Supreme Leader of Iran Khamenei dead following Israel’s strike on Iran

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., urged Americans to “celebrate” the strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“That was just profound and incredible,” he told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “This was one of the most evil people that ever lived, and after 37 years in Iran, he’s been eliminated. I can’t imagine why Democrats, Republicans, everyone can’t celebrate that, because tens of millions of people in Iran are absolutely celebrating.”

Fetterman added that he is “proud to stand with the president” and Israel, calling the moment “historic.”

In the wake of U.S. strikes against Iran, the House Republicans’ X account, run by the office of House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., called on Democrats to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reminding viewers of reports that the Biden administration had released almost 100 suspected terrorists into the country.

“REMINDER: Biden’s DHS released at least 99 individuals on the terror watchlist into the U.S.,” the post read, referencing a scathing report released by House Republicans in 2024.

“It is a dangerous dereliction of duty for Democrats to keep DHS closed right now. Our defenses must be up. Reopen DHS!”

The post comes amid a lapse in funding for DHS that began on Feb. 14 as lawmakers remain gridlocked over Democratic demands to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Democrats have said they won’t vote for DHS funding until Republicans agree to a set of 10 operational changes to ICE — reforms Republicans contend would handcuff President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Although ICE, which operates under DHS, has received funding through Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, other departments have been left without appropriations.

Notably, those departments include the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “will not be mourned” following the news of his death in the U.S.-Israeli strikes.

“Ayatollah Khamenei was responsible for the regime’s ballistic missile program, support for armed proxies and its brutal acts of violence and intimidation against its own people,” Albanese said in a news conference in Sydney.

Noting that Khamenei had been responsible for orchestrating attacks on Australian soil, he said, “While we aren’t directly active in the current military strikes, we have been clear and active in our utter rejection of the brutal Iranian regime.”

He added that Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador last year, the first time that had been done in the island country since World War II.

“We have long recognized that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security,” he said. “With our national partners, including the United States and the G7, we have called for the Iranian regime to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms for Iran’s citizens.”

He said those called have “sadly” gone unheeded, “and action has now been taken.”

“We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security,” he added.

The X account of the deceased Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a cryptic message on Saturday afternoon, saying that some “among the faithful” had unfulfilled pledges to Allah after following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting the regime.

“Among the faithful are men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah: there are some among them who have fulfilled their pledge, and some of them who still wait and they have not changed in the least.”

Khamenei post references a passage from the Quran, describing how servants of Allah persist in the face of adversity.

The post follows Khamenei’s death earlier on Saturday as U.S. and Israel sought to eliminate the possibility of Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon.

The strikes came in the wake of failed talks between Washington and Tehran as Trump pressured Iran to commit to abandoning its pursuit of weapons-grade uranium.

In the hours since the strikes, Iran has launched attacks of its own, targeting U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.

The Iranian government announced the country would observe more than a month of public mourning following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed Saturday morning in an Israeli military strike in downtown Tehran.

The public mourning will last 40 days, according to Press TV, an Iranian state-owned news organization.

Following the Israeli military strike that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, a graffiti street artist who is known as the “anti-Banksy,” debuted new artwork in Milan featuring President Donald Trump and a tombstone reading “Khamenei.”

Artist aleXsandro Palombo’s newest work praises U.S. military intervention in Iran, depicting Trump seated with his arms crossed atop a gravestone bearing “RIP Khamenei.”

The president is portrayed wearing his iconic navy blue suit and red tie, in a frontal pose with a determined gaze.

A spokesperson for Palombo told Fox News Digital the work was conceived as a gesture of support for the uprisings of the Iranian population.

Palombo has previously dedicated his work to the Iranian people, creating the artwork “The Cut” in 2022 in front of the Iranian Consulate in Milan — dedicated to Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who was beaten and died in Iranian custody after not wearing a “proper” hijab in Tehran, according to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

“The Cut” depicted Marge Simpson cutting Amini’s hair and became a symbol of international protests, reproduced on signs and demonstration materials in numerous countries.

The artwork, shared by longtime Simpsons producer Carolyn Omine, was removed by consulate officials.

In November 2024, Palombo dedicated a piece titled “Freedom” to the story of Ahoo Daryaei, a 30-year-old Iranian doctoral student who was stopped by the morality police after a protest gesture on the Islamic Azad University of Tehran campus, where she undressed in opposition to the restrictions imposed by the regime.

Daryaei was transferred by authorities to a psychiatric facility.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene didn’t hold back on Saturday, accusing President Donald Trump of not putting Americans first in the overnight strikes on Iran.

“Great Mr President. Good job,” Greene, who resigned from office in January, wrote sarcastically in a lengthy X post. “You’re a billionaire and the American people, not the Iranian people, who voted for you are not billionaires.”

She continued, “As a matter of fact many of them are flat out broke, in all time high credit card debt, can’t afford health insurance or car insurance for that matter, and most young people can’t afford to buy a house or even their rent payment. Your generation, the baby boomers, your families were able to thrive on single incomes and now that’s practically impossible for the vast majority of American families. Let alone, imagine being a single mother.”

She added that she assumed Trump’s “baby boomer” friends are the ones cheering his strikes on Iran the most.

“But us younger generations, Gen X (mine), Millennials, and especially Gen Z hate this f—ing bullshit,” the 51-year-old wrote. “Because we all know that in 10 years when the baby boomers that have been in charge of ALL of America’s disastrous decisions are retired or passed away, us younger generations will be left with no social security checks because it will have gone bankrupt, over $50 Trillion in debt, and a dollar that won’t be worth shit.”

She added, “We, as in YOU and me, campaigned on America First. And this is NOT it.”

In an earlier X post, Greene reminded the president that they had campaigned together on staying out of foreign wars and regime change.

“My generation has been let down, abused, and used by our government our entire adult lives and our children’s generation is literally being abandoned,” she wrote. “Thousands and thousands of Americans from my generation have been killed and injured in never ending pointless foreign wars and we said no more. But we are freeing the Iranian people.”

She added that there are 93 million people in Iran and they should “liberate themselves.”

She also questioned Trump’s claim that Iran is on the verge of getting nuclear weapons.

“It’s always a lie and it’s always America Last,” she said. “But it feels like the worst betrayal this time because it comes from the very man and the admin who we all believed was different and said no more.”

Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., posted an emotional message on Facebook following the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran Saturday morning, remembering the 52 American hostages taken from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held for 444 days in 1979.

A group of 150 Iranian students stormed the fully staffed embassy Nov. 4, 1979, an attack supported by then-Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, whose protégé and successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a targeted Israeli military strike Saturday in downtown Tehran.

Former President Jimmy Carter was unable to secure the hostages’ release, bolstering former President Ronald Reagan’s campaign. They were released on Reagan’s inauguration day.

“I was a freshman at LSU in 1979 when disgusting subhumans attacked American sovereign soil in Tehran, overwhelming a handful of our Marines, seizing our embassy and taking American hostages,” Higgins wrote in the post. “We’ve been looking forward to today for 47 years. The perfect alignment of leaders at the top in America and Israel with real courage and unwavering will to do what has to be done.”

“In the south, we give fair warning before we crack a jaw,” he added. “I would say 46 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days is fair warning. Fly your flags America. HUA.”

The Bill of Rights Institute contributed to this report.

Less than 24 hours after the U.S. and Israel launched a joint military operation against the Iranian regime, former Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement slamming President Donald Trump for the action.

In a statement posted on social media, Harris accused Trump of “dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want.”

“Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” Harris wrote. “This is a dangerous and unnecessary gamble with American lives that also jeopardizes stability in the region and our standing in the world. What we are witnessing is not strength. It is recklessness dressed up as resolve.”

Harris, who no longer holds elected office, claimed she “know[s] the threat that Iran poses, and they must never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” but argued “this is not the way to dismantle that threat.”

“During the campaign, Donald Trump promised to end wars rather than start them. It was a lie,” she continued. “Then last year, he said ‘we obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear program. That, too, was a lie.”

Trump’s comments, as cited by the White House, were referencing the “monumental damage” inflicted during the June 22 U.S. strikes.

“Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” Trump said. “The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level [at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in Iran]. Bullseye!!!”

