US, Israel Strike Iran as Gulf States Face Retaliatory Attacks

At least 148 people, most of them children, were killed when a strike hit an elementary girls school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on Saturday, the single deadliest incident in a weekend of US and Israeli operations that also killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sent shockwaves across Gulf cities from Dubai to Doha.

Iran's Health Ministry said the country's overall death toll surpassed 1,500 since the conflict began. Since Saturday alone, at least 201 people were killed across Iran, with the Minab school accounting for the bulk of that figure, though some reports placed the student death toll at more than 50, reflecting the broader uncertainty in casualty counts as the conflict intensified.

The Israeli military said 70% of Iran's ballistic missile launchers have been taken out since the US-Israeli operation began on Feb. 28. Israel's military announced Sunday that it struck more than 30 targets in western and central Iran, including air defense installations, missile sites, and military headquarters. The Israeli Air Force also reportedly destroyed a bunker tied to Khamenei, dropping approximately 100 bombs on the site, and announced additional strike waves against Iranian regime targets in Tehran and Isfahan.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck back, claiming retaliatory attacks on 27 US military bases across the region, Tel Nof Airbase in Israel, and HaKirya, the Israeli army's command headquarters in Tel Aviv. Shortly after 6 a.m. local time Sunday, air raid sirens sounded repeatedly across Israel including in Tel Aviv. One Iranian missile that was not intercepted severely damaged three buildings and lightly wounded four people, with the Israeli Air Force investigating the interception failure. The missile carried a conventional warhead rather than cluster munitions.

Dubai, Doha and Manama absorbed a second consecutive day of Iranian drone and missile strikes. At least three people were killed in the UAE. An Iranian drone set a fuel tank ablaze at Dubai International Airport. Kuwait and Bahrain also reported damage, while Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar reported intercepting additional salvos. In Iraqi waters, the IRGC claimed responsibility for setting two oil tankers on fire in a Wednesday night attack. Since Feb. 28, Iran has launched thousands of drones and hundreds of missiles targeting US bases, oil production facilities, airports, and water treatment plants across neighboring countries.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran fired the fewest missiles in any 24-hour period since the war started. "Our strikes mean we've made significant progress in reducing the number of missile and drone attacks out of Iran," Hegseth said. Analysts said the slowdown may reflect shrinking Iranian stockpiles or a deliberate decision to conserve weapons for a prolonged campaign.

Khamenei's death triggered an immediate political transition inside Iran. The government announced the formation of a three-person interim council to manage the succession as his supporters filled the streets of Tehran and other cities in mourning. On state television, an official identified as Aliabadi declared: "Iran's powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran's integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory."

Trump, posting on Truth Social, warned Tehran against further escalation: "THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!" Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both indicated the strikes were aimed at regime change. In a video message, Trump reportedly promised immunity to Iranian forces but warned of "certain death" if they refused to lay down their weapons.

Trump has said he has no plans to send ground troops into Iran but has not ruled it out, and Israel has indicated its ground forces could yet take part in the war, adding another potential dimension to a conflict that has already drawn in US bases, Israeli cities, Gulf infrastructure, and civilian populations across the region.