The United States and Israel continue their airstrikes in Iran to decapitate the regime, dropping hundreds of bombs on targets. The death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been confirmed , killed in the attacks along with his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Also killed are the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pasdaran commander Mohammad Pakpour, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzade. Unconfirmed sources also spoke of the killing of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a claim later denied. US President Donald Trump declared that the airstrikes killed "48 Iranian leaders in one fell swoop." Trump also announced that the new leaders of the Islamic Republic "now want to talk." Translated: they appear ready to negotiate.
After the initial attacks, Iran—which declared 40 days of mourning—retaliated by launching missiles at American bases in the Gulf : Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait City. Israel was also hit in retaliation, resulting in deaths and injuries . The IRGC also claimed to have launched four ballistic missiles at the US aircraft carrier Lincoln. The US, however, stated that the ship "was not even grazed." Three American soldiers were reportedly killed during further Iranian bombings.
Dubai was also involved in the retaliation, where the port, the international airport, the famous Burj al Arab hotel and a palace on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah were hit.
Defense Minister Crosetto , along with many other Italians still in the Middle East, is stranded in the Emirate . In the evening, the government official assured: "I will, of course, return alone on a military plane and leave my family here, who understands my decision."
The Strait of Hormuz, where most of the oil passes, has been closed . At least eight people were killed this morning in an attempted attack on the U.S. consulate in Pakistan .
Trump's shift to overthrow the ayatollahs: "Take back your freedom," the message he sent to the Iranian people, urging citizens to take to the streets and reclaim their country. The strikes against Iran, he warned, will last "until there is peace in the Middle East."
Moscow and Beijing reacted harshly: "Unprovoked aggression." The UN Security Council met overnight, with Guterres specifying: " There is a risk of a chain of uncontrollable events ."
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani warns: " It won't be a lightning war ." The Farnesina's crisis unit has been activated for Italians stranded in the Middle East.
LIVE
10:05 PM - Injured in Israel
Israel's emergency services reported that seven people were injured, one of them seriously, in an Iranian missile attack in the Jerusalem area. Haaretz reports this. Israeli police reported that fragments from the intercepted missiles fell in several locations in the Jerusalem area.
9:30 PM – Trump and the duration of the attack
The operation in Iran could last "four weeks or less," meaning a month. Donald Trump said this in an interview with the Daily Mail.
9:00 PM – Iranian accusation: Many civilians killed
A police station in Rey, on the outskirts of Tehran, was targeted this evening by Israeli-American attacks, according to several Iranian media outlets, which say there are "civilian deaths" and "people still under the rubble." "Following the enemy attack on the city of Rey, the police station and nearby residential buildings were hit," write the Tasnim and Mizan news agencies, as well as the Shargh daily. "Several civilians were killed and others are still buried under the rubble," they add, without specifying the number of victims.
8:31 PM – Heavy explosions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Alarm sirens are sounding in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem following a new missile launch from Iran. Loud explosions were heard in both cities.
7:47 PM – Iranian missiles targeting Israel
A new wave of missiles was launched a few minutes ago from Iran toward Israel, the IDF announced. Alarm sirens are expected to sound in the north of the country.
7:31 PM – The French aircraft carrier moves
The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its naval air group, a key component of France's nuclear deterrent strategy, have interrupted their planned deployment in the Baltic Sea and are heading towards the eastern Mediterranean, according to BFM TV.
6:31 PM – Trump: "Nine Iranian ships sunk"
"I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk nine Iranian ships, some of them large and important ones," Donald Trump said, adding: "In a separate attack, we destroyed their naval headquarters."
6:24 PM – NATO: "Reposition forces in view of threats."
"NATO continues to closely monitor developments in Iran and the region. NATO Command has adjusted, and will continue to adjust, the positioning of Alliance forces to ensure the security of its 32 member states and to defend the Alliance from potential threats, such as ballistic missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles, from Iran or other regions," said the spokesperson for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
6:15 PM – Mystery surrounding Ahmadinejad's fate
Uncertainty surrounds the fate of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reported dead in yesterday's first Israeli attack in Iran. The news was initially reported by the semi-official ILNA news agency, citing "informed sources," and was subsequently reiterated by Iranian, Israeli, and international media. Subsequently, the news was revised, with question marks added. The former president's family also reportedly denied the death.
5:50 PM – Trump: "Iran's new leaders want to talk."
"The new Iranian leadership wants to talk, and I've agreed to do so, so I'll talk to them. They should have done it sooner; it was practical and easy to do. They waited too long," US President Donald Trump told The Atlantic.
5:10 PM – Pope Leo: "I am very worried."
"I am deeply concerned about what is happening in the world, in the Middle East, the renewed war. We too must be heralds of peace. We must pray a lot for peace, reject the temptation to harm others; violence is never the right path." Pope Leo said this in an impromptu address to the community of the Quarticciolo parish where he is visiting.
4:48 PM – Trump: "48 Iranian leaders killed"
"In one fell swoop, 48 Iranian leaders are gone. No one can believe the success we're having," Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox, excerpts of which were released. The United States, Trump added, "knows which targets remain to be hit."
