Iran strikes escalate: Fresh blasts hit Dubai, Doha and Manama

Iran's Response

Israel’s military said it targeted Iran’s ballistic missile and air defence systems in strikes carried out on Sunday morning.

In response, Iran’s armed forces said they would soon launch their biggest offensive yet against US bases and Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps made the pledge in a statement on Sunday.

Shortly after 6 a.m., air raid sirens sounded repeatedly across Israel, warning residents of incoming attacks. In Tel Aviv, a series of explosions were heard as Israel’s air defence system intercepted Iranian missiles. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Witnesses in the Gulf cities of Dubai and Doha said they heard several loud blasts.

Iran had already responded to Saturday’s initial strikes by launching hundreds of missiles and drones targeting US troops and cities in Israel, as well as locations in Arab countries allied with Washington.

The escalation led to widespread flight cancellations across the Middle East.

The Pentagon said there were no US deaths or injuries, but acknowledged new risks for Americans in the region.

A senior US intelligence official told Reuters that while the main threat was to US military personnel, cyber attacks on critical US infrastructure were also a possibility.

Major airports across the Middle East, including Dubai — the world’s busiest international travel hub — were shut on Saturday. The disruption followed Iran’s missile retaliation and became one of the most serious shocks to global aviation in years.

Dubai’s landmark Burj Al Arab hotel and the airport, which handles more than 1,000 flights a day, were damaged in overnight attacks across Gulf states. Airports in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were also hit.

On SaturStrait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which about a fifth of global oil consumption passes. The move raised fears of a sharp jump in oil prices.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that hundreds of civilians were killed and injured in the US and Israeli strikes. He described Iran’s retaliation as an act of self-defence and said the bases of hostile forces were legitimate military targets.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an immediate end to the fighting, saying he deeply regretted that an opportunity for diplomacy had been "squandered."

Following reports of Khamenei’s death, witnesses said some Iranians took to the streets in Tehran, Karaj and Isfahan. Videos circulating on social media showed scenes of celebration in some areas, though Reuters said it could not immediately verify them.

US sources said Israel and the United States timed the strikes to coincide with a meeting of Khamenei and his top aides. State media reported that he was working in his office when the attack happened. The strike also killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law.