Iran fires missiles at Israel and Gulf states : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8132x5421+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F00%2Fe6%2Ff086594142e5a55e5fb7f7c36e5b%2Fap26060192877009.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8132x5421+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F00%2Fe6%2Ff086594142e5a55e5fb7f7c36e5b%2Fap26060192877009.jpg" class="img" alt="Government supporters chant slogans as they gather in mourning after state TV officially announced the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> Authorities supporters chant slogans as they collect in mourning after state TV formally introduced the loss of life of Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP cover caption

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Vahid Salemi/AP DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran fired missiles at targets in Israel and Gulf Arab states Sunday after vowing large retaliation for the killing of Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the US and Israel, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to threaten Tehran towards additional escalation.

Iran acknowledged 86-year-old Khamenei's loss of life within the joint Israeli-American airstrike Saturday at his Tehran workplace, which has thrown the way forward for the Islamic Republic into query and raised the danger of regional instability.

"That is the one best likelihood for the Iranian individuals to take again their Nation," Trump stated.

Iran's Cupboard vowed that this "nice crime won't ever go unanswered" and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its "most intense offensive operation" ever, concentrating on Israeli and American bases.

"You have got crossed our pink line and should pay the value," Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated in a televised deal with Sunday. "We'll ship such devastating blows that you just yourselves might be pushed to beg."

"Iran simply said that they're going to hit very exhausting in the present day, tougher than they've ever hit earlier than," Trump fired again in a social media put up. "THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!"

As Israel and the U.S. focused different high officers, an airstrike on a gathering of the nation's protection council killed Iran's military chief of employees and protection minister, alongside the top of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and a high safety adviser to Khamenei.

Gen. Abdol Rahim Mousavi and Protection Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh had been killed on the assembly, together with Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour took over because the Guard's high commander after Israel killed its previous commander within the 12-day warfare final June. The adviser, Ali Shamkhani, had lengthy been a figurehead inside Iran's safety institution.

Iran retaliates After the preliminary strikes, Iran instantly launched missiles and drones towards Israel and U.S. army installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The Israeli army stated Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel, with many intercepted. The Magen David Adom rescue service stated Saturday night time {that a} lady within the Tel Aviv space died after being wounded in an Iranian missile assault.

Flights throughout the Center East had been disrupted, and air protection fireplace thudded over Dubai, the United Arab Emirates' industrial capital, with explosions persevering with into Sunday morning. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile assault on the UAE capital killed one particular person, state media stated, and particles from aerial interceptions brought about fires on the metropolis's most important port and on the facade of the enduring Burj Al Arab lodge.

Saudi Arabia stated Iran focused its capital and jap area in an assault that was repelled and Jordan stated it "handled" 49 drones and ballistic missiles.

The strikes may rattle world markets, notably if Iran makes the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for industrial site visitors. A 3rd of worldwide oil exports transported by sea handed via the strait in 2025.

The assault on Iran opened a surprising new chapter in U.S. intervention, and carried the potential for retaliatory violence and a wider warfare, representing a startling flex of army would possibly for an American president who swept into workplace on an "America First" platform and vowed to maintain out of "eternally wars."

The killing of Khamenei within the second Trump administration assault on Iran in eight months appeared sure to create a management vacuum, given the absence of a recognized successor and since the supreme chief had last say on all main insurance policies throughout his a long time in energy. He led Iran's clerical institution and the Revolutionary Guard, the 2 most important facilities of energy within the governing theocracy.

Iran shortly fashioned a council to manipulate the nation till a brand new supreme chief is chosen.

As reviews trickled out about Khamenei's loss of life, eyewitnesses in Tehran advised The Related Press that some residents had been rejoicing, cheering from rooftops, blowing whistles and letting out ululations.

Mourners raised a black flag over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad and the Iranian authorities declared 40 days of public mourning and a seven-day nationwide public vacation to commemorate Khamenei's loss of life.

Citing unidentified sources, the semiofficial Fars information company reported that a number of kinfolk of Khamenei had been additionally killed, together with a daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchild.

Strikes had been deliberate for months The joint U.S.-Israel operation, which officers say was deliberate for months, began Saturday in the course of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan and firstly of the Iranian workweek. It adopted stilted negotiations and warnings from Trump.

The U.S. army stated targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command amenities, air protection programs, missile and drone launch websites, and army airfields. It reported no U.S. casualties and minimal harm at U.S. bases regardless of "tons of of Iranian missile and drone assaults."

Democrats decried that Trump had taken motion with out congressional authorization. White Home spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated the administration had briefed a number of Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress prematurely.

Tensions soared as US constructed up army forces Tensions have soared in latest weeks because the Trump administration constructed up the biggest pressure of American warships and plane within the Center East in a long time. The president insisted he needed a deal to constrain Iran's nuclear program whereas the nation struggled with rising dissent following nationwide protests.

Although Trump had pronounced the Iranian nuclear program obliterated in strikes final 12 months, the nation was rebuilding infrastructure that it had misplaced, based on a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on situation of anonymity to debate Trump's decision-making course of. The official stated intelligence confirmed that Iran had developed the aptitude to provide its personal high-quality centrifuges, an essential step in creating the extremely enriched uranium wanted for weapons.

Iran had stated it hoped to avert a warfare, nevertheless it maintained its proper to complement uranium.

Iran has stated it has not enriched since June, nevertheless it has blocked worldwide inspectors from visiting the websites the U.S. bombed. Satellite tv for pc images analyzed by AP have proven new exercise at two of these websites, suggesting Iran is making an attempt to evaluate and doubtlessly get better materials.

Assault was coordinated between Israel and US Israel stated the operation had been deliberate for months with the US. Air Drive pilots struck "tons of of targets throughout Iran," Israeli army chief of employees Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated in a press release.

Targets within the Israeli marketing campaign included Iran's army, symbols of presidency and intelligence targets, based on an official briefed on the operation, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate nonpublic data on the assault.

In southern Iran, a minimum of 115 individuals had been reported killed when a women' college was struck, and dozens extra had been wounded, the native governor advised Iranian state TV. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins stated he was "conscious of reviews" {that a} women' college was struck and that officers had been wanting into them.

An Iranian diplomat advised the United Nations Safety Council that tons of of civilians had been killed and wounded within the strikes.

Iran's state information company IRNA stated a minimum of 15 individuals had been killed within the southwest, quoting the governor of the Lamerd area, Ali Alizadeh, as saying a sports activities corridor, two residential areas and a corridor close to a faculty had been hit.