4:30 PM – Iranian warship sunk
The United States has sunk an Iranian warship in the Gulf of Oman, U.S. Central Command announced, noting that the vessel was hit during Operation Epic Fury.
4.20pm – The USA: Lincoln not even touched
The aircraft carrier Lincoln "was not hit. The missiles fired did not even graze it. It continues to operate in support of the campaign to defend Americans." This was stated by the US Central Command in response to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which declared it attacked the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf.
3:20 PM – US aircraft carrier Lincoln attacked
The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln "was hit by four ballistic missiles," Iranian Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by local media, warning that "land and sea will increasingly become graveyards for terrorist attackers."
2:50 PM – Iran: Former President Ahmadinejad also killed
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also reportedly killed along with his bodyguards in yesterday's first Israeli attack in Iran, Israeli media reported, citing sources in Iran and the region.
2:30 PM – Emirates: Three dead and 58 injured in Iranian airstrikes since yesterday
Three people were killed and 58 injured in Iran's strikes on the United Arab Emirates launched yesterday. The victims were a Pakistani citizen, a Nepalese national, and a Bangladeshi national, the UAE Defense Ministry said, adding that since the beginning of the Iranian attacks, the Emirates have detected 165 ballistic missiles, 152 of which were destroyed, as well as two cruise missiles. Furthermore, "541 Iranian drones were detected, 506 of which were intercepted and destroyed," the ministry added.
2:00 PM – Apartment building hit in central Israel: six dead, dozens injured
Six people were killed when an Iranian missile struck an apartment building in Beit Shemesh, central Israel, Israeli media reported. Dozens of people are seriously injured, and medical personnel are on the scene.
1:20 PM - "Hundreds of oil tankers and LNG carriers stranded off the coast of Hormuz."
"At least 150 oil tankers, including vessels carrying crude oil and liquefied natural gas, have dropped anchor in the open waters of the Gulf beyond the Strait of Hormuz," Al Jazeera reports, citing Reuters estimates and the latest maritime transport data from the Marine Traffic platform.
1:15 PM - Israel drops 1,200 bombs on Iranian targets
The IDF announced that it has dropped more than 1,200 bombs on Iranian targets since the beginning of the war.
1:00 PM - Tajani: "We are concerned about the high number of Italians to be repatriated, many of them minors."
"We're not worried about safety, we're worried about the high number of Italians concentrated in the United Arab Emirates who need to return to the country. At the moment, there are no serious safety risks, because they are being monitored by the Emirati authorities, and by all of us, the embassy, and the consulate," Tajani emphasized, explaining that there are approximately 20,000 Italian residents and a thousand tourists in the Emirates.
12:40 PM – Tehran announces a triumvirate to manage the succession
12:30 PM – Italian students stranded in Dubai. The Ministry of Education: "In constant contact with young people and families."
Regarding the presence of Italian students in Dubai as part of the "Dubai UN & Abu Dhabi Emirates 2026 - The Ambassador of the Future" program, the Ministry of Education and Merit specifies that it is in constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, and the Italian Consulate General in Dubai, which are closely monitoring the situation. The Ministry will continue to provide updates in the coming hours.
12:25 PM – Tajani to Italians in Dubai: "Stay where you are."
The Foreign Minister reaffirmed the Farnesina's commitment to assisting Italians stranded in the Middle East with a dedicated task force. He emphasized that Oman is closing its borders and it is therefore unwise to attempt to venture into those territories in an attempt to leave Dubai.
12:20 PM - Beijing: "Khamenei's killing violates international law."
"It is unacceptable for the United States and Israel to launch attacks against Iran during the Iran-US negotiations," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Xinhua reported. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said it was also unacceptable to openly kill the leader of a sovereign state and encourage a change of government, adding that these actions violate international law and basic international relations.
12:00 PM – Abu Dhabi, drone debris hits one of the Etihad Towers: woman and child injured
In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, fragments from a drone intercepted by defense systems damaged one of the buildings in the Etihad Towers complex. Reuters reported this on its website, citing the Abu Dhabi government press office. A woman and her son suffered minor injuries. The complex is home to several Western diplomatic missions.
11:50 a.m. – EU: "Khamenei's death is decisive, now the way is paved for a different Iran."
"The death of Ali Khamenei is a defining moment in Iran's history. What will happen next is uncertain. But now a path opens to a different Iran, one that its people can shape with greater freedom." This is what EU High Representative Kaja Kallas wrote in X.
11:20 a.m. – Putin: "Khamenei's assassination violates all moral norms and the law."
In a message of condolences to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, Vladimir Putin condemned what he called the "assassination" of Leader Ali Khamenei, "committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law." The message was released by the Russian presidency.
11:20 AM – The Farnesina creates a 'Gulf Task Force' to assist Italians in the region
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is currently meeting with ambassadors to Iran and the region at the Farnesina to assess the progress of Israeli and U.S. military operations. According to a statement, the minister has created a Gulf Task Force that will strengthen the Crisis Unit's work and support the efforts of embassies and consulates in the region to address the thousands of requests for assistance from thousands of citizens stranded in Gulf countries.