Harris went on to address potential American casualties, though she did not mention the thousands of Iranian protesters who have lost their lives at the hands of the regime.

“Doug and I will be praying for all of our brave servicemen and women, who we know are undertaking dangerous missions with exceptional skill, discipline, and precision,” she wrote. “Our troops deserve a Commander-in-Chief who approaches decisions on matters of war and peace with the same steadiness and discipline our troops show every day.”

“Under the Constitution of the United States, the President must receive authorization from Congress to enter a war. But even if he had, that does not change the fact this action is unwise, unjustified, and not supported by the American people,” she added. “There can be no equivocation in our opposition to Donald Trump’s war of choice, and Congress must use all available power to prevent him from further committing us to this conflict. Our troops, our allies, and the American people deserve nothing less.”

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said President Donald Trump had failed to outline how the U.S. would avoid an extended foreign entanglement as it launched a strike on Saturday morning that targeted the country’s leadership and killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“What comes next is unclear because the Trump administration has not been able to articulate a plan to ensure that U.S. forces are not entangled in a forever war in the Middle East,” Jeffries said in an interview with NPR on Saturday.

“This notion of regime change has never been successful, as most recently indicated by its failure in Iraq, its failure in Libya and its failure in Afghanistan,” Jeffries added, listing areas of past U.S. intervention.

Jeffries comments come as Democrats have criticized the Trump Administration for, in their view, unilaterally taking the U.S. into a military conflict around the will of Congress.

Jeffries and other Democrats plan to force consideration of a resolution next week that would restrict Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran without lawmaker consent.

“The resolution would require immediate termination of any additional military action absent the President making his case to the American people,” Jeffries said.

The U.S. has used tomahawks, HIMARS, standoff weapons and drones to strike Iran, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.

The official said the War Department employed Patriot missiles, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries, and ship-launched Standard Missiles (SM) for air defense.

Standoff weapons are munitions launched from an aircraft, ship or submarine far enough away from the target that they are out of reach from defensive enemy fire.

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.

Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait International Airport have been attacked amid the ongoing war with Iran, according to officials.

Zayed International Airport said authorities in Abu Dhabi are responding to an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that allegedly targeted Zayed International Airport.

The interception led to falling debris, which resulted in the death of an Asian national and seven injuries, according to airport officials.

Kuwait Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was seen in photos inspecting damage to the Kuwait International Airport and visiting those injured in the apparent attack at the Farwaniya Hospital.

It is unclear how many injuries or fatalities resulted from the Kuwait attack, though at least three people were pictured with the prime minister in hospital beds.

Fox News has also learned there was a reported attack at the Bahrain International Airport.

Additional details were not immediately released.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth sent a strong message to Iran on Saturday, warning that if American lives are harmed, “we will kill you.”

Hegseth said the U.S. military operation, ordered by President Donald Trump, was the “most lethal, most complex, and most-precision aerial operation in history.”

The secretary said the Iranian regime had a chance, but refused to make a deal, “and now they are suffering the consequences.”

“For almost fifty years, Iran has targeted and killed Americans, always seeking the world’s most powerful weapons to further their radical cause,” Hegseth wrote in an X post. “Last night, unlike any previous president, President Trump began dealing with this cancer.”

“We will not tolerate powerful missiles targeting the American people. Those missiles will be destroyed, along with Iran’s missile production,” he continued. “The Iranian navy will be destroyed. And, as President Trump has said his entire life, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”

Hegseth said the U.S. did not start the conflict, but noted “we will finish it.”

“If you kill or threaten Americans anywhere in the world — as Iran has — then we will hunt you down, and we will kill you,” he wrote. “Our warriors are the best in the world, and they are fully unleashed to achieve our objectives. May God’s providence protect them in this vital mission.”

A woman in her fifties was killed and 121 others were injured in Israel during the first day of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military operation “Roaring Lion,” targeting the Iranian regime.

Of those injured, two people are in moderate condition and 119 are in mild condition, according to Magen David Adom (MDA) — Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service.

MDA teams were dispatched to dozens of scenes across Israel following various missile strikes, providing medical treatment.

Crews took 28 of the injured to Ichilov Hospital and Sheba Medical Center, including a woman in her fifties who was pronounced dead at the scene, two patients in moderate condition and 25 in mild condition.

“MDA urges the public to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command, which save lives, to continue acting responsibly, and to call MDA at the emergency number 101 for any medical need,” the agency wrote in a statement. “MDA teams remain on high alert and are prepared to provide immediate medical response at any scene, with wide deployment of ambulances, mobile intensive care units, emergency motorcycles, and MDA first responders.”

MDA officials said hundreds of donors traveled to MDA donation centers to give blood.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee recorded himself going into a safe room as sirens went off as the Iranian regime launches retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.

“This has been our day. All day—sirens & we do the shelter shuffle,” Huckabee wrote on X. “But there is something worse than dodging Iranian missiles & that is having Iran scream ‘Death to America’ for 47 years. [President Donald Trump] is saying ‘Enough!’ I’m proud of our ⁦[president]⁩!”

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be seen as a moment of “moral clarity” amid the war with Iran.

Khamenei was killed Saturday, along with at least 40 other Iranian leaders, in an Israeli military strike in downtown Tehran.

“The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marks the end of a dark era defined by repression, extremism, and hostility toward the United States and our allies,” Mace wrote in a statement Saturday afternoon.

“Under Khamenei’s rule, the Iranian regime funded terrorism across the Middle East, violently suppressed its own people, and denied women and girls their most basic freedoms,” she wrote. “Protesters were imprisoned, tortured, and executed for daring to demand basic freedoms and democracy. His leadership prolonged suffering at home and instability abroad.”

“Today is not about celebration. It is about accountability and moral clarity,” she continued. “The Iranian people, especially the courageous women who have led the fight for freedom, deserve a government that respects human rights, values peace, and chooses opportunity over oppression. America stands firmly with those seeking liberty and will always stand for freedom over tyranny.”

She later posted on social media in support of American troops.

“God bless our troops and God bless the United States of America. We pray each and every one of our soldiers stays safe and protected,” Mace wrote. “May the world never forget what American strength looks like when it defends freedom.”

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz framed the U.S. strikes on Iran as a way for the U.S. to pursue global stability at the U.N. Security Council on Saturday afternoon, stressing the operation’s targeted attempt to combat terrorist activity.

“Operation Epic Fury is directed towards specific and strategic objectives to dismantle missile capabilities that threaten allies, to degrade naval assets used to destabilize international waters and to disrupt the machinery that arms proxy militias, and to ensure the Iranian regime never, ever can threaten the world with a nuclear weapon,” Waltz said.

“Its massive support for violent proxies declared terrorist organizations, the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas and others have brought bloodshed and disorder across the Middle East for far too long. This is not speculation,” Waltz added.

Waltz’s comments come as several U.N. Security Council members, like Russia and Bahrain, questioned the U.S. basis for attacking a sovereign nation.Iran is a member state of the U.N. and is one of the 15 countries on its Security Council.

Waltz argued the cost of allowing Iran to continue its goals of attaining a nuclear weapon would be more costly in the long run than the measures President Donald Trump had taken on Saturday.

“History has taught us that the cost of inaction is far greater than the burden of decisive action. And our president, President Trump, has taken that decisive action today,” Waltz said.

Iranians were seen taking to the streets to celebrate after receiving news of the Ayatollah’s death in an Israeli strike.

Israeli officials and President Donald Trump confirmed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the Saturday morning attack.

Crowds were seen cheering in the streets of Besat Town, a suburb of Karaj, Iran, after initial reports of Khamenei’s death.

Ben Rhodes, a leading figure within the Obama administration who pushed for the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, was blasted on social media Saturday after he criticized U.S. military strikes on Iran. 

In the immediate aftermath of the joint attack by the U.S. and Israel, Rhodes was posting criticism of the administration on social media, saying that Trump and Netanyahu “seem to be totally unconcerned about the human beings – on all sides – who will suffer.”

“Trump’s second term has been the worst case scenario,” Rhodes said in another X post. 

Rhodes was quickly ridiculed by many conservatives on social media who pointed to the Obama-era Iran deal as a catalyst for allowing the situation to escalate to this point and placing blame on the Obama administration for not taking the threat from Iran seriously.

