After weeks of anticipation, with US military assets building up around the Middle East and rhetoric about possible strikes on Iran, Israel fired the first shot on Saturday morning, local time.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced his nation conducted a “pre-emptive strike”, saying it was to “remove threats” to Israel.
US President Donald Trump then confirmed the American military had begun “major combat operations” and echoed Israel’s reasoning, with the US defence ministry dubbing its strikes Operation Epic Fury.
Iran, which threatened a “crushing response”, has since responded with its own missile strikes on Israel and several US bases in neighbouring Arab countries, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Where have the strikes hit, who were the targets, and what was the response? Here’s what we know.
Where have the strikes hit?
There were reports of the initial strikes hitting Iran’s capital Tehran and several other cities around the country.
The Iranian Fars News Agency has so far reported blasts in Boushehr, Tabriz, Dezfoul, Nahavand, Khark Island and Kangavar, while Tasnim news agency reports blasts have been heard in Isfahan, Ilam, and Qom.
As the strikes mounted, at least two news agencies, Tasnim and IRNA, reported they were subjected to cyber attacks.
Smoke rises in the sky after blasts are heard in Manama, Bahrain. (Reuters)
Internet disruptions have also been reported throughout Iran, with NetBlocks, an internet status watchdog, reporting that Iran is at a “near-total internet blackout with national connectivity at 4%”.
It is unclear whether the blackout resulted from the strikes or authorities in Tehran limiting internet access in the country.
Who were the targets?
While Iran’s nuclear facilities were expected to be targets, the first strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In later strikes, Israel said it was targeting military infrastructure in the country’s west.
An Israeli official later said Iran’s supreme leader and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were the targets of their attacks, but the results were unclear.
A source with knowledge of the matter had earlier told Reuters that Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been transferred to a secure location.
Israel has confirmed it has launched strikes against the Iranian capital, Tehran. (AP)
An Iranian source close to the establishment said several senior commanders in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and political officials had been killed. Reuters could not independently confirm the report.
The office of Iran’s army chief, Major General Amir Hatami, said he was safe and “actively commanding the armed forces”.
What was the response?
Within hours of the initial strike Iran had fired several barrages towards Israel, most of them struck down by its air defences.
Then Iran fired towards US military bases including in the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the fifth US base in Bahrain.
Most of these countries have condemned the strikes and said they reserve the right to respond.
Most air travel in and out of all countries involved has been suspended, with governments warning their citizens to stay in place.
ABC/Reuters