US President Donald Trump says the United States has launched a “major operation” in Iran, saying “bombs will be dropping everywhere”.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had launched a number of retaliatory strikes on Israeli and US targets.
ExIranian state media is reporting that at least 45 people were killed in a strike on a girls’ school, and Dubai is suspending all flights from its international airport.
US-Israeli air strikes on Iran have prompted a string of retaliatory attacks in the region and plunged global air travel into chaos.
Israel launched the first strikes against Iran in the capital, Tehran, on Saturday morning, local time, near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The US launched its own strikes shortly after as part of what its defence ministry dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
Mr Trump posted a video to his Truth Social media platform saying the US wanted to combat “threats” from the Iranian regime with what is has called Operation Epic Fury.
“A short time ago, the US military began major combat operations in Iran,” he said.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that at least 40 people were killed in a strike on a girls’ school in the country’s south.
At least 45 others were wounded in the attack in Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan province, IRNA reported.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has a base in the city.
ExMr Trump said Iran was the “world’s number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested”.
The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this, not for now. We’re doing this for the future,” Mr Trump said.
He told Iranian police and other security forces to lay down their arms and be granted immunity or fight and face “certain death”, and he urged everyday civilians to rebel against the regime.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said.
He warned Iranians to remain inside as “bombs will be dropping everywhere”.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Mr Trump for his “historic leadership”.
“Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the strikes as “a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel”.
Retaliatory strikes underway
Meanwhile, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had struck several facilities in the region in retaliation, including the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
The Revolutionary Guard said it had also struck US bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and military targets in Israel.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had advised residents to “stay in protected spaces until official notice” after “an additional barrage of missiles was launched toward the State of Israel”, but said it was “identifying and intercepting threats”.
Blasts have also been reported in Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq.
The strikes have prompted protests across the world, including Tehran where people have taken to the streets to protest against the attacks.
Meanwhile, members of the Iranian diaspora in London and Berlin have turned out to protest against the Iranian regime.
Flights suspended and airspace closed
Iran and Israel have both closed their airspace in light of the attacks.
Neighbouring Iraq and Jordan have also closed their airspace, while Dubai has suspended all flights operating from its international airport until further notice.
