated to journalists Friday evening, Netanyahu said the attack was supposed to happen in April but was postponed.
Iran summons Swiss ambassador over Israeli attacks
Since Tehran and Washington don't have diplomatic relations, Switzerland has looked out for America's interests in Iran since the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency says Isa Kameli, an assistant to foreign minister, told the Swiss ambassador that Friday's Israeli attacks were a crime and said, "It is not possible to imagine that invasion acts by the Zionist regime have taken place without cooperation and coordination and at least green light from the U.S."
Israel's military begins stationing troops in 'all combat arenas'
The military said it was calling up reservists from different military units as "part of preparations for defense and offense" as its attack on Iran continues.
The move comes as Israel braces for further counterattacks from Iran or Iranian proxy groups on Israel's borders.
Iran says Israel will 'deeply regret' its attack
Israel's targeted killings of officials and scientists were "clear instances of state terrorism," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter to the U.N. Security Council requesting an emergency meeting.
In the letter obtained by The Associated Press, he said Iran affirms its right to self defense under the U.N. Charter.
"This right is non-negotiable," Araghchi said. "Israel will come to deeply regret this reckless aggression and the grave strategic miscalculation it has made."
The Iranian minister urged the Security Council, which will meet at 3 p.m. in New York, to "take urgent and concrete measures to hold the Israeli regime fully accountable for its crimes."
Israel seals off the West Bank
Israel closed all checkpoints to the Israeli-occupied West Bank Friday as the country attacked Iran, a military official said Friday. The move sealed off entry and exit to the territory, meaning that Palestinians could not leave without special coordination.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military recommendations.
Around 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank under Israeli military rule. With the world's attention focused on Gaza, Israeli military operations in the West Bank have grown in size, frequency and intensity.
The crackdown has also left tens of thousands of Palestinians unemployed, as they can no longer work the mostly menial jobs in Israel that paid higher wages.
In Tel Aviv, an eerie quiet and a cancelled Pride Parade
Many Israelis are hunkered down close to home in Tel Aviv, the country's economic hub on the Mediterranean coast.
Shops were open but the streets, beaches, and parks were mostly deserted. Earlier Friday, many people had rushed to supermarkets to buy bottled water and other supplies.
The city canceled its annual Pride Parade, which normally draws tens of thousands of people for a march and street party.
Iran is restricting the internet after Israeli attacks
Internet usage in Iran dramatically declined Friday after Iranian authorities restricted access in the country following the Israeli attacks, according to internet-access advocacy group Net Blocks.org.
The group shared the information in a graph posted to X Friday, saying their data corroborated "user reports of poor service."
Expert says Iran poses a bigger threat to US military than Israel
Iran's current capabilities are potentially "more threatening to the U.S. military than to Israel," said Fabian Hinz, an air warfare expert at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
That's because there are multiple U.S. military bases in the region and Iran has a "huge arsenal" of shorter range missiles developed specifically to target U.S. bases as well as "lots of anti-ship capabilities," Hinz said.
While Iran fired around 300 ballistic missiles at Israel last year, Hinz said, Tehran did not fire any of their short range missiles which could be used to attack U.S. bases.
"Think of the Iranian shipping threat as similar in quality to the Houthi threat, but much larger in quantity," Hinz said.
US shifts military resources in Mideast in response Iranian retaliation for Israel's attack
Two U.S. officials said Friday that the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House.
President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.
The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles.
On Oct. 1, 2024, U.S. Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
Iran calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting
Iran's U.N. Mission said it has asked for an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the Israeli attacks.
The emergency session is likely to take place Friday afternoon, the mission said.
Israel told Trump administration of attacks ahead of time
Israel told the Trump administration that large-scale attacks were coming and expected Iranian retaliation would be severe, U.S. officials said, leading the United States to order the evacuations of some nonessential embassy staffers and authorize the voluntary departure of military dependents in the region.
The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic discussions.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff still plans to go to Oman this weekend for talks on Tehran's nuclear program, but it's not clear if the Iranians would participate, officials said.
