Israel and the US launched what they called a “preemptive strike” against Iran Saturday morning, plunging the region into chaos as Tehran launched counter strikes that also targeted American military bases across the Gulf. Tensions persist as the string of strikes and counter-strikes continues.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attack, Iran had confirmed Sunday, after which Alireza Arafi was picked as the interim successor. Arafi has been appointed the jurist member of the temporary leadership council to fulfill the Supreme Leader’s role.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had first announced the strike Saturday that many believed was a long time in making, with the White House stepping up pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
US President Donald Trump described the military action as “massive and ongoing”, and plainly called for a regime change. He urged Iranians to “take over your government” and accused Tehran of working to rebuild its nuclear programme. Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. Iran’s state media said the country was preparing for “a crushing response”.
Stay tuned to ThePrint for the latest developments.
US, Israel strike Iran | LIVE UPDATES
10.40 am: US launched strikes ‘on behalf of Israel’: Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X: “Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat’.”
He added, “Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country.”
Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian "threat".
Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters.
American people deserve better and should take back their country.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 3, 2026
09.55 am: ‘US will mitigate oil price spike’: Rubio
The US will take action to mitigate rising energy prices due to a spike in the price of oil caused by the Iran conflict, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.
“Starting tomorrow, you will see us rolling out those phases to try to mitigate against that… We anticipated this could be an issue,” Rubio told reporters Monday. He added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright would announce the plans Tuesday.
09.40 am: ‘Will attack any ship trying to cross Strait of Hormuz’
A commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said that the Strait of Hormuz is “closed”, warning that any vessel attempting to pass through will be attacked, Iranian state media reported.
“The strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guard and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Ebrahim Jabari, senior adviser to IRGC’s commander-in-chief, said.
09.00 am: ‘Won’t be an endless war, but could take time’: Netanyahu
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel and the US had to take action because Iran had been building new nuclear weapon sites that would have been impossible to attack within months. Speaking to Fox News, he said the conflict caused by the strikes on Iran won’t be “endless”.
“You’re not going to have an endless war,” he said. “This is going to be a quick and decisive action.” However, he said, it “may take some time, but it’s not going to take years.”
08.45 am: US embassy in Riyadh attacked
The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones Monday morning, resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the Saudi defence ministry said in a post on X.
المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الدفاع: تعرّضت السفارة الأمريكية في الرياض لهجوم بمسيّرتين بحسب التقديرات الأولية، ونتج عن ذلك حريق محدود وأضرار مادية بسيطة في المبنى. pic.twitter.com/YuCukrePkH
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 3, 2026
Speaking to NewsNation, President Donald Trump has said that US will retaliate to the attack on the embassy and over the deaths of US military personnel amid the Iran conflict, a reporter at the media outlet posted on X, citing an interview with him.