President Donald Trump said Friday that Secretary
of State Marco Rubio was negotiating at a high level with the Cuban
government.
"The Cuban government is talking with us" the president said in
comments to reporters as he left the White House. "They have no money.
They have no anything right now." He added: "We could very well end up
having a friendly takeover of Cuba."
After his administration ousted Cuban ally and Venezuelan President
Nicolas Maduro, Trump for weeks suggested Cuba was on the brink of
collapse economically.
He didn't say what he meant by a "friendly takeover" but suggested
that after decades "of dealing with Cuba" something could happen that'd
be "very positive" for Cuban exiles living in the U.S.
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
Israel and the US have launched a war on Iran, with Donald Trump declaring the start of “major combat operations” and calling on Iranians to rise up against their government.
The
US president’s comments came soon after explosions were heard across
central Tehran. One apparent strike hit near the offices of the supreme
leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran is preparing a “crushing retaliation”, an Iranian official told Reuters.
People run for cover after an explosion in Tehran. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters
Iran launched a retaliatory wave of missiles and drones at targets in Israel and at US military
bases across the Middle East. Explosions were heard in Israel, Bahrain,
the home of the US fleet in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the
United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Smoke rises after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain. Photograph: Reuters
Israel
had earlier declared a state of emergency, warning civilians to stay
near air raid shelters, in anticipation of Iranian drone and missile
strikes in response.
Iran and Israel both closed their airspace to civilian flights.
Israelis enter an underground shelter in Haifa, northern Israel. Photograph: Rami Shlush/Reuters
The attack on Iran came hours after Trump said he was “not happy” about the latest negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme.
Both the US and Israel called for regime change in Iran and urged a popular uprising after Saturday’s attacks.
Trump
called on the Iranian people to “take over your government” in a video
on his Truth Social platform. He offered the Iranian military “immunity”
should they surrender, or “certain death” if not, and told Iranians the
“hour of your freedom is at hand”, urging them to rise up and “take
over your government”.
'Lay down your weapons': Trump warns Iran's armed forces as US launches military operation – video
Israel directly addressed Iranians in a Persian-language post on a dedicated Telegram channel.
“Our
Iranian brothers and sisters, you are not alone!” the post said,
calling on Iranians to upload photos and video of anti-regime protests.
“Together we will return Iran to its glorious days.”
Trump and the Israeli military described their attacks as a pre-emptive strike against Iranian threats.
The first wave of strikes in what the Pentagon named Operation Epic Fury mainly targeted Iranian officials.
An
Israeli official said Khamenei and Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian,
were targeted but that the result of the strikes was not clear. A
source with knowledge of the matter had earlier told Reuters that
Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been transferred to a secure
location.
An Iranian source close to the
establishment told the Reuters news agency that several political
officials and senior commanders in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had been
killed.
By late morning the scale of Iran’s
attacks across the Middle East was becoming clear, as its Revolutionary
Guards commanders insisted there were no red lines and no targets off
limits. Explosions heard in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait suggested Iran
had activated its plan to try to hit as many US bases in the region as
possible. Iran said warnings had been given to the Gulf states’ leaders
explicitly in the past and that no one should be surprised by what was
to come. The UAE and Kuwait closed their airspace.
Smoke in the sky over Jerusalem, after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel. Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters
Iranian
officials said they had not been surprised by the US attacks and that
the consequences would “be long lasting and extensive. All scenarios
were on the table including ones that were not previously considered.”
Iranian
state television reported that Pezeshkian was “safe and sound”, while
the Fars news agency said seven “missile impacts” were reported in the
Keshvardoost and Pasteur districts of Tehran.
The
strikes come weeks after Iranian authorities killed thousands of people
in a crackdown on mass protests, according to rights groups.
Smoke and fire seen at Dubai's Palm Island neighborhood, witness says
2 minutes ago
10:00 EST
A Reuters witness also just heard loud bangs in Dubai.
Breaking
Khamenei to give speech within minutes, Iran's Al-Alam TV says
4 minutes ago
09:58 EST
'We may have lost a few commanders,' Iran's foreign minister is quoted as saying
9 minutes ago
09:53 EST
Scott DiSavino
FILE
PHOTO: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks to the media in
Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Iran's
foreign minister said on Saturday that "we may have lost a few
commanders, but that's not such a big problem," according to an NBC News
reporter on X.