Yemen's Houthis condemn Israeli strikes
The political office for Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis condemned Israel's attacks on Iran, saying that Iran has the "right to defend itself and develop its nuclear program."
"Israel is an aggressive entity that threatens not only Palestine but also the security and stability of the region and the entire nation," a statement read.
"Israel's claims about the Iranian nuclear program are baseless, and it has no right to be the region's policeman, given its nuclear arsenal."
Israeli consular services close
"Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," according to a statement posted to the websites of Israeli embassies in Berlin, Stockholm and Rome.
The statement, which appeared to come from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Israelis abroad to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public.
Hamas expresses solidarity with Iran
"We declare our solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the face of the brutal Zionist aggression, which primarily stems from Iran's support for the Palestinian people and its significant backing of their honorable resistance fighters," said Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas's armed wing.
He also mourned the deaths of senior Iranian leaders and others killed in the strike, condemning the attack as "cowardly."
Trump calls Israeli strikes on Iran 'excellent' and says 'more to come'
In an interview with ABC News, U.S. President Donald Trump called the Israeli strikes on Iran "excellent" and previewed more attacks.
"I think it's been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn't take it," Trump told ABC on Friday morning. "They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's more to come, a lot more."
In a further post on the Truth Social platform, Trump added: "Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to 'make a deal.'"
"They should have done it! Today is day 61. I told them what to do, but they just couldn't get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!" he wrote Friday.
Oil price surge may be temporary
Oil prices have surged after Israel's attack on Iran, though analysts say the spike will likely be temporary if the fighting doesn't spread to other countries and disrupt oil shipments.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 7.8% to $74.89. "When Iran and Israel exchanged attacks previously, prices spiked initially but fell once it became clear that the situation was not escalating," says Richard Joswick, head of near-term oil at S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Israel exports only very small quantities of oil and oil products, and China is Iran's only customer due to Western sanctions. China could find alternative supplies from other Middle East exporters or Russia.
Iran's president warns of strong action against Israel
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian says his nation would "strongly take action" against Israel after its attacks on the country.
In a televised address Friday, Pezeshkian urged people to unite behind its theocratic government.
The "Islamic Republic of Iran will give a severe, wise and strong answer to the occupier regime," he said, referring to Israel.
Iran confirms Hajizadeh killed
Iran has confirmed that Israel killed Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's missile program.
Iranian state television made the acknowledgment Friday afternoon. The confirmation came a short time after Israel said its strikes killed Hajizadeh.
Israeli military said it hit 'underground command center'
The Israeli military said military jets hit a site where Revolutionary Guard officials had "assembled in an underground command center," allegedly "to prepare for an attack on the state of Israel," and killed Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh along with two other senior officials.
It did not offer details or information to support the claim.
"Hajizadeh publicly declared his commitment to Israel's destruction at various events in recent years and played a central role in developing the Iranian regime's plan for Israel's destruction," the Israelis said.
It also linked those killed to an attack on Saudi Arabia in 2019.
Israel claims it killed head of Revolutionary Guard missile program
Israel claimed Friday it killed Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's missile program in Iran.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge his death officially, though rumors of his death had been circulating for some time online.
Hajizadeh is a major commander within the Guard, overseeing its ballistic missile arsenal.
Museums in Iran close after attacks
Museums in Iran are taking the extraordinary step of closing down until further notice after attacks by Israel, and were transferring valuable items to secure vaults, officials announced Friday.
The state-affiliated Borna news agency reported the order by Ali Darabi, Iran's deputy minister and cultural heritage chief.
Such moves have been done only in extraordinary circumstances in Iran, including the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump urges Iran to reach nuclear deal with Washington
U.S. President Donald Trump is again urging Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, warning that Israel's attacks "will only get worse."
In his first public comments since the Friday attacks, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that "there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end."
Hezbollah says Israel has 'crossed all red lines'
The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has accused the U.S. of providing "approval, coordination, and direct cover-up" for Israel's strikes, adding that Israel "has crossed all red lines, believing that by doing so, it will change the equations."
In a statement, the group issued condolences to Tehran for the leaders who were killed, but did not threaten to join in the retaliation.