“Yes we were much better off with a president who drew redlines and failed to enforce them,” American Enterprise Institute fellow and Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen posted on X. “Team Obama might want to sit this one out.”

“Oh look the guy who literally created this mess in the first place has chimed in,” Republican digital operative Alec Sears posted on X. 

“You were part of the team who gave billions of dollars to the Iranian Regime – you helped fund this terror on human beings,” former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell posted on X.

“Once again, President Trump is cleaning up your mess.”

“You had eight years to do something on this issue,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “Instead, you became a foreign operative doing everything you could to preserve an Islamist regime.”

“You put these circumstances in place.”

“The Obama crew weeps for the mullahs,” former Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh posted on X. 

“Ben Rhodes bears responsibility for how America got to this point,” Middle East and geopolitical analyst Matthew Brodsky posted on X. “He is a spineless agent of influence for the regime in Iran. It’s taken years to undo the damage of his foreign policy.”

The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said on Saturday that it was monitoring the situation in Iran and working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to keep the public safe. MPD said in a statement posted on X that there were no known threats.

The statement comes after FBI Director Kash Patel announced that counterterrorism and counter intelligence teams are on high alert nationwide due to the military operations in Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the Israeli Air Force, guided by IDF intelligence, completed another wave of strikes targeting the ballistic missile array and aerial defense systems of the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran.

As part of the strikes, the Israeli Air Force “deepened the damage and targeted several launch sites in central Iran that had not yet been struck,” according to the IDF.

One of the targets struck was a missile launch site in the Qom area of central Iran, which stored Ghadr H-1 ballistic missiles carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives.

The strike thwarted dozens of launches toward the territory of the State of Israel and “significantly degraded” the regime’s most central offensive capability, IDF officials said.

The IDF continues to degrade the missile array and air defense systems of the Iranian terror regime.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released new video and images from “Operation Epic Fury,” a joint U.S.-Israel attack Saturday on Iran, showing fighter jets and guided missile destroyers.

U.S. and partner forces began striking targets at 1:15 a.m. EST to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that posed an imminent threat, according to CENTCOM.

Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.

“The President ordered bold action, and our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen are answering the call,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, wrote in a statement.

Following the initial wave of U.S. and partner strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully defended against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Officials said there have been no reports of U.S. casualties or combat-related injuries.

Damage to U.S. installations was minimal and has not impacted operations, according to CENTCOM.

The first hours of the operation included precision munitions launched from air, land and sea.

CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike also employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.

The U.S. Department of State has canceled Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming trip to Israel following joint U.S.-Israel strikes Saturday against Iran.

Assistant secretary of state for global public affairs Dylan Johnson released a statement on social media announcing that “due to current circumstances,” Rubio will no longer travel to Israel on March 2.

An entire block was destroyed Saturday by an Iranian missile that made “direct impact” after evading defenses and striking an apartment building in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, who is at the scene, watched as two civilians were pulled out of the rubble.

At least 20 people were injured in the barrage, with one person in critical condition and one confirmed dead.

First responders continue to search for survivors.

Photos released by the White House show President Donald Trump seated alongside several top American officials in a makeshift situation room at Mar-a-Lago amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military offensive strikes in Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.

Additional images show Vice President JD Vance monitoring events from the Situation Room inside the White House in Washington, DC.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles are also pictured as the United States carries out the joint offensive called “Operation Epic Fury.”

Sources told Fox News that Saudi forces are actively shooting down missiles in an at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. has squadrons of advanced fighter jets stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base.

The Saudis said they will convene an emergency Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting to align.

Fox News’ national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

A senior U.S. defense official told Fox News the U.S. government agrees with the Israeli assessment that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, along with 5 to 10 other top Iranian leaders who were meeting at a compound in Tehran Saturday morning.

Multiple sources told Fox News that the strike, which also reportedly took out Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, had to be moved up based on intelligence and the “target of opportunity.”

“There was a deliberate decision to accelerate the timeline,” a senior defense official told Fox.

The swift adjustment may have been behind the unusual decision to strike during the daytime to achieve the element of surprise, and to target this meeting.

“This was a massive, wildly bold daytime attack,” the defense official said. “It caught the senior leadership off guard, a Saturday morning during Ramadan and on Shabbat in the daytime.”

“[The Israeli strike] hit the senior leaders right out of the gate,” the official added.

During the first 12 hours of the operation, the U.S. launched nearly 900 strikes.

Sources said the strikes came from land, air and sea —including drones — as forces defended against hundreds of incoming Iranian ballistic missiles.

Iran has fired about 300 missiles as of Saturday afternoon, according to officials.

The country has 2,000 long range missiles and 2,000 shorter range missiles, after rebuilding its arsenal since last summer.

In Bahrain, the Iranians hit an “empty warehouse” and a radar dome at the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters.

The defense official said Iran “doesn’t have the capability to attack its neighbors: no drones, no missiles, no navy.”

It is unclear if the U.S. will attempt to seize the country’s highly enriched uranium, which has been located but may be difficult to access.

Sources expect the operation to last “a couple of weeks.”

Fox News’ national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

A source familiar with details about the ongoing war with Iran told Fox News “some” Gulf partners are responding to Iran “defensively and offensively.”

The news came shortly after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on social media that President Donald trump spoke with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations — Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Saturday afternoon President Donald Trump has spoken with numerous Middle East leaders following the joint US-Israel attack on Iran.

“President Trump has spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte,” Leavitt wrote in a statement on social media.

Leavitt later confirmed Trump also spoke with leaders of the UK, Kuwait and Turkey.

President Donald Trump’s joint strikes on Iran are exposing a divide in both parties, as several Democrats come to the president’s defense while a handful of Republicans question his constitutional authority.

Multiple House Democrats are justifying the operation, bucking other left-wing lawmakers who are calling the operation a reckless and illegal action. On the other hand, at least three Republican lawmakers are signaling that the news gave them some pause as of Saturday morning.

Reps. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., put the onus on Iran, as did Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and John Fetterman, D-Pa.

On the Republican side, Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., are concerned about how actions against Iran could run afoul of Congress’ own constitutional authority.

“We need a government small enough to fit within the Constitution. We need a government effective enough to solve problems and serve its own people. Or, we need a new Constitution,” Davidson posted on X. 

When another user asked if he supported Trump’s actions against Iran, Davidson replied, “No. War requires congressional authorization.

“Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., while similarly praising the military’s moves, refused to tell Fox News Digital if he would support a bipartisan resolution to rein in Trump’s war powers on Iran.

“Today, the United States, with our key democratic ally Israel, took decisive action to defend our national security, fight terror, protect our allies, and stand with the Iranian people who have been massacred in the streets for demanding freedom from the murderous Iranian regime,” Gottheimer said in a statement.

Rep. Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware who identifies as transgender, accused President Donald Trump of “shoot-first-ask-questions-later foreign policy” in a post on X about the attack against Iran.

“This president appears determined to drag our country into yet another regime change war overseas rather than addressing problems here at home. Whether a full-scale regional war in the Middle East unfolds today or sometime in the future, this president’s shoot-first-ask-questions-later foreign policy inevitably leads to one place in the end: death, destruction, and destabilization,” McBride said in the post.

McBride accused Trump of being too willing to risk the lives of U.S. troops.

“This president routinely shreds both the progress and potential of diplomacy, just as he did when he destroyed the previous Iran nuclear deal. And just as he has done again this weekend, being far too willing to put the lives of American servicemembers at risk when achievable diplomatic and multilateral solutions exist to prevent a nuclear Iran or to secure the human rights of the Iranian people,” the lawmaker declared.

“Military action should be an option of last resort, not your dessert round as you lounge at your personal resort. Through all of this, he has kept the American people — and Congress — in the dark about the realistic plans, potential risks, and true goals of this operation until it is too late. I’ve opposed reckless military action before and do so again, which is why I believe Congress must immediately reconvene to vote on a War Powers Resolution to prevent this administration from pulling us into yet another forever war,” McBride asserted.

Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran Saturday morning, the Department of State issued a worldwide caution alert for Americans worldwide, and especially in the Middle East.

The State Department urged Americans to follow guidance in security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Officials noted there may be travel disruptions due to periodic airspace closures.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., accused President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of launching a “premeditated and unconstitutional war” as Operation Epic Fury continues against the Iranian regime.

