Live! Iran defence minister likely dead; Araghchi calls regime change ‘mission impossible’

Explosions heard in Ramallah: Report

Explosions were heard in Ramallah, West Bank, Palestine, as Israel intercepted incoming Iranian attacks, according to a report in Al Jazeera. No injuries reported so far.

Iran's foreign minister: 'Bombing of girls' school will not go unanswered'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warns the US and Israel over the bombing of girls' school in southern Iran. "These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered," he said.

Left parties condemn attack on Iran, point out timing of PM Modi's Israel visit

Left parties on Saturday condemned the US and Israel for launching military attacks on Iran, calling them a violation of international law and a threat to global peace.

In a statement, the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the attacks were carried out in “flagrant violation of Iran's national sovereignty, the UN Charter and all international treaties”.

The Left party alleged that the strikes were launched despite ongoing negotiations with Iran, and accused the US of acting as a "belligerent bully" targeting sovereign countries at will.

“The US and Israel carried out these attacks by ignoring the ongoing negotiations with Iran. It is amply clear from the attacks and the statements of US President Donald Trump that they never believed in these negotiations," the CPI(M) said.

The party also said the attack on Iran followed immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his visit to Israel, and urged the government of India to condemn the military action.

“The government of India should unequivocally condemn the attacks on its friendly country Iran, and demand immediate cessation of hostilities," it said.

Modi was on a two-day visit to Israel on February 25-26, during which the two nations elevated their “time-tested” relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to fast-track a long-awaited free trade deal. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby said the statements of US President Donald Trump leave no doubt that the US and Israel are “deliberately imposing war on Iran”.

“This will endanger millions of lives and draw the world to the brink of a catastrophic conflagration with devastating consequences for humanity, threatening international peace and security on a scale unprecedented in recent history.” Baby said in a post on X.

In a separate statement, the central committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation termed the strikes “criminal missile attacks” and an “act of imperialist aggression”.

The party said the attacks “pierced the facade of US talks of diplomacy”, stressing that it had nothing to do with the Iranian people's struggle for justice and liberty against their government.

“India must insist on an immediate cessation of the attacks on Iran,” the CPI(ML) Liberation said.

It also criticised Modi's visit to Israel, saying the attacks beginning soon after the trip showed how "ill-advised and detrimental to Indian interests that visit was”.

The party called upon “all peace-loving people of India and the world to stand with Iran and the Iranian people against this US-Israel military aggression”.

World leaders fear broader escalation after major US, Israeli attack on Iran

European leaders held emergency security meetings and scrambled to protect their citizens in the Middle East after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday that triggered global concerns of escalation into a broader conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting in response to the US and Israeli strikes in Iran. Germany and the UK are holding their own emergency meetings on Saturday to discuss the situation. The European Union is evacuating some staff from the region, and European leaders are planning to coordinate further responses.

The responses come after the US and Israel launched a major attack on targets across Iran, and US President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to “take over your government” — an extraordinary appeal that suggested they could be seeking to end the country's theocracy after decades of tensions.

The strikes by the US create a dilemma for its democratic allies. While European leaders firmly oppose Iran's nuclear programme and crackdowns by its hard-line theocracy, they are loath to embrace unilateral military action by Trump that could breach international law and unleash a broader conflict.

Trump's strikes on Iran last June and the arrest of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro last month caused a similar quandary.

It was unclear whether US allies were given any advance warning of the attacks. The German government said it was only given notice Saturday morning. France's junior defence minister said France knew something would happen, but didn't know when.

“The escalation underway is dangerous for everyone. Must it stop? Macron said in a statement. France, which has military presence in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan, would offer military aid to its partners in the Middle East, the president said.

“The outbreak of war among the United States, Israel and Iran has serious consequences for peace and international security,? Macron said.

He called on Iran's leadership to commit to negotiations on its nuclear and ballistic programmes.

"The Iranian people should also be able to build their future freely. The massacres perpetrated by the Islamic regime disqualify it, and necessitate that the people be given a voice.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of the government's emergency committee on Saturday morning.

“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a UK government spokesperson said, reiterating Britain's support for a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Britain was not involved in the strikes.

The German government's crisis management team was also due to meet.

Concern about “new, extensive” war

Responding to the attack, the European Union's top diplomat called the conflict in the Middle East “perilous” and said she was working with Israeli and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.

“Iran's regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, along with support for terror groups, pose a serious threat to global security,” said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc, in a post on social media.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he was concerned the failure of negotiations between the US and Iran meant a “new, extensive war in the Middle East” would happen.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Madrid rejected “the unilateral military action by the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order.” He said Spain “likewise” rejected the actions of the Iranian regime.

European Union leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of “ensuring nuclear safety.” “We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.

“Totally irresponsible”

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons condemned the US and Israeli strikes on Iran in harsher words.

“These attacks are totally irresponsible and risk provoking further escalation as well as increasing the danger of nuclear proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons,” said its executive director, Melissa Parke.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Israeli strikes on Iran and accompanying US military action, warning that the escalating conflict has pushed the Middle East to the “edge of catastrophe.” Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday condemned what he described as “unwarranted attacks” on Iran during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

Russia's Foreign Ministry called the strikes “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state,” demanding an immediate halt to the military campaign and a return to diplomacy.

In a statement posted to Telegram, the ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran's nuclear programme while actually pursuing regime change. AP

Photo: People sit in a shelter in Tel Aviv

People sit in a shelter after warning sirens sound following Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, February 28. AP/PTI

Photo: Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran

People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, February 28. AP/PTI

Chennai Airport issues advisory to international passengers

Passengers bound for overseas destinations have been instructed to check with their respective airlines on their journey, the Chennai Airport said on Saturday, due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Owing to airspace closures over parts of the Middle Eastern countries, select international services may encounter delays or routing adjustments, it said.

"Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight updates," the Chennai Airport said in an advisory on Saturday.

The US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday. Iran responded, targeting Israel with missiles and drones and also striking US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Launched joint operation with US against Iran to tackle 'existential threat’ to Israel: IDF

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday said that its joint strikes with the US on Iran included attacks on “dozens of military targets” and were carried out as part of a “wide, coordinated, and joint offensive against the regime to tackle an existential threat".

In a statement, the Israeli military said that the “joint, broad, and powerful operation” with the US is “aimed at a thorough strike against the Iranian terror regime and at eliminating existential threats to the State of Israel over time”.

“The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel,” the IDF said, adding that “despite the severe blow Israel gave to Iran in June of last year, Iran never gave up on its project to destroy the Jewish state”.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also made similar claims.

“The IDF identified that the regime continued its attempts to fortify, shield, and conceal its nuclear programmes, alongside the rehabilitation of its missile production process,” the army said.

Iran accelerated its production of ballistic missiles to dozens a month, it further claimed.

“In addition, the regime continued financing, training, and arming its operatives positioned along Israel’s borders. These are actions constituting an existential threat to the State of Israel and pose a threat to the Middle East and the world at large,” the IDF said.

The launch of the joint military operation required months of “close and joint planning”, it said.

“This enabled the execution of the broad strike with maximum synchronisation and coordination between the armies,” the IDF said.

“The IDF, across all its branches, undertook a meticulous and long-term preparation process for the operation, both in defensive arrays and in various attack plans,” it said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is currently holding an assessment with top commanders.

The troops are on high alert for “for attacks across all fronts and against any adversary”, the Israeli army said.

“The operation will continue as long as necessary,” the IDF said. 

Air defence fire seen over Dubai

Air defence fire was seen over Dubai, the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reports AP.

Watch: Israel strikes hundreds of targets in western Iran

Footage shared on X by Israel Defense Forces (IDF).