Dubai, Feb. 28 -- The United States and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.

President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the US had begun "major combat operations in Iran." He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear programme and plans to develop missiles to reach the US.

Here's the latest:

Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian strikes

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Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Iranian assaults on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan as a breach of their sovereignty.

The Kingdom confirmed that it fully stands by those countries and warned of the "dire consequences of continued breach of sovereignty and violating international principles."

Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to take measures to confront the Iranian assaults that are "undermining" the stability and security of the region.

US and Israeli strikes target sites across Iran

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Strikes on Saturday are targeting a growing list of cities and sites across Iran, according to Iranian state media. Direct strikes on the capital, Tehran, earlier sent plumes of smoke above its skyline, with reports of explosions in or near the major cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Tabriz.

Blasts were also reported in several western towns as well as around Persian Gulf port cities that are critical to Iran's major oil trade, including Asaluyeh.

France advises its citizens to exercise caution

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France, whose military has bases and a regular presence in the Mideast, has called on French citizens in the region to exercise extreme caution.

"A military escalation is underway ... It's not the time for negotiations. We are in a situation of war," junior Defence Minister Alice Rufo told France-2 television Saturday, comparing the situation to the 12-day war in June.

"Our priority is the protection of our citizens and the protection of our forces in the region," she said.

Asked if French forces were involved in the US and Israeli strikes or targeted in retaliatory strikes, French military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet said: "The French armed forces continuously adapt their posture to threats and implement measures to ensure the surveillance and protection of military installations where French soldiers are deployed."

He would not elaborate.

"Our military presence guarantees France's independent assessment of the situation," he told the AP.

Israeli president salutes attacks on Iran

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Israel's President Isaac Herzog has welcomed the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran.

Herzog says he hopes the operation "will bring a historic change and a better future for the whole Middle East and the entire world."

Khamenei's whereabouts are unknown

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not make a public appearance in the days before the attack and hasn't been seen immediately after. During the 12-day war in June, he was believed to have been taken to a secure location away from his Tehran compound.

Qatar says it repels second wave of Iranian attacks

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Qatar's Defence Ministry says the military has successfully repelled the second wave of Iranian attacks that targeted several parts of the nation.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, calling them a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty. It added that Qatar has always been among the sides calling for a dialogue with Iran.

The Foreign Ministry said that the targeting of Qatar by a neighbour "cannot be accepted under any justification or pretext" as the gas-rich Gulf nation has always distanced itself from regional conflicts.

Syria closes airspace

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Syria's civil aviation authority announced the closure of airspace in southern Syria on Saturday, while a number of airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, Qatar Airways, and Pegasus, cancelled all flights to Lebanon.

Emirates Airlines says flights are disrupted

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Emirates, one of the world's biggest long-haul airlines, says several of its flights have been affected by the airspace closure in the United Arab Emirates.

The carrier is based at Dubai International Airport, the busiest hub for international travel. It says it is working with local officials and adjusting its operations, and it urged passengers to check their flight status online.

Emirates transported 53.7 million passengers during its last fiscal year. Many of those passengers, like those of fellow regional carriers Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, were transiting the region for destinations elsewhere.

US-Israeli attacks are expected to continue, AP told

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A person briefed on the military plans says Saturday's operation was planned by the US and Israel for months and was closely coordinated.

The person says the attacks are expected to continue for several days.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media.

Bahrain condemns Iranian attack on US fleet

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Bahrain's ambassador in the US says attacks occurred against "sites within the Kingdom," without giving further details. Writing on X, Abdalla Al-Khalifa said the attacks were a "blatant violation of sovereignty."

Iran has apparently attacked the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain in response to US-Israeli attacks in Tehran. The Bahraini diplomat said that Bahrain "reserves the right to respond" to an attack on its territory.

Qatar Airways suspends flights

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Qatar Airways says it is temporarily suspending flights at its Doha hub because of the closure of the Gulf nation's airspace.

The airline says it is working with local authorities to support passengers affected by the stoppage, and that it expects delays once flights eventually resume. It did not predict when that might be.

Government-owned Qatar Airways is one of the Middle East's largest airlines, funnelling tens of millions of mostly long-haul passengers through Qatar to destinations on six continents.

Attacks on Iran risk wider war and higher energy prices

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Within hours of the joint US and Israeli strike in Iran, Ali Vaez, who directs the Iran Project at the Crisis Group think tank, warned that the war could likely escalate.

Vaez on social media stressed that Iran had been preparing for the conflict and that wider war could break out across the Middle East.

He also stressed that the war could lead to higher energy costs, which would undercut one of Trump's domestic political messages that gasoline prices have been lower since his return to the White House.

"Iran sits along the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply passes," Vaez posted. "Even limited disruption could spike energy prices, fuel inflation, and rattle global markets."

EU calls Iran a threat to global security

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The European Union's top diplomat called the conflict in the Middle East "perilous" and said she was working with Israel and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.

"Iran's regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmemes, 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.

She said the EU was evacuating some staff in the region and keeping in place a maritime mission in the Red Sea.

The EU recently put fresh sanctions on Iran and its leading figures, prompting retaliatory sanctions by Tehran.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.