“President Trump, along with his right-wing extremist Israeli ally Benjamin Netanyahu, has begun an illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war. Tragically, Trump is gambling with American lives and treasure to fulfill Netanyahu’s decades-long ambition of dragging the United States into armed conflict with Iran,” Sanders said in a statement.

“The U.S. Constitution is clear. It is the Congress that declares war, not the president acting unilaterally. The Senate must reconvene immediately and vote on a pending War Powers Resolution which I will strongly support,” he asserted.

Sanders described the attack as a blatant “violation of international law,” saying that it “will create increased instability in an already dangerous world.”

“If the United States and Israel can launch an attack against a sovereign nation, so can any other country,” Sanders said. “Might does not make right. It creates international anarchy, death, destruction and human misery.”

Sanders asserted that Americans were lied to about Vietnam and Iraq and “are being lied to again today — and once again, it is ordinary people who will pay the price.”

“The people of our country, no matter what their political persuasion, do not want endless war. They want decent paying jobs, and health care and housing they can afford. They want their kids to have an excellent education,” Sanders said in the statement. “We must not allow Trump to force us into another senseless war. No war with Iran.”

President Donald Trump’s joint strikes with Israel against Iran have intensified a growing bipartisan push in Congress to rein in his war powers, with lawmakers in both parties demanding votes on resolutions aimed at limiting his authority to use military force in the region.

Both chambers are gearing up for war powers resolutions to curb Trump’s war authorities in Iran, but whether either succeeds remains to be seen.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has repeatedly forced votes to curb Trump’s war powers abroad — he was nearly successful in halting further military action in Venezuela until Republicans blocked the effort earlier this year.

Kaine had already prepped his latest resolution, co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for a vote in the Senate next week. He argued Saturday that the strikes, carried out without congressional approval, further underscore why a vote should be held immediately.

“The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran,” Kaine said.

In the House, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are preparing their own war powers resolution for a vote.

“When Congress reconvenes, I will work with [Khanna] to force a congressional vote on war with Iran,” Massie said. “The Constitution requires Congress to vote, and your representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., went scorched earth on America’s European allies after France, the U.K. and Germany issued a joint statement in which they underscored that they were not involved in Operation Epic Fury.

“It is so sad to see western democracies lose their passion for justice and a sense of right and wrong the further away from their shores the event occurs,” Graham wrote on X. “To the leaders of France, Germany and the UK: the Iranian people are not wrong to demand the end to their oppression from the bloodthirsty ayatollah’s regime that has American and European blood on their hands.”

“To our European allies: you have gone pathetically soft and lost your zeal for confronting evil apparently unless it’s on your front porch,” he added.

World leaders have been split on their reactions to the strikes, with France, Germany and the U.K. issuing a statement condemning Iran but also saying that they were not involved in the strikes.

“France, Germany and the United Kingdom have consistently urged the Iranian regime to endIran’s nuclear program, curb its ballistic missile program, refrain from its destabilizing activity in the region and our homelands, and to cease the appalling violence and repression against its own people,” the statement read.

“We did not participate in these strikes, but are in close contact with our international partners, including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region.”

A loud explosion was reportedly heard and a fire broke out at the Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai’s prestige Palm Jumeirah area as the Iranian regime launches retaliatory strikes in the Middle East.

Reports suggest United Arab Emirates forces intercepted an Iranian air attack. The U.S. and Israeli militaries are continuing “Operation Epic Fury” on the Iran.

Dubai authorities confirmed that “an incident” occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area and emergency response teams responded. According to the Dubai Media Office, at least four people were injured and were transferred to medical facilities and the fire is now under control.

“The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority,” the office said. “Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public.”

As lawmakers react to the U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran, GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky asserted that the Iranian regime does not deserve any sympathy.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran made ‘death to America; death to Israel’ a central pillar of its brutal rule.  For decades, it wielded violence and repression at home and exported violence and terrorism abroad,” the senator said in a post on X.

“Today, my prayers are with the brave U.S. and Israeli servicemembers carrying out Operation Epic Fury, and with the people of Iran who have long struggled for the right to determine their own future,” he continued.

“A regime that relishes killing Arabs, Israelis, Americans, and its own people deserves no sympathy,” McConnell asserted.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran mark a “catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression.”

“Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this,” the Mamdani continued. “They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.”

Mamdani said he was “focused on making sure that every New Yorker is safe” and is in contact with the New York City Police Department commissioner and emergency management officials.

“We are taking proactive steps, including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution,” he said.

“Additionally, I want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers: you are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here,” the mayor added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s photo of him speaking with President Donald Trump during the strikes on Iran had a subtle message. In front of the prime minister is a map and sitting on top of the map is a book entitled “Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler.”

The book, which has the U.K. version of the title, according to X, is gives the history of World War II alliances based on more than 100 archives, including tensions among the the Allied Powers. The use of the book in the photo could be seen as a nod to cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, both of which carried out attacks against Iran on Saturday.

The U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran will dramatically impact America’s allies in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“If any casualties take place on their territory, as has been reported already, that could change the nature of their involvement potentially beyond participation in air defense efforts and opening their air space to U.S. and Israeli overflight,” said Jacob Olidort, director of American security at America First Policy Institute.

Another major factor on the future of operations in Iran will be how European allies respond.

“A decisive inflection point will be the involvement of European allies, and their measured responses to date represent the acute threat posed by Iran’s terror network across Europe and the potential escalation against soft targets and bases, particularly in light of Iran’s recent threats against European navies and air forces,” Olidort said.

The FBI’s counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams are on elevated alert nationwide, a bureau official told Fox News’ Peter Doocy Saturday.

The bureau did not immediately elaborate on how long it will remain in effect.

The move comes as U.S. operations against Iran continue and tensions escalate across the region.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is “in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted to President Donald Trump’s move to attack Iran in a Saturday social media post.

“The corrupt and repressive Iranian regime must never have nuclear weapon,” Newsom, widely seen as a top White House contender in 2028, posted on X. “The leadership of Iran must go. “

“But that does not justify the President of the United States engaging in an illegal, dangerous war that will risk the lives of our American service members and our friends without justification to the American people.”

Newsom went on to accuse Trump of “putting Americans at risk abroad because he is unpopular at home.”

The U.S. and Israel launched the joint attack just after 9 a.m. local time in what the Pentagon has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”

In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump addressed the Iranian people directly and told them to “seize control of [their] destiny.”

“The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said. “This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you want.”

The first missile in the U.S. arsenal used against Iranian targets in Saturday’s pre-dawn strike was the Tomahawk, a long-range cruise missile launched from Navy ships and submarines.

About half the length of a standard telephone pole, the Tomahawk flies at the speed of a commercial airliner and can carry a 1,000-pound warhead about the distance from Washington, D.C., to Miami.

The missile has been a mainstay of the Navy’s arsenal since the 1980s and was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War. In the decades since, it has become a go-to option for presidents seeking to strike targets from long range without putting U.S. service members in harm’s way.

“Tomahawks are the longest-range cruise missile we have and the one presidents reach for first and often,” said Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But demand has outpaced supply, he noted.

“We’ve been using them far more frequently than we’ve been producing them,” he added.

Overall, the Tomahawk has been deployed more than 2,350 times.

This is an excerpt, read the full story here.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., asserted that President Donald Trump’s administration must provide Congress and Americans a solid justification for attacking Iran, and convey a plan to prevent a protracted “military quagmire” in the region.

“Donald Trump promised to keep America out of costly and endless foreign wars. He is now doing the exact opposite in the Middle East. Congress must vote on a War Powers resolution immediately,” Jeffries declared in a post on X.

Jeffries has said that Trump’s decision to launch a U.S. military operation in Iran leaves American troops in danger of retaliation.

“Overnight, Donald Trump announced the start of massive and ongoing military operations against Iran. The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war as the branch of government closest to the American people,” Jeffries said in a statement.

“Iran is a bad actor and must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region. However, absent exigent circumstances, the Trump administration must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war,” he continued.

“Donald Trump failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran. Instead, the President’s decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a massive military attack has left American troops vulnerable to Iran’s retaliatory actions. We pray for the safety of the men and women of the U.S. military as they have been put into harm’s way in a dangerous theater of war,” Jeffries said in the statement.

