The US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on Saturday, beginning a war that puts the region at risk of a wider conflict involving several countries and proxy groups.
The attacks followed weeks of escalating tension, failed diplomacy, and military build-ups that indicated confrontation was increasingly likely.
Here is how the conflict unfolded:
How the war started
Explosions were reported across Tehran before dawn on Saturday, with smoke seen rising above parts of the capital as Iran closed its airspace.
Iranian media reported disruptions to internet services nationwide, while semi-official agencies Fars and Tasnim said hospitals were placed on high alert amid uncertainty over casualties. Strikes were also reported in the Isfahan and Bushehr provinces.
The whereabouts of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were not immediately clear.
Israel simultaneously declared a state of emergency, anticipating Iranian retaliation.
How Iran responded
Iran had repeatedly warned that any attack would trigger a major response. Several Gulf states said they were targeted by Iranian missiles after Tehran pledged to retaliate against US interests in the region.
Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Jordan, all of which have a US military presence, said they had intercepted the Iranian missiles.
"All occupied territories and the criminal US bases in the region have been struck by the powerful blows of Iranian missiles. This operation will continue relentlessly until the enemy is decisively defeated," Iran's Revolutionary Guards said.
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi-Iranian-backed armed militia, said it will soon begin attacking US bases in response to the attacks that targeted the group. Rockets were heard and targeted a US military base in the northern Kurdistan Region.
It is still unclear whether Iran or its proxies in Iraq launched the attack on the base near Erbil International Airport.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel began in "response to the aggression of the hostile and criminal enemy against the Islamic Republic of Iran".
Iranian MP Ebrahim Azizi said in a post on social media: “We warned you. Now you’ve started down a path whose end is no longer in your hands.”
Who said what?
Mr Trump said the strikes were intended to eliminate Iranian threats, but also destroy their military. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” he said in a video posted on social media.
He warned Iranian troops, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, to surrender. “Lay down your weapons, and you will be granted immunity,” Mr Trump said. “The alternative is certain death.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the attack not only as a military operation but as a political turning point inside Iran. “This operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said.
“The time has come … to remove the yoke of tyranny and bring a free and peace-loving Iran.”
US officials also indicated the strikes could continue for several days, suggesting a sustained military campaign rather than a single operation.
What led to the war?
The conflict followed weeks of mounting pressure and deteriorating diplomacy.
Washington had been steadily increasing its military presence in the region, sending additional fighter jets and carriers and strike groups, including F-18s and F-35s, drones, and strengthening air defence systems to protect US bases and allies.
The attacks came just two days after US and Iranian delegations met in Switzerland for a third round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme. While Iranian officials described the negotiations as constructive, US President Donald Trump publicly expressed dissatisfaction with their progress, raising doubts about a diplomatic breakthrough.
In recent weeks, Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran, accusing Tehran of posing a threat to US security and Europe. Iran, in turn, warned that any attack would trigger retaliation against US and Israeli targets and a wider regional war.
What happens next?
The conflict has entered a highly dangerous phase. Iran has the capability to respond directly or through allied forces across the region, including in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.
The US and Israel appear prepared for further military operations, while Iran has indicated it will retaliate.
Whether the conflict remains limited or expands into a wider regional war will likely depend on Iran’s response in the coming hours.
