Israel attacks Iran live updates: US participating in strikes in Tehran; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei targeted

The United States has officially confirmed that it is participating in joint strikes with Israel against the Iranian regime, with an official telling Reuters that attacks were underway.

Meanwhile, an Israeli defence official said the operation against Iran on Saturday was coordinated with the US, was planned for months and the launch date decided weeks ago.

Witnesses have told Reuters there are long queues at fuel stations in Tehran, with many people leaving the capital.

Virgin Australia flights operated by Qatar Airways are operating as scheduled.

Virgin said it’s working closely with Qatar to monitor the security situation and it would update guests directly should there be any impacts to operations.

In June, as tensions in the region surged, Iran attacked a base in Doha, Qatar, which forcing the hasty closure of airspace.

The disruption forced hundreds of flights to and from the region to be diverted.

The Iraq transport ministry said on Saturday it closed national airspace after Israel launched what its defence minister said was a pre-emptive attack against Iran, the state news agency said.

Israel has also closed its airspace to civilian flights.

We have put in calls to airlines, so we should know more soon about how this might affect flights to and from Australia.

With Reuters

The US has assembled the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers have been in the Arabian Sea since the end of January after being redirected from the South China Sea.

The strike group, which brought roughly 5700 additional service members to the region, bolstered the smaller force of a few destroyers and three littoral combat ships that were already in the region.

AP

The apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei had been in his offices at the time.

He hasn’t been seen publicly in days as tensions with the United States have grown. But the attack comes as the United States has assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.

Reuters reports, citing a source, that Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran and has been transferred to a secure location.

AP, Reuters

Iran has nowhere near the military capabilities of the US and is even more vulnerable after last year’s war launched by Israel and recent anti-government protests.

But it could still inflict pain on American forces and allies, and may feel it has to if the Islamic Republic’s survival is at stake.

While Iran suffered major losses last June, it still has hundreds of missiles capable of hitting Israel, according to Israel’s estimates. Iran boasts a much larger arsenal of shorter-range missiles capable of hitting US bases in Gulf countries and offshore American forces.

Israel carried out heavy strikes on Iran’s longer-range missile arsenals during the 12-day war in June.

The US struck Iran’s main nuclear sites, and US President Donald Trump said at the time that they had been “obliterated.”

Iran has also held quiet talks with China about purchasing anti-ship missiles that could significantly boost its ability to strike warships and choke sea routes, officials say.

AP

The United States is participating in the Israeli strikes against Iran, a US official told the Associated Press.

Israel launched the daylight attack Saturday on Iran’s capital, reportedly targeting an area near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei had been in his offices at the time.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the attack as being done “to remove threats.”

Sirens sounded across Israel at the same time. The Israeli military said that it had issued a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”

AP

Israel’s defence minister says his country has launched an attack on Iran. A state of emergency has been declared across Israel.

Israel Katz made the announcement as thick smoke rose from an explosion in downtown Tehran, Iran’s capital.

Iranian state television acknowledged the blast, without providing more details.

Sirens sounded across Israel at the same time. The Israeli military said that the “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel”.

The attack comes as tensions are high between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Reuters