“If Iran’s nuclear program was ‘completely and totally obliterated’ by the military strikes in June 2025, as Donald Trump boldly proclaimed, there should be no need to strike them now. Equally troublesome, the advancement of security and stability in the Middle East requires more than military might, as we painfully discovered in several failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Trump administration must explain itself to the American people and Congress immediately, provide an ironclad justification for this act of war, clearly define the national security objective and articulate a plan to avoid another costly, prolonged military quagmire in the Middle East,” Jeffries asserted.

“The War Powers Resolution introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie demands that President Trump remove U.S. forces from hostilities in Iran absent Congressional authorization. House Democrats remain committed to compelling a vote on this resolution upon our return,” the congressman declared.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., slammed President Donald Trump as the U.S. and Israel strike Iran.

The progressive “Squad” member accused Trump of dragging Americans into war and not caring about the long-term consequences.

“The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic,” Ocasio-Cortez asserted in the statement.

“Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead. President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating ‘that often happens in war’.” she continued.

“Mr. President: this was not an inevitability,” she said. “This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people.”

“Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region and this will be no different,” she added. “In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The President does not. I will do my part to uphold our Constitution by voting YES on Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie’s War Powers Resolution. Every member of Congress must join us in rejecting this aimless war.”

Fox News’ Daniel Scully contributed to this report

President Donald Trump was monitoring the overnight attacks on Iran from Mar-a-Lago while surrounded by his national security team, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday. Leavitt confirmed that Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as their countries carried out attacks on Iran.

“Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members,” Leavitt said.

“The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” she added.

The Senate’s fourth highest ranking Republican backed President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran, and hopes for a briefing “soon” on the action in the Middle East.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., and chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, said in a statement that Trump had given “the Iranian regime countless opportunities to stand down, stop killing their people, and abandon their nuclear ambitions.”

“Instead of choosing a peaceful path, they have doubled down on weapons designed to threaten the American people,” Moore Capito said. “I am following U.S. operations in Iran very closely, and I look forward to receiving briefings soon.” 

“In the meantime, I will continue to monitor developments as we work to ensure the safety and security of Americans at home and abroad,” she continued. “My prayers are with the brave men and women who serve our country in uniform.”

Moore Capito joined the rest of Senate Republican leadership in backing Operation Epic Fury, which saw the U.S. and Israel jointly strike Iran on Saturday. 

Trump said that the strikes were meant to liberate the Iranian people from the current regime, eliminate imminent threats to the U.S. from Iran, and to snuff out any nuclear ambitions — “they can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. 

“I do not make this statement lightly; the Iranian regime seeks to kill,” Trump said. “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 it for the future, and it is a noble mission.”

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a fierce Trump critic, is calling on Congress to intervene and stop President Trump’s move to strike Iran.

“Congress must stop the bloodshed by immediately reconvening to exert its war powers and stop this deranged president,” the Michigan Democrat posted on X on Saturday. “But let’s be clear: warmongering politicians from both parties support this illegal war, and it will take a mass anti-war movement to stop it.”

Tlaib has posted several critiques of Trump on X since the U.S. launched the strike alongside Israel around 9 a.m. local time, including a post reacting to a clip of Trump acknowledging the possibility of U.S. casualties in the attack.

“He doesn’t care about our loved ones in the military,” Tlaib said about Trump. “He doesn’t care about the fact that Americans don’t want this war. “He doesn’t care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don’t fall for the lies.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury targets Iran’s ruling regime and offers amnesty to combatants who stand down.

“@POTUS has unleashed Operation Epic Fury on the brutal Iranian regime,” Bessent wrote on social media. “He has called for all combatants to put down their weapons and receive amnesty.”

Bessent said the Treasury Department will continue enforcing Trump’s maximum pressure campaign, tracking what he described as illegal funds moved outside Iran and working to recover them.

“The @USTreasury reaffirms our commitment to President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign tracking all illegal funds moved outside of Iran, and to retrieving these monies on behalf of the Iranian people,” he wrote.

No U.S. fatalities or injuries have been confirmed as part of Iran’s counterattacks following American strikes Saturday, a U.S. official told Fox News Digital.

Damage assessments remain ongoing as officials evaluate the impact of missile and drone launches targeting U.S. facilities across the Middle East. Several bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait were placed on heightened alert amid the retaliation.

U.S. embassies in parts of the region have also issued security notices urging Americans to shelter in place, while military installations continue operating under elevated force protection conditions.

Iran’s barrage came after coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-linked targets earlier Saturday. Regional governments reported intercepting many of the incoming projectiles, though the full extent of any structural damage has not been publicly detailed.

The situation remains fluid, and assessments could change as additional information becomes available.

United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the military actions in the Middle East, including the strikes by the U.S. and Israel in Operation Epic Fury, as well as Iran’s retaliation. Guterres claimed that the actions “undermine international peace & security” and that they violate the U.N. Charter.

“I condemn today’s military escalation in the Middle East… I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities & de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians & regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table,” Guterres said.

“I reiterate that there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter. The Charter provides the foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security,” he added.

Cyberattacks disrupted Iranian state media Saturday as the United States and Israel launched a sweeping joint military operation across Iran, according to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

“There have been cyberattacks across Iran, and the internet is not up and working,” Griffin reported on “FOX & Friends.” “But the cyber attacks have focused on the news agencies like Irna, which is the state run television.”

The cyber disruptions came as U.S. and Israeli forces struck military and leadership targets in what Griffin described as an open-ended campaign expected to last “not hours, but days.”

“It was a joint operation from the get-go,” she said.

The cyberattacks unfolded alongside the broader military campaign as strikes targeted sites in Tehran and elsewhere across the country.

The U.K. is set to convene the United Nations Security Council in New York City on Saturday as the U.S. and Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury against Iran. The meeting is set to take place at 4:00 p.m. local time.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon will address the meeting, the Israeli U.N. Mission confirmed.

“The State of Israel is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat. Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state,” Danon said in a statement.

U.S. Central Command is investigating reports that a girls school in southern Iran was struck during recent military operations, with Iranian state media claiming students were killed.

“We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations,” CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins said in a Saturday statement to CNN. “We take these reports seriously and are looking into them. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm.”

Iran’s state-run media has reported that at least five students were killed when a girls school in southern Iran was hit amid the strikes, though those numbers have not been independently confirmed by U.S. officials.

CENTCOM’s statement indicates the U.S. military is reviewing the incident as part of its normal assessment process when credible allegations of civilian harm arise.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday that hit had begun a flyover and was striking missile launchers in Iran as Operation Epic Fury unfolds.

The Associated Press, citing the semiofficial news agency Fars news, reported that explosion had been heard near the city of Shiraz in southern Iran.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused the Trump administration of not providing Congress nor Americans “critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat” from Iran.

“The administration must brief Congress, including an immediate all senators classified briefing and in public testimony, to answer these vital questions,” Schumer said in a statement. “The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act.”

Schumer, along with other congressional leaders from the Gang of Eight, was briefed on the situation in Iran earlier this week by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“When I talked to Secretary Rubio, I implored him to be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next,” Schumer said. “Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home.”

Schumer, like most congressional Democrats, has routinely bucked President Donald Trump’s use of military force across the globe during his second term.

He said that tackling Iran’s activity in the region, nuclear ambitions and oppression of their own people demanded “American strength, resolve, regional coordination, and strategic clarity.”

“Unfortunately, President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy,” Schumer said.

Departure flights for U.S. military families in Bahrain have been paused following missile attacks targeting the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, according to Stars and Stripes. Smoke was seen rising over Manama, Bahrain, Saturday after the naval base was struck, though officials have not released details on the extent of damage or any casualties.

The Department of War had authorized voluntary departures for military dependents earlier Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. An emergency alert sent to families allowed them to book flights on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to Stripes. However, by 2 p.m. local time, officials announced departure flights were on hold pending further notice and instructed personnel to continue sheltering.

Explosions were heard across Bahrain as residents took cover, but it remains unclear what specific targets were hit.