10:50 a.m. – Netanyahu sends a Farsi-language video to Iranians: "Millions of people should take to the streets."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a Farsi-language video on X in which he addressed the citizens of Iran: "In the coming days, we will strike thousands of targets of the terror regime. We will create the conditions for the brave citizens of Iran to free themselves from the shackles of tyranny: Citizens of Iran, do not miss this opportunity, which comes only once in a generation, you must take to the streets in your millions to complete the task, to overthrow the terror regime that has made your lives unbearable. The help you have been waiting for has arrived," he said.
10:20 a.m. – The Emirates to Iran: "Attacking us is a mistake; it isolates you."
"Your war is not against your neighbors," a senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official told Iran today, claiming that Iranian attacks in the Gulf were isolating the Islamic Republic. "Iran's aggression against the Gulf states was a miscalculation and has isolated Iran at a critical moment," said Anwar Gargash, an advisor to the UAE president. "Come to your senses (...) and treat your neighbors rationally and responsibly," Gargash added.
10:10 a.m. – Oman: Oil tanker hit, 4 injured
An oil tanker was targeted off the coast of Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and its crew, including four injured, was evacuated. "The Center for Maritime Safety announced that the tanker (Skylight), flying the flag of the Republic of Palau, was targeted 5 nautical miles north of the port of Khasab," Omani news agency ONA reported. The crew of 20, including 15 Indians and five Iranians, was evacuated, and according to initial reports, four of them "received injuries of varying severity," it added.
10:05 a.m. – Israeli media: "Tehran state television attacked."
According to Israeli media, an attack is underway on state television in Tehran.
10:00 a.m. – Hamas: "Khamenei killed in a heinous attack."
Hamas mourns Khamenei: he was killed in "an abominable attack," the organization said in a statement.
9:40 a.m. – IDF: "We have begun striking the heart of Tehran."
The Israeli military said this morning that it had begun striking "targets in the heart of Tehran."
9:20 a.m. – Pakistan: At least 8 killed in attempted attack on US consulate in Karachi
At least eight people were killed in Karachi, a megacity in southern Pakistan, when hundreds of pro-Iranian protesters attempted to storm the US consulate. The emergency services announced the news. Shortly beforehand, an AFP source on the scene reported that a crowd of young people had climbed over the main gate and entered the consulate's driveway, breaking several windows.
9:00 AM – Drones strike Oman's commercial port, worker injured
The commercial port of Duqm, Oman, was hit by two drones, injuring an expat worker, according to the state-run news agency cited by The Times of Israel. Debris from another drone fell in an area near fuel tanks, but no casualties or property damage were reported.
8:40 a.m. – Tehran: "We have successfully struck US bases in Iraq and the Gulf."
The Iranian military said it targeted U.S. bases in Iraq's Kurdistan Region and the Gulf on Sunday in response to Israeli and U.S. strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
7:30 a.m. – Ali Larijani: "The transition to Khamenei's succession begins today."
In Iran, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, widely seen by the media as a likely candidate to succeed the late Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader, stated on state television that a temporary governing council will be formed to lead the country during the transition period. "The council's formation process will begin today," he added. "Groups seeking to divide Iran must know that we will not tolerate this," he added.
7:00 a.m. – Trump: "Iranian threats? Better not do that."
"Is Iran threatening to strike like never before? It's better not to, otherwise it would unleash a force never seen before." This is the warning from the US president after the Pasdaran announced very heavy attacks in response to yesterday's attacks by the US and Israel.
6:30 AM – New Iranian attack against bases in the Gulf and Israel
A new wave of Iranian missiles and drones hit Manama, Doha, Dubai, and Israel in the early hours of Sunday. Iran is targeting US military bases in the Middle East following the massive attack that killed Khamenei. New explosions were heard in Manama and Doha, the capitals of Bahrain and Qatar, and in Dubai. The targets of the new Iranian offensive reportedly include 27 US bases in the region, as well as the Israeli army headquarters and a defense industrial complex in Tel Aviv.
6:15 a.m. – Media reports: 'Iran attacks 27 U.S. military bases'
Iran has launched attacks against 27 U.S. military bases in the region, the Israel Defense Forces headquarters, and a defense complex in Tel Aviv, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, according to Russian news agency Tass. The IRGC "will not allow the sirens to be silent" in Israeli territory and U.S. bases and will launch "an even more forceful attack against enemy facilities and targets."
6:00 AM – Demonstration in Tehran against the US and Israel
Thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran, chanting slogans against the US and Israel. The crowd gathered in Enghelab Square after the announcement of Khamenei's death. Most were dressed in black, some in tears, and they waved portraits of the Supreme Leader.
6:00 AM – Pasdaran: Khamenei's assassins will receive severe and painful punishment.
The IRGC issued a statement on the Supreme Leader's death, officially confirmed in the early hours of the morning by Iranian state TV, declaring that "Iran's vengeful hand will not spare Khamenei's assassins, who will receive severe, decisive, and painful punishment."