Earlier, we reported that Iran's defence minister and Revolutionary Guards commander were believed to have been killed in Israeli attacks.
US says it will retrieve funds being moved out of Iran
14 minutes ago
09:49 EST
David Lawder
FILE PHOTO: Bessent in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
U.S.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Saturday that his department
was reaffirming its commitment to tracking all illegal funds moved
outside of Iran, and to retrieving the money for the Iranian people.
Bessent
has said for several weeks that Iranian officials have been moving
funds out of the country, describing the actions as "rats leaving the
ship," and vowing to track and recover the funds.
'Military action in this region almost never ends well for the United States'
15 minutes ago
09:48 EST
Patricia Zengerle
FILE PHOTO: Himes in Washington, D.C., April 15, 2021. Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS
“The
President’s own statement acknowledges this is war, and the
Constitution requires the Administration to come to Congress for
authorization, something it has not done,” said Representative Jim Himes
of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
As
a member of the so-called “Gang of Eight” grouping of intelligence
committee and congressional leaders, Himes was briefed by Secretary of
State Marco Rubio.
Himes said: “As I expressed to Secretary Rubio
when he briefed the Gang of Eight, military action in this region almost
never ends well for the United States, and conflict with Iran can
easily spiral and escalate in ways we cannot anticipate. It does not
appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history.”
Reaction
In US Congress, calls for votes on a war powers resolution
17 minutes ago
09:45 EST
Patricia Zengerle and Natasa Bansagi
Members of the U.S. Congress called for votes next week on a war powers resolution following the strikes on Iran.
Most
of the calls came from Democrats, who called the strikes illegal. But
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky also said lawmakers
should go on record. “The Constitution requires a vote and your
representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this
war,” he said in X.com.
Germany, France and UK tell Iran to stop attacks in region
27 minutes ago
09:35 EST
Madeline Chambers
FILE PHOTO: Macron, Starmer and Merz in Kyiv on May 10, 2025, LUDOVIC MARIN/Pool via REUTERS
Germany,
France and Britain condemned Iranian attacks on countries in the region
on Saturday, saying Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military
strikes and resume negotiations.
"We condemn Iranian attacks on
countries in the region in the strongest terms," French President
Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime
Minister Keir Starmer said in a joint statement.
"We call for a
resumption of negotiations and urge the Iranian leadership to seek a
negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to
determine their future," they said.
Their countries did not participate in strikes on Saturday, they said. Read more here.
Reaction
UN human rights chief says war risks widening and civilians will pay price
28 minutes ago
09:34 EST
Francois Murphy
FILE PHOTO: Turk at UN European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
U.N.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the Israeli
and U.S. attacks on Iran as well as Iran's retaliatory strikes, saying
civilians would pay the ultimate price.
Turk called on the parties
to return to the negotiating table where they had actively been seeking
a solution only hours before the military strikes began.
"I have
already warned that failing to do so risks an even wider conflict, that
will inevitably lead to further senseless civilian deaths and
destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale, not just in Iran but
across the Middle East region," he said.
See the latest scenes from across the Middle East
43 minutes ago
09:19 EST
Vehicles burn in Tehran after U.S. and Israeli strikes, February 28, 2026. Social Media/via REUTERS
You can see a gallery of pictures from across the Middle East here.
Breaking
Saudi Arabia says Iran has attacked its territory
an hour ago
09:15 EST
Menna Alaa El-Din
Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that Iran had attacked its capital Riyadh and the eastern region.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the attacks in its territory were dealt with, without providing further details.
The
ministry condemned the Iranian attacks, which it said had come despite
Riyadh saying that it would not allow its airspace to be used against
Iran.
Breaking
Iran defence minister and Revolutionary Guards commander killed, three sources say
an hour ago
09:09 EST
Emily Rose and Parisa Hafezi
FILE
PHOTO: Head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards ground forces
Mohammed Pakpour attends a funeral ceremony in Tehran October 20, 2009.
Iran's
Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander
Mohammed Pakpour are believed to have been killed in Israeli attacks,
two sources familiar with Israel's military operations and one regional
source said.
Some oil majors and traders suspend shipments via Hormuz, sources say
an hour ago
08:58 EST
Dmitry Zhdannikov and Renee Maltezou
FILE PHOTO: Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Some
oil majors and top trading houses have suspended crude oil and fuel
shipments via the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli attacks
on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, four trading sources said on
Saturday.
The strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf
north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea
beyond. About a fifth of the world's total oil consumption passes
through the strait.
"Our ships will stay put for several days," one top executive at a major trading desk said.
The
EU maritime mission Eunavfor Aspides advised the shipping industry to
remain vigilant and said attacks on ships could not be ruled out
following the strikes on Iran.
Aspides said in a statement sources
had said Yemen's Houthis threatened to launch new attacks against
Israel and U.S. ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, adding it was
ready to help protect lives at sea.
Breaking
US air defences shoot down a drone over a US base near Erbil airport, security sources say
an hour ago
08:53 EST
The U.S. military base is in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Breaking
Explosion heard in Iran's southeastern port city of Chabahar, says Iranian state media
an hour ago
08:41 EST
Breaking
Israel believes it has killed senior Iranian officials
an hour ago
08:35 EST
The information came from a source briefed on the military's operations.
Breaking
Very loud bang heard in Abu Dhabi - Reuters witness
an hour ago
08:35 EST
The report follows a series of explosions in the UAE capital on Saturday.
President
Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on
Saturday, with daytime strikes in the joint U.S.-Israel attack targeting
military and government sites, officials said.
The massive operation sparked threats of retaliation by Iran and reports of incoming missiles and drones around the region.
"Our
objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent
threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible
people," Trump said in a video statement.
U.S. officials said the operation could potentially last days, and Trump acknowledged that there may be American casualties.
Iran's
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian
were both targeted in the U.S.-Israeli attack, according to three
sources briefed.
President Donald Trump announced the "massive and ongoing operation" targeting Iran.
Watch the full announcement:
22 minutes ago
Rubio made rounds to Gang of 8 Friday after classified briefing last week
Sec.
Rubio told lawmakers in a Gang of 8 classified briefing last week that
President Donald Trump had not made up his mind about potential military
action against Iran, two sources told ABC News.
One
source said there were still several outstanding questions during last
week's briefing including whether this would be a joint military
operation and whether the U.S. would be able to coalesce other nations.
Rubio made the rounds on Friday to members of the Gang of 8 to inform them the operation was in fact a go, sources said.
The
Gang of 8 is comprised of leaders from both parties from the Senate and
House of Representatives and the chairs and ranking minority members of
the Senate and House committees for intelligence.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Anne Flaherty
30 minutes ago
China condemns US-Israeli attack on Iran
China
said it is "highly concerned" over the military strikes launched by the
U.S. and Israel on Saturday, calling for an immediate stop to the
military action.
"Iran’s
sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected.
China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions, no further
escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and
negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle
East," a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
-ABC News' Karson Yiu
1 hour and 12 minutes ago
Iran says death toll in strike on elementary school rises to 57
The
toll from a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran, has
risen to 57 students dead and 60 others injured, according to Iran's
semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, which cited the local governor.
Iran claims the school was struck during the U.S.-Israeli military operation on Saturday.
It was unclear whether any teachers had been killed or injured, the Tasnim News Agency reported, citing the Minab governor.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a photo on X purportedly showing
the aftermath of a strike on a girls’ elementary school in the south of
Iran on Saturday.
Araghchi said the school was “bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils.”
"Dozens
of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone,” he added.
"These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered.”
-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian
1 hour and 21 minutes ago
Senate should return to Washington and vote on war powers resolution, Sen. Tim Kaine says
Sen.
Tim Kaine, D-Va., is calling on the Senate to return to Washington
immediately to vote on a war powers resolution to check the president's
authority to wage war with Iran, calling the military action "idiotic."
“Has
President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran
and forever wars in the Middle East? Is he too mentally incapacitated to
realize that we had a diplomatic agreement with Iran that was keeping
its nuclear program in check, until he ripped it up during his first
term?," Kaine said in a statement Saturday.
“For
months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want
lower prices, not more war—especially wars that aren’t authorized by
Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don’t have a clear
objective. These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not
cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the
region their lives," he added.
1 hour and 31 minutes ago
Iran says Trump has turned 'America First' into 'Israel First'
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S.-Israel strikes were “wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate.”
"Trump
has turned 'America First' into 'Israel First'—which always means
'America Last,’ Araghchi wrote in a post on X Saturday. "Our Powerful
Armed Forces are prepared for this day and will teach the aggressors the
lesson they deserve."
Araghchi shared a screenshot of an October 2012 social media post from President Donald Trump.