U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Bahrain hosts Naval Forces Central Command and is one of the few accompanied duty stations in the region.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Saturday that a potential collapse of Iran’s regime could trigger the biggest geopolitical shift in the Middle East in “a thousand years” and called on Saudi Arabia to move to recognize Israel if Tehran falls.

“If Saudi Arabia, the most important voice in Islam, would recognize the one and only Jewish state, that is a blow to terrorism worse than bombs,” Graham told “Fox & Friends.”

“The mothership of terrorism is about to go down.”’

Graham described the moment as a “new dawn” for the region, arguing the current pressure campaign had set in motion the regime’s demise and would ultimately bring the regime down.

He also unleashed a blistering attack on Iran’s supreme leader, saying, “I hope the Ayatollah is captured or killed. He’s a miserable human being. He’s Hitler in a robe.”

Graham accused the regime of killing “over 30,000 of his own people to maintain power” and called the Ayatollah a “religious Nazi.”

The South Carolina Republican predicted that once the regime collapses, Saudi Arabia will return to normalization talks with Israel that were close before the Oct. 7 terror attacks.

“If Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel, it will be the biggest change in a thousand years in the history of the region,” Graham said, arguing such a move would cause Iran-backed terror networks to collapse.

He also hailed President Donald Trump as the “most consequential” president on Middle East policy in his lifetime and said Trump’s strategy had set the region on a path toward transformation.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, has expressed support for Operation Epic Fury. The prime minister noted that, despite repeated warnings from the international community, “ran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups.”

“Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran’s oppressive regime… Canada reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people,” Carney said in a statement posted on X.

“Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security,” he added.

The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom on Saturday called for renewed negotiations with Iran following military strikes targeting the country, saying they remain committed to regional stability but did not participate in the operation.

In a statement released from the French presidential palace, the three European powers said they are in close contact with international partners, including the U.S., Israel and regional allies.

“We did not participate in these strikes,” the statement said, while reaffirming their commitment to protecting civilian lives and maintaining stability in the region.

The leaders reiterated long-standing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile development and what they described as destabilizing activities in the region and beyond.

They also condemned what they called “appalling violence and repression” by Iranian authorities against their own people.

The three countries strongly condemned Iranian attacks on regional states and urged Tehran to refrain from what they described as indiscriminate military strikes.

They called for a resumption of negotiations and pressed Iran’s leadership to pursue a diplomatic solution, adding that “ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future.”

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., broke from President Donald Trump and the vast majority of congressional Republicans on the president’s strikes against Iran, arguing Congress should have had a say. 

Paul, in a lengthy post on X, quoted former President John Quincy Adams, who argued that “the executive branch is the branch most prone to war, therefore, the Constitution, with studied care, delegated the war power to the legislature.”

“As with all war, my first and purest instinct is wish Americans soldiers safety and success in their mission,” Paul said. “But my oath of office is to the Constitution, so with studied care, I must oppose another Presidential war.”

Paul has routinely pushed back against the administration’s use of force throughout Trump’s second term, and has often partnered with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to push votes on war powers resolutions that would rein in the president’s use of the military without congressional approval. 

Both Paul and Kaine already had a war powers resolution in place to curb Trump’s military usage in Iran, with a vote expected in the coming week. 

Kaine already demanded that the Senate return to vote on their war powers resolution.

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics, spoke out against the U.S. attack on Iran in a Saturday morning social media post.

“Trump has launched an illegal regime change war,” the Minnesota Democrat posted on X. “As someone who has survived the horrors of war, I know military strikes will not make us safer; they will inflame tensions and push the region further into chaos.”

Omar, a Somali refugee, added, “When we abandon diplomacy, we choose destruction.”

Earlier in the day, Omar reposted a message from Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who also criticized Trump’s actions.

“He doesn’t care about our loved ones in the military,” Tlaib’s post said. “He doesn’t care about the fact that Americans don’t want this war. He doesn’t care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don’t fall for the lies.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., lauded President Donald Trump’s strikes against Iran as an action taken after all other diplomatic avenues were exhausted.

“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies,” Thune said in a statement.

“Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns,” he continued. “I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats.”

Thune earlier in the week said ahead of the strikes that the most important aspect of the then ongoing negotiations with Iran was “to prevent them from having nuclear capability.”

“In my view, if you’re going to do something there, you better well make it about getting new leadership and regime change,” Thune said.

He and other congressional leaders were briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the week, and a source familiar told Fox News Digital that Thune had been pinged ahead of the strikes, just as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had.

“I thank Secretary Rubio for providing updates on these issues throughout the week, and I look forward to administration officials briefing all senators about these military operations,” Thune said. “I commend the bravery of the servicemembers carrying out these operations and pray for the safety of those in harm’s way.”

In a sweeping pre-dawn bombing campaign across Iran, Israeli forces targeted sites linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Israeli official confirmed to Fox News. The official said Iran’s president was also targeted as part of the joint U.S. operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

Reuters reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran during the strikes and was instead transferred to a secure location.

President Donald Trump described the “massive and ongoing” operation as the opening phase of a campaign that he said would devastate Iran’s military, dismantle its nuclear program and ultimately bring about regime change.

“It will be yours to take,” Trump said in a video statement addressing the Iranian public.

Hours later, Tehran signaled it would not back down, saying it would defend itself against any attack.

“This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he added. Officials in Tehran said the country would defend itself against any attack.

This is an excerpt from a story written by Amanda Macias.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., wants the Senate to immediately return to Washington, D.C., to put a check on President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran.

“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East,” Kaine questioned in a statement Saturday. “Is he too mentally incapacitated to realize that we had a diplomatic agreement with Iran that was keeping its nuclear program in check, until he ripped it up during his first term?”

Kaine, along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have been the main opponents in the upper chamber to Trump’s use of the military across the globe, be it in the Caribbean or Middle East. Time and again the duo have sought to rein in his power and reassert Congress’ authority.

The lawmaker earlier this week announced that another war powers resolution, this time geared toward preventing military action in Iran without Congress’ say-so, would be hitting the Senate floor next week.

“These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,” Kaine said. “The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran.”

“Every single Senator needs to go on the record about this dangerous, unnecessary, and idiotic action,” he continued.

President Donald Trump’s strikes in Iran got rare Democratic support on Saturday morning.

Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, released a statement pointing out that Tehran has long destabilized the Middle East and that the U.S. strikes were “targeting military infrastructure – with warnings to Iranian civilians to take shelter away from these military targets.”

“The U.S. is destroying Iran’s missiles and bombs to stop them from taking more lives,” Landsman said. “For decades, the regime has caused mayhem and bloodshed through Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen – all while the people of Iran have suffered. When the Iranian people stood up to protest the regime last month, the regime murdered tens of thousands of its own people.”

“I want a lasting peace for everyone in the region – from the Iranian people to the Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians, Iraqis, Jordanians, and Israelis. I hope these targeted strikes on the Iranian regime’s military assets ends the regime’s mayhem and bloodshed and makes way for this lasting peace in the region.”

While not mentioning Trump directly, he thanked U.S. service members in the region and said, “May peace emerge from all of this.”

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., warned that President Donald Trump was making the same mistake as one of his predecessors with Operation Epic Fury. 

“By launching strikes, President Trump has made the same dangerous and foolish decision President Bush did a generation ago,” Kim said on X. “He put Americans in harm’s way without clearly showing there’s an imminent threat to our national security.”

Trump’s remarks in the early morning hours of Saturday pitched the joint operation with Israel as a means to empower Iran’s people to “seize control of [their] destiny.” 

Last summer, Trump launched Operation Midnight Hammer to ensure the Iranian government was incapable of creating a nuclear bomb. Ahead of Saturday’s strikes, Trump refused to rule out the possibility of U.S. strikes if Iran could not agree to a sweeping nuclear deal. The president had also warned of possible U.S. intervention in response to the regime’s deadly crackdown on protesters.

“They can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

Whether that reasoning will fly with lawmakers is a mixed bag.

Kim charged that Trump had “once again started a cycle of violence that has already escalated and could spiral out of control,” and demanded that the Senate vote on a war powers resolution to rein in his military authority in the region. 

“This is unacceptable,” Kim said.

Conservative commentator and Fox News host Mark Levin reacted to the U.S. attack on Iran in a lengthy X post on Saturday morning, saying, “GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR PRESIDENT, AND OUR ARMED FORCES.”

