Live! Iran defence minister likely dead; Araghchi calls regime change ‘mission impossible’
Iran retaliates after US, Israel bomb Tehran; flights cancelled as 6 countries close airspace; Trump says he wants ‘a safe nation’; India urges restraint
West Asia (the Middle East) exploded on Saturday (February 28) as Iran retaliated with missile strikes on US military bases in Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait, as well as Israel, hours after the latter and the US jointly bombed Tehran early in the day.
The first strikes of the attack appeared to target the compound home to Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in downtown Tehran. It wasn’t immediately clear if he was there at the time.
Smoke could be seen rising from the Iranian capital as the US and Israel launched a major attack on targets across Iran. The bombing of a girl's primary school in southern Iran claimed 51 lives.
US President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to “take over your government” — an extraordinary appeal that suggested the allies could be seeking to end of the country’s theocracy after decades of tensions.
The attack quickly expanded beyond Iran. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it responded by launching a “first wave” of drones and missiles targeting Israel, where a nationwide warning was issued.
Meanwhile, Bahrain said that a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom. Witnesses heard sirens and explosions in Kuwait, home to US Army Central. Explosions could also be heard in Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and Iran closed their airspace, and sirens were sounded in Jordan too.
Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement, saying that the country “will not hesitate” in its response. In a statement posted on X, the ministry said: “The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy's military assault.”
News agency Reuters reported later that Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour were possibly dead.
Indian embassy urges caution
The Indian Embassy in Iran issued an advisory for its citizens, urging them to exercise “utmost caution” and "remain indoors as far as possible”.
It further said that all the Indian nationals may also consider to monitor news, maintain social awareness and await any further guidance from the Embassy of India.
Follow Live updates below.
Live Updates
- 28 Feb 2026 5:25 PM IST
Bahrain evacuates Manama neighbourhood
“The Ministry of Interior has begun evacuating citizens and residents in the Juffair area. We urge your cooperation with the relevant authorities,” Bahrain's Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:21 PM IST
Iranian president, senior officials in 'perfect health': Local media
“While Israeli sources have claimed to have targeted and succeeded in attacking the president and senior Iranian leaders, official sources within the country report that senior regime officials, including the heads of the armed forces, are in perfect health,” Fars news agency reported.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:19 PM IST
1 person killed in Abu Dhabi
One person has reportedly been killed in a missile attack by Iran in Abu Dhabi. The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that the victim was of Asian origin.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:18 PM IST
NORKA helpdesk opened for Keralites
With the possibility of escalating tensions in Iran, Israel and other West Asian countries, a dedicated helpdesk has been launched for Keralites in the region. The initiative has been set up by NORKA Roots following directions from the Chief Minister’s Office.
The move comes in the backdrop of continuing conflict concerns in parts of West Asia, where a significant number of expatriate Indians, including Keralites, are employed. Given that Indians constitute a predominant share of expatriates in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the State government has stepped up monitoring and support mechanisms.
Keralites requiring assistance can register their details through the NORKA Global Contact Centre helpdesk. The international missed call number is +91-8802012345, while those calling from within India can use the toll-free number 18004253939.
Authorities have advised Indian citizens in the affected regions to strictly follow the instructions issued by the respective Indian Embassies and the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
The State government said the helpdesk will function as a coordination point to provide guidance, collect information, and extend necessary support to expatriates and their families during the evolving situation.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:13 PM IST
Russian Foreign Ministry condemns US-Israel strikes on Iran as 'unprovoked act of armed aggression'
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran as “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 pursuing regime change.
It warned the attacks risked triggering a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” in the region and accused the US and Israel of “plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.” Moscow called the bombing of nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards “unacceptable” and said it stood ready to help broker a peaceful resolution, while placing full responsibility for the escalation on the United States and Israel.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:10 PM IST
Strikes on Iran: Death toll rises to 40
Death toll in US-Israeli strike on girls' school in southern Iran rises to 40 killed, reports Associated Press (AP), citing state-run IRNA news agency
- 28 Feb 2026 5:10 PM IST
Iran asks Tehran residents to evacuate and go 'as far as possible': Report
Iran's National Security Council has urged residents of the national capital, Tehran, to evacuate the city amid the military escalation, Al Jazeera reported.
In a statement, the council indicated that "as far as possible and while maintaining calm, you should travel to other places and cities if you are able," the report said.
- 28 Feb 2026 5:07 PM IST
Top IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour dead, claims Israel
Israel has claimed that Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was eliminated in strikes on Saturday. Pakpour, one of the most influential figures in Tehran, had been an IRGC commander for nearly nine months. His appointment came after the death of his predecessor, Hussein Salami, in the June 2025 conflicts between Iran and Israel.
It was only in January that Pakpour, 61, cautioned both Israel and the United States to "avoid any miscalculation". He warned that the Islamic Republic is "stands more ready than ever" with "finger on the trigger". His death, if true, would deal a blow to the IRGC.
Pakpour, who was promoted to the rank of major general by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last year, was given the responsibility to "enhance the capabilities, readiness, and internal cohesion of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps."
- 28 Feb 2026 4:54 PM IST
'Victory not far,' says son of Iran's last shah who was overthrown in 1979 revolution
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran's last shah who was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic revolution, expressed confidence that it was a matter of time before the Islamic Republic would fall. His statement came hours after Israel and the US launched serious military strikes on the West Asian nation.
In a video message released shortly after the strikes began, the 65-year-old leader suggested coordination, having repeatedly urged US President Donald Trump to intervene.
“We are very close to final victory. I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,” the dissident leader, who lives in the US, said in the statement that started with the words, "My dear compatriots, Decisive moments lie before us."
My dear compatriots,
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) February 28, 2026
Decisive moments lie before us.
The assistance that the President of the United States had promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived. This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of repression, and… https://t.co/YAq3rJLzdd pic.twitter.com/VVQ17mvhJ9 - 28 Feb 2026 4:42 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi expresses concern over safety of Indians in Middle East
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, expressed deep concern over the heightened military escalation in West Asia and appealed to the government to ensure safety of Indian citizens living in the region.
In a post on X, he said, "The rapidly escalating hostilities between US-Israel and Iran are deeply concerning.
"The safety and security of every Indian citizen across the Middle East must be our highest priority.
"I urge the Government of India to take immediate and proactive measures to safeguard our people."
