Recap: US and Israel bomb Iran

Good evening, Middle East Eye readers.

If you’re just joining us, here’s a quick recap of the latest developments across the region:

The US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran shortly after 9:30am local time (6am GMT).
Iran denies Khamenei death reports after strike claims
Iran’s Red Crescent Society says US and Israeli attacks have struck 24 provinces across the country, leaving 201 people dead and 747 wounded.
Eighty-five killed, mostly young girls, after a deadly strike on a school in southern Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the objective was regime change, while US President Donald Trump called on Iranians to rise up and take control of their government
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir invoked biblical language widely considered as genocidal in comments posted on X about the war on Iran.

Nearly an hour after the strikes began, Iran launched retaliatory rocket attacks.
Explosions were heard across Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, as air defence systems responded to incoming projectiles.
Israeli emergency services say they have treated 89 people for minor injuries since Israel launched its war on Iran on Saturday morning, according to Haaretz.
Iran also targeted US military bases in the region, with strikes reported in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Manama, Doha and Kuwait. Blasts were also heard in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baqai has told Al Jazeera Arabic that Tehran views the latest US and Israeli strikes as "a declaration of war" rather than a "limited operation.”