US-Israel attacks on Iran

• US and Israel launch an attack on Iran, as Trump confirms "major combat operations" are under way
• Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says his country launched a "pre-emptive" attack on Tehran
• Explosions were heard in five cities in Iran, including Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, as well as in the capital Tehran - images show smoke rising

Israel says Iran launches retaliatory strikes

• The IDF says Iran has fired missiles towards Israel in response to the attack
• In a statement, the IDF says: "Sirens were sounded in several areas across the country following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel"

• The Israeli Air Force is operating to intercept and strike threats, it adds

The wider picture: Israel has woken up this morning at war with Iran for the second time in less than a year, writes our Middle East correspondent

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just issued a statement.

"My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago, Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.

"I thank our great friend, President Donald Trump, for his historic leadership. For 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has been shouting 'Death to Israel,' 'Death to America.'

"It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people. This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity. Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.

"The time has come for all segments of the Iranian people - the Persians, the Kurds, the Azeris, the Baluchis, and the Ahwazis - to throw off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.

"I appeal to you, the citizens of Israel, to listen to the instructions of the Home Front Command. In the coming days, in Operation 'The Roar of the Lion,' we will all be required to have endurance and fortitude.

"Together we will stand, together we will fight, and together we will ensure the eternity of Israel."

Here's the full statement from the Israel Defense Forces, which says Iran has fired retaliatory strikes against Israel.

"A short while ago, sirens were sounded in several areas across the country following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel.

"The public is requested to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command.

"At this time, the Israeli Air Force is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary to remove the threat.

"The defense is not hermetic, and therefore it is essential that the public continue to adhere to the Home Front Command’s guidelines.

"The public is requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command."

The Israel Defense Forces has just issued a statement saying that a "short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel."

The Iranian Fars news agency reported a little earlier that explosions were heard in the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, as well as in the capital Tehran.

Soroush Negahdari
BBC Monitoring

Several Iranian state-linked news agencies and online platforms have been targeted by cyber attacks following US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, according to the Telegram channel of the hard-line Hamshahri daily.

The report said a “widespread wave” of cyber operations had begun alongside the military escalation, with a number of major domestic media platforms experiencing disruption or operational difficulties.

According to preliminary reports cited by the channel, the websites of the state news agency IRNA and the semi-official ISNA news agency were among outlets reportedly hacked or facing access problems.

It also said there were reports of disruptions affecting widely used online applications in Iran, although further details about the nature or source of the attacks were not immediately available.

Based on BBC Monitoring verification, at the time of publication, the websites of the state broadcaster’s IRIB News, IRGC-linked Tasnim and Fars news agencies, the semi-official Mehr and ISNA agencies, were not accessible, at least from abroad.

More now from Trump's statement on Truth Social: The president claims that Iran "attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland."

He says that the US is undertaking a "massive" operation to "prevent this very wicked radical dictatorship from threatening America".

President Donald Trump said on Friday the US hadn’t made a “final decision” on whether to strike Iran - but added that he was “not happy” with their negotiating position during nuclear talks.

Trump said that Iran was "not willing to give us what we have to have”, insisting that Iran “cannot have nuclear weapons”.

Indirect talks in Geneva between the two countries took place earlier in the week, with both sides saying progress has been made on reaching a deal.

Washington has been ramping up the pressure on Tehran to agree to a new deal on its nuclear programme, with Trump repeatedly stating that the US was “ready, willing, and able” to act “with speed and violence, if necessary".

Asked whether tensions could lead to a drawn out conflict in the Middle East, Trump told reporters on the White House’s front lawn that “there’s always a risk”.

“When there’s war, there’s a risk of anything - both good and bad,” he added.

More now from Trump: "we sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried."

He adds that "we are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally ... obliterated."

Trump has said the US has launched "major combat operations" in Iran in a video posted on Truth Social.

US President Donald Trump has posted an eight-minute video on his social media platform Truth Social and confirms that the US was involved in the attack on Iran.

We are still listening to the video and Trump's full remarks and will update you soon.

Explosions have been heard in cities across Iran, according to Iranian media.

The Fars news agency reports that explosions were heard in the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah.

The news agency has also reported that several missiles hit University Street and the Republic area of the Iranian capital Tehran.

Explosions were heard in two locations in Tehran, the Islamic Republic News Agency also reports. It says that smoke can be seen in the centre of the city.

Memories fresh in Israel of previous war with Iranpublished at 07:22 GMT 28 February

07:22 GMT 28 February

Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Tel Aviv

Israel has woken up this morning at war with Iran for the second time in less than a year.

Tel Aviv’s beaches are largely empty this weekend morning, as the city waits for Iran’s response. Memories are fresh here of Iranian ballistic missiles slamming into apartment blocks during the 12-Day War last June.

Iran’s own air defences were severely depleted in that war, and its key nuclear sites badly damaged. Internal protest, and the weakening of its proxy militia around the region have left it extremely vulnerable.

But where Israel sees an opportunity to strike its regional enemy, Iran’s weakness may become a reason for it to respond more forcefully than in the past.

Israelis across the country are waiting.

Israel has closed its airspace to civilian flights following the attack on Iran on Saturday morning, according to reports in Israeli media.

The Tasnim News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reports Iran's airspace has also been closed.

The US coordinated with Israel on the attack on Iran, reports in Israeli and US media say.

CNN has reported that Israel's attack was coordinated with the US, and Israel's Ynet News has reported the same.

The BBC has reached out to officials in the US for confirmation.

Soroush Negahdari
BBC Monitoring

Iran's state-run rolling news channel IRINN, in a running caption, has confirmed reports of strikes on 28 February in Tehran, following what Israel described as a "pre-emptive attack" against Iran.

The broadcaster briefly experienced an audio interruption around 06:30 GMT, before resuming programming, displaying a ticker reporting plumes of smoke and the sound of explosions in parts of the capital.

IRINN subsequently aired pre-recorded footage of pro-establishment rallies accompanied by music and archive remarks from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for unity against "enemies", alongside interviews with supporters of the Islamic Republic opposing foreign intervention.

Sirens have sounded across Israelpublished at 06:54 GMT 28 February

06:54 GMT 28 February

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem

Sirens sounded across Israel at around 08:15 local time (06:15 GMT), alerting people of the threat of a possible missile attack. The Israeli strikes happen amid diplomatic efforts between US and Iranian officials for a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme and avert a war, and negotiations were expected to continue next week.

Iran had made concessions in the talks, although US President Donald Trump - who had previously threatened to attack Iran to put pressure on its leaders to accept a deal - said yesterday he was not “thrilled” with the way the discussions were going.

Trump has ordered the largest US military build-up in the Middle East since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but has done little to explain why there could be the need to take military action now. Iran, meanwhile, has vowed to respond to an attack with force.

The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said the “pre-emptive strike” was to “remove threats against the State of Israel”. Last June, Israel launched an attack on Iran, leading to the 12-Day War. The US eventually joined Israel in the conflict, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Recently, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had warned of what they described as a threat posed to his country by Iran’s ballistic missiles, and expressed his opposition to a deal that focused only on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran had rejected discussing limits to its ballistic missile programme as well as ending its support for proxies in the region, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen, saying those demands were a breach of its sovereignty.

Further reports of explosions in Tehran are now emerging in Iranian media.

The state-affiliated Fars news agency in Iran is reporting that several new explosions were heard in the north and east of Tehran.

The BBC has just received images of smoke rising in Tehran, over Jomhouri Square and Hassan Abad Square.