In the X post, Levin said it is “very important” that the American people show President Trump, the U.S. armed forces, and the world that the country is “united in this greatest of peace missions.”

“And let us be clear that those politicians and media outlets that resort to their usual efforts at sabotaging our country for personal political and ideological purposes will not be tolerated — we will take note and you will suffer at the ballot box and in your precious ratings,” Levin, one of the most prominent voices supporting military actions in Iran, wrote in his post.

“You are either on Team America or you are not,” Levin said, adding that he could “not be prouder” of the president and members of his administration.

Levin praised our allies who were involved in the strike, both known and unknown, especially Israel, which he said is “fighting alongside us as brothers and sisters.”

Levin called the strikes a “monumental and historic peace mission” that will put an end to the “illegitimate Islamist-Nazi regime” in Iran.

Levin then spoke directly to the Iranian people:

“And to the Persian people, you have suffered horribly, and long enough.  You are a great people who have always wanted freedom and peace.  I truly believe that you will once again be able to rise up against these mass murderers, but this time can succeed with our help.  Our President is a great man with deep compassion and incredible courage.  He is a historic figure who seeks peace throughout the world.  He is the great liberator.  The same is true of Israel’s incredible Prime Minister.  These are truly remarkable men.  God bless them and the armed forces who are bravely fighting for our security and freedom, and liberating tens of millions of Persian citizens.”

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has advised U.S. citizens still in Lebanon to leave “while commercial options remain available” as the U.S. and Israel hit Iran with Operation Epic Fury. Additionally, the embassy urged U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon.

“Americans who choose not to depart at this time should prepare contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. These alternative plans should not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation,” the embassy said in a statement. “We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate further.”

As U.S. and Israeli forces strike deep inside Iran — reportedly targeting senior regime officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian — the question of who would lead Iran if the Islamic Republic collapses is no longer theoretical.

Iran has retaliated with missile barrages against U.S. positions across the Middle East, and while Iranian state media says top leaders remain alive and have been moved to secure locations, the direct targeting of political and military leadership marks a dramatic escalation.

Yet despite the intensity of the moment, regional analysts say there is no obvious successor poised to take control of the country.

Experts consistently point to one determining factor: whether Iran’s coercive institutions — particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — fracture or consolidate.

If the IRGC remains cohesive, the most likely outcome is not democratic transition but a harder, more openly security-dominated system. A clerical reshuffle or military-led consolidation could preserve much of the existing power structure even if key figures are removed.

One of the most prominent opposition figures abroad is Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah. He has lived outside Iran since the 1979 revolution and has spent decades advocating for a secular, democratic system.

As one of Israel’s staunchest defenders from the left, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., full-throatedly endorsed President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reacted Saturday morning.

“President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region,” Fetterman wrote on X. “God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.”

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was notified by the Trump administration before strikes on Iran were carried out, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Saturday morning.

Johnson got a call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the joint operation between the U.S. and Israel began.

It’s customary for an administration to brief congressional leadership before any significant military actions, which it also did when the U.S. engaged in an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro weeks earlier.

The speaker has not yet made any comments on the Iran operation but is likely to do so sometime Saturday morning.

The only member of congressional leadership to have released a statement so far is House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who praised it as a “bold and decisive act of strength.”

Iran has started retaliating after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reported that approximately 40 missiles had landed in Israel. Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq intercepted at least one missile targeting U.S. facilities. Additionally, Iran appeared to hit the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, but no casualties were reported and it appeared as though the regime struck an empty warehouse.

Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the U.S. has squadrons of advanced fighter jets, Griffin reported. This led to condemnations from Jordan, the U.A.E. and others.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said on X that he was “dismayed” by the attacks after her recently mediated indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran.

“I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war,” the foreign minister said.

The Omani Foreign Ministry condemned Operation Epic Fury, which the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran on Saturday.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Sultanate of Oman’s profound regret over the military operations launched by Israel and the United States of America against the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the danger of the conflict expanding into consequences that cannot be rectified in the region,” the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to X’s translation.

“The Sultanate of Oman considers this action to be in contravention of the rules of international law and the principle of resolving issues through peaceful means rather than hostile means, the shedding of blood, and calls on all parties to immediately suspend military operations, while urging the United Nations Security Council to convene an urgent meeting to impose a ceasefire and for the international community to take a clear stance in support of international law,” it added.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday published a video of its airstrike on missile launchers in western Iran as Israel and the U.S. take part in a joint effort against Tehran.

“Within the ‘Roaring Lion’ operation, the IDF struck with the direction of IDF intelligence, hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran,” the IDF’s statement read.

“Alongside the IAF’s strikes in Iran, the Aerial Defense Array is currently identifying and intercepting threats fired from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the IDF added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry blasted the U.S. and Israel, which began carrying out Operation Epic Fury on Saturday.

“Our sacred and beloved homeland, proud and civilization-making Iran, has once again been subjected to criminal military aggression by the #UnitedStates and the #ZionistRegime,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the attacks by the U.S. and Israel “a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.”

Iran also called on the United Nations and the Security Council, where the U.S. has veto power, to act as the attacks unfold. Tehran claimed that the attacks by the U.S. and Israel, which it calls “the Zionist regime” were carried out in violation of the U.N. Charter.

“All member states of the United Nations, especially regional and Islamic countries, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and all states that feel responsible for international peace and security, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is praising President Donald Trump after the U.S. and Israel began joint strikes on Iran overnight.

“This is a bold, decisive act of strength by President Trump. The Ayatollah is responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. service members and slaughtering its own people,” Emmer told Fox News Digital.

“We pray that because of this leadership, the U.S. and the world will be a safer place. May God bless and protect the men and women of our military conducting this mission and serving in the region.”

It’s the first significant statement on the operation from a member of congressional leadership.

Emmer has been one of Trump’s most vocal allies on Capitol Hill so far this term.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it reserves its “full right” to defend itself after what it described as Iranian aggression targeting Qatari territory.

Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it had “successfully thwarted a number of attacks targeting the country’s territory” after multiple rounds of alerts sounded. Authorities reported no immediate injuries or damage in residential areas.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the state will respond in accordance with international law and in a manner proportionate to the nature of the attack, in defense of its sovereignty and national security.

The ministry said targeting Qatari territory contradicts the “principles of good neighborliness” and “cannot be accepted under any pretext or justification.”

Qatar also condemned what it described as violations of the sovereignty of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain, expressing full solidarity with those nations.

Despite the escalation, the ministry reiterated its call for dialogue with Iran and urged an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to negotiations.

Blasts were reported across several Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets, including Qatar, according to Al Jazeera, after the United States and Israel launched military strikes across Iranian territory.

The outlet cited Iran’s Fars News Agency as confirming attacks targeting military bases in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.

Ukraine ripped the Iranian regime and its ties to Russia in a statement on Saturday, as it also declared its support for the people of Iran.

“The Iranian regime, which has been mocking the Iranian people for decades, has launched a large-scale policy of violence against its own people and other countries. This includes massive human rights violations within the country, support for militants who have brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state of Russia in its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We remember and will never forget the strikes of thousands of ‘Shaheeds’ on our peaceful cities and people,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

“Such cooperation between the regimes in Moscow and Tehran constitutes a gross violation of international law and undermines global efforts to restore peace and stability.”

The Ukrainian MFA also condemned Iran’s human rights abuses as well as the oppression of its own people.

“The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months,” the statement read.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said it is “closely monitoring” the situation unfolding in Iran as the U.S. and Israel participate in joint attacks. The department also said that it was coordinating with its federal and international partners.

“As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites,” the NYPD’s statement read.

The provisional government of National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI), an Iranian dissidents group, said on Saturday that it was looking to transform the country from a dictatorship into a democratic republic based on its president-elect’s plan.

The 10-point plan was released by NCRI’s president-elect Maryam Rajavi in June 2020 and it outlines the steps needed in order to bring freedom to Iran.

The first step of the plan calls for the rejection of clerical rule in favor of a republic built on “universal suffrage and pluralism.” The second step calls for freedom of speech, political parties, assembly, the press and the internet, as well as the disbanding of several entities, namely the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Quds Force, plainclothes groups, the Basij, the Ministry of Intelligence, the Council of the Cultural Revolution and all suppressive patrols and institutions in cities, villages, schools, universities, offices and factories.