Jordan says strikes push region into more tension
Jordan's state media says the country's foreign minister has discussed Israel's strikes on Iran with his Egyptian counterpart, and warned that the attack pushes the region into more tension and conflict.
Jordan News Agency said the ministers called the strikes a "dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international law."
The ministers also said Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip should stop to and a two-state solution is needed to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East.
Egypt and Jordan are among Arab countries that signed peace treaties with Israel and have normal relations with it.
EU's top diplomat calls for de-escalation in the Middle East
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the fresh outbreak of violence in the Middle East "deeply alarming."
"Europe urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate immediately and refrain from retaliation. A diplomatic resolution is now more urgent than ever, for the sake of the region's stability and global security," she said in a post on the Bluesky social media platform.
Iran names replacements for commanders killed in strikes
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has replaced two top military commanders killed in a wave of Israeli strikes on Friday.
State TV said he tapped Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. Mousavi was previously the top army commander.
Khamenei chose Mohammad Pakpour to lead the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, replacing Gen. Hossein Salami.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centers within the country's theocracy.
Israeli officials say they smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of strikes
Israeli security officials say the country's Mossad spy agency smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of Friday's strikes that were used to target its defenses from within.
Two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss the highly secretive missions. It was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment.
The officials said a base for launching explosive drones was established inside Iran and that the drones were activated during Friday's attack to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.
They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran and positioned them near surface-to-air missile systems. They said it also deployed strike systems on vehicles. Both were activated as the strikes began, in order to target Iran's defenses, the officials said.
--By Josef Federman and Julia Frankel
Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem is closed to the public
With gates to the Al-Aqsa mosque closed by Israeli police, only the guards and employees of the holy site will be present for traditional Friday prayers, the site's custodian said Friday.
The mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims, and is located on the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount.
The Waqf, the Islamic endowment which administers the site, said Israel has banned public gatherings. The call to prayer will sound as usual.
Iraq calls on UN Security Council to 'deter this aggression'
The Iraqi government in a statement called Israel's attacks on neighboring Iran "a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations" and a "threat to international peace and security, especially as it occurred during the period of US-Iranian negotiations."
It called for the UN Security Council to convene immediately to take "decisive and concrete measures to deter this aggression, ensure its non-recurrence, and restore the prestige of the international legal system."
Baghdad, which has close ties with both the U.S. and Iran, has attempted to maintain a difficult balancing act between the two.
Iran says nuclear enrichment facility was damaged
Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said in a statement that parts of the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility were damaged during the Israeli strikes but that no nuclear radiation or chemical contamination has occurred.
NATO chief calls on US, other Israeli allies to press for de-escalation
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on Israel's Western backers to press for an end to the strikes.
"This was a unilateral action by Israel. So I think it is crucial for many allies, including the United States, to work as we speak to de-escalate," Rutte told reporters in Stockholm after talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Asked whether a nuclear clash might be imminent in the region, Rutte said: "No, we are not close."
Israel's defense minister threatens further attacks against Iran
In a statement soon after Israel's military said it had completed the attack on Iran, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military would "continue its activities to thwart the Iranian nuclear program and remove threats on the State of Israel.
"The precise hit on the heads of the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian army and the nuclear scientists, who were all involved in promoting the plan to destroy Israel, is a strong and clear message — those who work to destroy Israel will be eliminated."
Israeli military says widespread attack on Iranian air defenses complete
The Israeli military says it has completed a widespread attack on air defenses in western Iran.
It said Friday that it had destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers.
Hamas condemns Israel's strikes on Iran
The Palestinian group said Friday that the strikes "form a dangerous escalation" that could lead to a regional war.
Hamas added that the strikes reflect the Israeli government's intention to pull the region into an open war.
Jordanian state media says country intercepting missiles and drones
Jordanian state media said the country's Air Force is intercepting missiles and drones in its air space.
The state news agency quoted an unnamed senior military official as saying that the interceptions were carried out based on military assessments indicating that the missiles and drones were likely to fall within Jordanian territory, including populated areas, posing a potential threat to civilian safety.