“Now
that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin - watch for him to launch a
strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate," Trump wrote in the post on X.
-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian
2 hours ago
Oman foreign minister: 'I urge the United States not to get sucked in further'
The
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, who had been mediating
U.S.-Iran talks and had traveled to Washington, D.C., on Friday, posted
on X saying, "I am dismayed" and that "Active and serious negotiations
have yet again been undermined."
"I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war," he said.
-ABC News' Lama Hasan
2 hours and 17 minutes ago
Iran's ayatollah and president targeted: Sources
Three
sources briefed on the U.S.-Israeli attack told ABC News that Iran's
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian
were both targeted.
2 hours and 17 minutes ago
US has intercepted Iranian missiles targeting bases and allies: Official
The
U.S. has intercepted multiple Iranian missiles that were targeting U.S.
bases and allies in the Middle East according to a U.S. official.
One source in the region said 14 Iranian missiles were launched toward the United Arab Emirates and were intercepted.
The source said Iran has launched missiles against Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.
-ABC News' Jonathan Karl and Luis Martinez
2 hours and 17 minutes ago
Rubio notified some members of the Gang of 8 before Iran attack
Secretary
of State Marco Rubio reached out to some members of the so-called Gang
of 8 to notify them of the operation in Iran before it was underway,
multiple Congressional offices confirmed to ABC News.
Members
of the Gang of 8 include the top bipartisan House and Senate leaders
and the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence
committees.
On
Tuesday, hours ahead of the president's State of the Union address,
Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe virtually briefed the Gang of 8 on
Capitol Hill on Iran.
Immediately
following the briefing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told
reporters: "This is serious, and the administration has to make its case
to the American people."
-ABC News' Mariam Khan, Jay O'Brien and Lauren Peller
2 hours and 50 minutes ago
'All I want is freedom for the people,' Trump tells The Washington Post
In
a brief phone call with a reporter from The Washington Post just after 4
a.m. on Saturday, President Donald Trump told the paper that all he
wants is "freedom for the people" of Iran.
“All
I want is freedom for the people,” Trump said when asked about what he
hoped his legacy would be as a result of the U.S. operation. "I want a
safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have."
3 hours and 7 minutes ago
Defense secretary, Joint Chiefs chairman with Trump at Mar-A-Lago
Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, are at Mar-A-Lago with President Trump monitoring
today’s strikes, according to a source familiar.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
3 hours and 27 minutes ago
Another wave of missiles launched from Iran toward Israel: IDF
The IDF says it has identified another wave of "missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. "
Sirens sounded in central Israel.
3 hours and 41 minutes ago
UAE reports 1 civilian death after Iran missile strikes
The
United Arab Emirates' ministry of defense said a civilian was killed as
a result of fallen debris after "a blatant attack involving Iranian
ballistic missiles."
The
statement from the ministry said "air defence systems dealt with the
missiles with high efficiency and successfully intercepted a number of
missiles."
In Israel, the national emergency service said at least one person suffered blast injuries on Saturday.
The man, who injured in northern Israel, was in “mild condition,” according to the service.
The
emergency service said its teams also treated "several individuals who
were injured on their way to protected spaces, all fully conscious, as
well as to people suffering from anxiety across the country."
Iran's
state broadcaster IRIB reported that five girls were killed when
Israeli strikes targeted an elementary school in the southern city of
Minab on Saturday.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
5:22 AM EST
IRGC claims it targeted US bases in region
The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its missiles and drones
targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain,
other U.S. military bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well
as "military and security centers in the heart of the occupied
territories," according to Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency, which
is affiliated with the IRGC.
4:55 AM EST
Bahrain says missile attack targeted US Navy fleet service center
Bahrain’s
state-run news agency said Saturday that the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet’s
service center was targeted in a missile attack Saturday.
4:22 AM EST
IDF says strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran
The
joint Israeli-U.S. strike on Iran "included an attack on dozens of
military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated,
and joint attack against the regime," a spokesperson for the Israel
Defense Forces said in a statement.
The IDF statement emphasized close cooperation with the U.S.
"In
the months leading up to the attack, close joint planning was carried
out between the IDF and the US Army, which enabled the broad attack to
be carried out with maximum synchronization and coordination between the
armies," the IDF statement said. "The IDF, across all its systems, has a
rigorous and long-term preparation process for the operation, both in
the defense systems and in the various attack plans."
FILE
PHOTO: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks to the media in
Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
