The first visual evidence has emerged of a joint US-Israel strike on the compound of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran. Satellite imagery, sourced from The New York Times, reveals massive damage near his offices, marking a dramatic escalation in hostilities.

Initial strikes reportedly occurred close to Khamenei's official residence on Saturday. Israel's public broadcaster, cited by AFP, confirmed that the supreme leader and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the primary targets of the attack.

Iranian state news agency IRNA swiftly reported that President Pezeshkian remains alive and in good health. A source close to the presidency provided this update via Telegram shortly after the strikes, amid swirling rumours.

The assault followed a pattern of tit-for-tat aggression. Iran and Israel exchanged missiles on Saturday morning, triggered by Tel Aviv's preemptive attack on Tehran with US backing.

Israel's military issued a statement on X, noting an "additional barrage of missiles" launched from Iran. Sirens echoed across Israel as the Aerial Defence Array worked to intercept threats, with the Israeli Air Force striking back where necessary.

The conflict's shockwaves rippled through the Gulf states. Emergency sirens blared in Bahrain after a missile threat targeted the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters, according to the interior ministry.

Explosions reverberated in key UAE cities—Abu Dhabi and Dubai—as well as Qatar's Doha and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh. These locations all host significant American military presence.

In Abu Dhabi, the Al Dhafra Air Base is jointly operated by the UAE and US Air Forces. Dubai's Jebel Ali Port serves as the US Navy's premier Middle East hub, frequently welcoming aircraft carriers and warships.

Qatar's vast Al Udeid Air Base, spanning 24 hectares, functions as the forward headquarters for US Central Command. Meanwhile, over 2,000 US troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia, including at Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, which houses Patriot batteries and THAAD systems.

Qatar's Ministry of Interior confirmed successful interceptions of attacks targeting the country. No casualties or material damage occurred in residential areas, per initial assessments, though the public was warned against handling debris.

Saudi Arabia issued a fierce condemnation of the "treacherous Iranian aggression". Riyadh decried the strikes as a "blatant violation" of the sovereignty of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, threatening Tehran with "grave consequences".

US President Donald Trump addressed the strikes directly, announcing "major combat operations" in Iran. He framed the objective as defending Americans by neutralising "imminent threats" from the regime.

Trump labelled Iran the world's "number one state sponsor of terror". He recounted 47 years of Iranian chants of "Death to America", alongside campaigns of bloodshed targeting US forces and innocents globally.

The president highlighted recent proxy attacks on American troops and vessels in Middle Eastern shipping lanes. He specifically cited Hamas—Iran's proxy—as responsible for the October 7th onslaught on Israel, which killed over 1,000, including 46 Americans, and took 12 US citizens hostage.

This unprecedented escalation underscores deepening US-Israel alignment against Iran. As debris clears and retaliatory threats mount, the region braces for further volatility.

AFP