The official added that the Jordan Armed Forces are operating "around the clock to defend the country's borders by land, sea, and air and will not allow any violation of Jordanian airspace under any circumstances."
Iranian drones tracked crossing Iraq's airspace
Two Iraqi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation said that more than 100 drones launched from Iran toward Israel were tracked crossing Iraqi airspace.
Residents of Iraq's Diyala province, which borders Iran, reported hearing the sound of aircraft and explosions from strikes inside Iranian territory early Friday.
Some later said they saw drones launched from Iran heading toward Israel.
100 drones launched at Israel, military says
Brig. Gen. Effie Deffrin, the chief Israeli army spokesman: "In the last few hours, Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel, and all the defense systems are acting to intercept the threats.
Iranian chief of staff killed in Israeli strike
An Israeli airstrike killed Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Iranian state television reported Friday.
Bagheri is a former top commander within Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The state TV report offered no further details.
Multiple military officials and scientists have been killed in the Israeli attack Friday on sites across Iran.
Iran's supreme leader threatens 'severe punishment'
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face "severe punishment" over its attack on the country.
Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack.
Israel "opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers," Khamenei said.
Strikes come days before Iran, US were to hold talks in Oman
Israel's strikes come days before a sixth round of talks were planned between Iran and the US over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program this Sunday in Oman.
U.S. President Donald Trump's new administration has been seeking a deal that would halt Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
It wasn't immediately clear how the strikes would affect plans for the talks.
Iran will offer 'decisive' response to Israel's attack
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency is quoting an anonymous official saying Iran will offer a "decisive" response to Israel's attack.
The report did not elaborate. However, Iranian state television put a black band over the corner of its broadcast, suggesting the attack had been significant enough to spark public mourning.
Black smoke seen over Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility
Black smoke rose Friday over Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz though it wasn't clear how bad the damage was.
Iranian state television briefly showed the live picture with a reporter.
Natanz is partially above ground, partially below ground, with multiple halls of centrifuges spinning uranium gas for its nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Israel targeted the site in Friday's attack. Natanz previously has been targeted by the Stuxnet cyberattack and multiple sabotage campaigns likely carried out by Israel.
Iranian state TV says head of Revolutionary Guard is feared dead
Iranian state television says the head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, is feared dead after an Israeli attack.
It added that one other top Guard official, as well as two nuclear scientists, were also feared dead. The report offered few other details.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centers within the country's theocracy. It also controls Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is ablaze
An Israeli attack on Iran has set the headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze, state television reported Friday.
A reporter on air said he was unable to get closer due to the intensity of the fire in Iran's capital, Tehran.
Multiple sites in the capital had been hit in the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said targeted both sites of and officials leading Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal.
Netanyahu says Israel struck nuclear and missile sites
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials.
He said Iran was working on a new plan to destroy Israel after its old plan, its circle of proxies, failed. He called it an intolerable threat that must be stopped.
Dozens of commercial flights over Iran as attack begins
Dozens of commercial airliners were in Iranian airspace as the strikes took place, according to flight tracking websites.
More than an hour after the Israeli attack, some were still making their way out of Iranian airspace, but some abruptly altered course to more quickly exit the area.
Many nations' jets already did not overfly Iran because of regional tensions.
Israel closes its airspace
Israel closed its airspace in anticipation of Iranian retaliation.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks were expected.
"In the wake of the state of Israel's preventive attack against Iran, missile and drone attacks against Israel and its civilian population are expected immediately," he said in a statement.
The statement added that Katz "signed a special order declaring an emergency situation in the home front."
Israeli official says Air Force is targeting nuclear and military sites
An Israeli military official says that his country targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them.
The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation.
The Israeli official said Iran poses three threats to state of Israel: First, he alleged that the Iranian government is advancing a "secret program" to develop nuclear weapons. The U.S. intelligence community assesses that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Second, the Israeli official said, Iran has thousands of ballistic missiles. Finally, he said Iran has been distributing weapons and arms to proxy groups across the region like Hezbollah and Hamas.
— Josef Federman