The third step involves a commitment to individual and social freedom, which Rajavi says will be in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights. This would involve the disbanding of agencies that oversee “censorship and inquisition” as well as “seeking justice for massacred political prisoners,” as well as the prohibition of torture and the end of the death penalty. The fourth step then calls for a separation of church and state, as well as freedom of religion.

In the fifth step, Rajavi seeks to establish gender equality in several parts of society and to allow for the “equal participation of women in political leadership.” This step would also abolish discrimination, end the country’s modesty laws, allow for freedom to marry and divorce and to obtain education and employment. It also would prohibit the exploitation of women.

The sixth step would establish an independent jury and legal system in accordance with international standards that is based on the presumption of innocence, as well as the right to an attorney, right of appeal and the right to be tried in a public court. With this step, Rajavi plans to also abolish Sharia law and shut down Islamic Revolutionary Courts.

The seventh step would see the end of Iran’s “double injustices against Iranian nationalities and ethnicities,” which would follow NCRI’s plan for the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan.

The eighth step calls for justice and equal opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship for all Iranians in a free market economy, restoring rights for blue-collar workers, farmers, nurses, white-collar workers, teachers and retirees.

In the ninth step, the group seeks to protect and restore the environment, which it says was “massacred under the rule of the mullahs.”

The tenth and final step calls for “non-nuclear Iran that is also devoid of weapons of mass destruction” as well as peace and regional and international cooperation.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry vowed a “decisive and definitive” response Saturday after the United States and Israel launched military strikes across Iranian territory.

The ministry called the attacks a violation of the U.N. Charter and warned that its armed forces “will not hesitate” to defend the country, vowing to make “the aggressors regret their criminal act.”

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will decisively respond to the aggressors with authority,” the ministry said.

“History bears witness that Iranians have never bowed their heads in submission to foreign aggression and domination; this time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and definitive,” it added.

The ministry said the strikes hit targets in several cities and amounted to “overt armed aggression.”

It said responding to the attacks is Iran’s “legal and legitimate right” under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter and that its armed forces will use all their capabilities and resources to counter what it described as “criminal aggression.”

A U.S. official has told Fox News that the strikes on Iran are expected to last for days, rather than a few hours.

Additionally, the official and a source confirmed to Fox News that there were no casualties resulting from Iran hit’s on a U.S. Navy base in Bahrain. The source said the strike hit an empty warehouse.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday issued a statement condemning Iran’s attacks on several Arab nations, including ones that have aligned themselves with President Donald Trump. The statement comes as the U.S. and Israel engage in joint attacks on Iran.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of the sovereignty of each of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, affirming its full solidarity and standing by the side of the sister states, and placing all its capabilities at their disposal to support them in all measures they take, and warning of the grave consequences of the continued violation of the sovereignty of states and the principles of international law,” the statement read, according to X’s translation.

A source who took part in a recent Israeli military meeting told Fox News there are plans to call up roughly 70,000 reservists over the next few days, following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran.

As incoming fire is expected from Iran, the reservists will be tasked with manning the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s air defense systems, according to the source.

Dozens of strikes were reportedly carried out against Iran Saturday morning, with the source noting the military is operating at the “highest level with American counterparts.”

Many Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and officials were targeted in strikes, according to initial reports.

Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst contributed to this report.

Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, described the joint US-Israel attack on the country as promised “aid,” and an act of “humanitarian intervention” by President Donald Trump.

Following the reported nationwide strikes, Pahlavi called on Iranian citizens to abandon support for the regime, and the U.S. to “exercise the utmost caution” to preserve civilian lives.

“Moments of destiny lie ahead of us,” Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. “… Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.”

“Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,” he continued. “Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime.”

Pahlavi warned citizens to remain in their homes and stay vigilant, so that when he announces an “appropriate time,” Iranians can “return to the streets for the final action.”

“We are very close to final victory,” he wrote. “I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran.”

A U.S. official told Fox News that Israel is targeting Iranian leadership in its brazen morning attack against the regime, but the U.S. is setting its sights on military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an “imminent threat.”

The U.S. military is not targeting Iran’s leadership, the official said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the Israeli Air Force is conducting a broad strike on a number of military targets belonging to the Iranian regime in western Iran.

Israel’s “Operation Lion’s Roar” aims to fundamentally strike the Iranian terror regime and remove existential threats to the State of Israel for the long term, according to a statement from the IDF.

The strike included attacks on dozens of military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated and joint offensive against the regime.

“The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel,” the IDF said. “In recent months, despite the heavy blow it suffered during Operation ‘rising lion,’ the IDF identified that the regime continued its efforts to fortify, protect, and conceal its nuclear programs, alongside rehabilitating its missile production process.”

Israeli officials also accused the regime of continuing to fund, train and arm its proxies stationed along Israel’s borders.

“These actions constitute an existential threat to the State of Israel and threaten the Middle East and the entire world,” the IDF said.

Joint planning between the IDF and the U.S. Military spanned months prior to Saturday’s ambush.

The Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rav-Aluf) Eyal Zamir, and IDF commanders are conducting a situational assessment.

Numerous IDF forces are deployed in forward defense and are prepared for offense across all sectors against any enemy, according to the IDF.

“The IDF will continue to act to cut off any emerging threat against the citizens of the State of Israel, anywhere and at any time,” Israeli officials said. “Even at this moment, the Air Force continues to strike across Iran based on precise intelligence. The operation will continue for as long as necessary.”

Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran’s response to the joint U.S.-Israel attack on the country would be to target “all” U.S. military bases in the region.

U.S. military infrastructure within Iran’s missile range include: Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command; Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the U.S. 5th Fleet; Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, a major Army logistics and command hub; Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, used by U.S. Air Force units; Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia; Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates; and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which hosts U.S. aircraft.

The foreign minister’s threats came as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an urgent warning to all people staying inside or near military industrial factories and military infrastructure across Iran.

“You are in proximity to weapons and facilities that are dangerous,” the IDF wrote in a statement.

“For the sake of your safety and health, we kindly request that you immediately evacuate these areas and remain outside them until a new announcement is issued,” they continued. “Your presence in these locations puts your life at risk.”

American embassies in Qatar, Manama, Jordan and Abu Dhabi, along with the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, have issued shelter-in-place orders for all personnel following the U.S.-Israel joint attack on Iran Saturday morning.

Officials recommended all Americans also shelter-in-place “until further notice.”

Qatar, which has previously been attacked by Iran, is home to Al Udeid Air Base, forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command.

Thousands of American service members are stationed at the base.

While military strikes have been reported nationwide, the initial joint attack was reportedly focused in an area near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Associated Press reported the first apparent strike hit near Khamenei’s compound and main offices in downtown Tehran.

It is unclear if the Iranian leader was in the area at the time of the attack.

The Department of War announced the Saturday morning U.S. military attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran has been dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”

The announcement came minutes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who coordinated the blitz with the U.S., announced the Jewish State’s mission was called “Operation Roaring Lion.”

Iran has started launching missiles toward Israel in response to a joint attack from the Jewish State and the United States on Saturday morning.

The Israel Defense Forces said the Israeli Air Force was responding to the missiles launched from Iran.

“At this time, the IAF is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary to remove the threat,” the IDF said, adding that sirens were sounding in several areas across the country.

Iran’s response “appears to be limited” at the moment, according to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named the military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran “Operation Roaring Lion,” his office said.

The U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran just after 9 a.m. local time.

President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the U.S. is carrying out “major combat operations in Iran.”

In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump said the objective is to defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, describing it as “a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.”

“It’s been mass terror and we are not going to put up with it any longer,” Trump said.

He added that “it has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon.”

A joint attack on Iran by Israel and the United States on Saturday morning had an “element of surprise,” according to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

The attack was carried out just after 9 a.m. local time in daylight.

Griffin said she believes U.S. and Israeli officials wanted Iran to see the strikes and what was being targeted.

She said she expects more military activity over the next few hours.

The United States is participating in preemptive strikes Israel launched against Iran on Saturday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a special and immediate state of emergency across the entire country.

He said the strike was “to remove threats” against the state of Israel.

Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.