Why is US, Israel attacking Iran?
Updated ,first published
Israel and the United States attacked Iran in a joint military offensive on Saturday, killing the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and attacking targets in Tehran and other major cities.
In retaliation, Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel and several other countries in the region in which the United States has military interests.
Iranian state television confirmed Khamenei’s death early Sunday morning, hours after it was first reported in Israeli media and announced on social media by US President Donald Trump.
After Trump called on Iranians to “Take back your country” on social media, Khamenei’s compound in Tehran was targeted in the first wave of attacks.
Iran has launched counter-attacks by firing drones and missiles at Israel and launched attacks targeting US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The clashes continued until Saturday night.
At least 201 people were killed and more than 700 injured on Saturday evening, Iranian state media said, citing the Red Crescent.
How did we get here?
Israel fought a 12-day war with Iran last year, culminating in a major US attack on key Iranian nuclear facilities; Donald Trump said it resulted in the “destruction” of Tehran’s nuclear program.
A series of protests triggered by the currency crisis and cost of living concerns swept Iran in January, prompting a violent response from the Islamic regime. US-based human rights group HRANA suggested that more than 7,000 people may have been killed in government reprisals.
The suppression of the protests triggered the intervention of Trump, who told the Iranians that “help is on the way” and warned Tehran that the United States would intervene if protesters were killed. Reported at the end of January The president had been presented with an expanded list of potential military options aimed at further damaging Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities.
Trump later suggested in February: Regime change in Tehran “would be the best thing that could happen” announced that it would send a second aircraft carrier to the region.
The United States and Israel have reportedly demanded that Iran stop developing ballistic missiles and end its support for regional proxy forces such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Against the backdrop of this, Washington’s massive military buildup continued, with dozens of fighter jets and refueling tankers heading to regional bases alongside aircraft carrier battle groups.
Why did Israel and the USA attack Iran?
Trump has repeatedly suggested in recent weeks that military action is an option if Iran does not agree to his demands to completely end its nuclear program.
The day before the attacks, Trump said he was “not happy” with the progress of negotiations with Iranian leaders while insisting that the regime “cannot have nuclear weapons.”
In his post on the Truth Social platform, Trump said that the purpose of the attacks was “to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a group of very tough, scary people.”
Trump called on the Iranians to “take over your government,” telling them: “The hour of your freedom is approaching.”
What did the attacks target?
Iranian media reported that strikes were held across the country, from the capital Tehran to cities such as Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah.
The military operation is expected to focus on Iran’s military areas. Trump said US forces would target Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile industry, navy and terrorist proxies.
Did Iran retaliate?
Sustained missile salvoes from Iran forced people in and out of shelters in central Israel throughout the day on Saturday. Israeli media reported that one person died in the attack on Tel Aviv, and the Israeli ambulance service reported that 21 people were injured.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, all of which host US troops, also reported Iranian attacks and appeared to repel most of them.
According to the news of Fars news agency, based on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain were targeted by Iranian missile attacks.
In Dubai, local officials said four people were injured in a fire that broke out on Palm Jumeirah, the man-made island famous for its luxury hotels, resorts and tourist attractions. A luxury hotel was hit by fragments from a missile that was either intercepted or deorbited.
Saudi Arabia said Iranian missiles were intercepted over the capital Riyadh and the eastern region where most of the kingdom’s oil fields are located.
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said its military shot down several missiles before they reached its airspace.
Loud explosions were also heard in parts of Abu Dhabi, according to five witnesses, including two Reuters reporters.
How long will the conflict last?
Trump called the attacks a “major combat operation.”
The power to formally declare war in the United States rests only with Congress, which has not authorized the action.
“No president has been willing to do what I want to do tonight,” Trump said.
A US official told New York Times The campaign may last several days; This represents a much stronger effort than America’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year.
Trump acknowledged that the United States “may have losses” as a result of the operation. He said that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, warned him that American soldiers could be killed or injured in a war with Iran.
The Israeli military detected ballistic missiles launched from Iran in response to the attack. American bases and embassies in the region are also on high alert due to expectations that Tehran and its network of proxy paramilitary forces will attack US interests.
What is Iran’s nuclear weapons capacity?
Iran does not yet have a nuclear weapon, but as Council on Foreign Relations analysts wrote this month, the regime “has a long history of engaging in secret nuclear weapons research in violation of its international commitments.”
In May last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium had increased by 50 percent in three months. The United States and Israel launched attacks targeting Iran’s major nuclear facilities shortly thereafter.
Why have there been protests in Iran recently?
Protests broke out across Iran in late December, initially sparked by economic woes, and the depreciation of the country’s currency caused inflation to soar.
The protests quickly spread and turned into a widespread anti-government crackdown, but the movement ended in January after the regime cut off internet access and authorized violence against those who took to the streets. Human rights activists feared the death toll could exceed 10,000.
How did the conflict affect flights around the world?
Israel, Iran and Iraq closed their airspace with the start of air strikes.
Israel’s Ministry of Transport said it had closed the country’s airspace and asked citizens to stay away from airports.
He added that he would warn passengers 24 hours before flights resume.
Virgin Australia partner Qatar Airways announced the “temporary suspension of its flights to and from Doha” due to the closure of Qatar airspace.
“We anticipate delays in our flight schedule once regular operations resume,” the airline said.
Qatar, through its partner Virgin Australia, operates around 70 flights a week from Australia’s capitals to Europe and the Middle East via its headquarters in Doha.
Dubai-based Emirates said the conflict had disrupted many of its flights due to the closure of the Persian Gulf region’s airspace.
The airline, which operates 77 weekly flights between Australian capitals and Dubai, said: “We apologize to customers affected by the disruptions for any inconvenience and are assisting them with rebooking, refunds or alternative travel arrangements.”
Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines canceled flights from Singapore to Dubai and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Germany’s Lufthansa has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon and Oman until March 7 following the attacks on Iran, a company spokesman said.
What has been the global reaction?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first foreign leaders to weigh in on the attack.
He said Australia “stands with the brave Iranian people in their fight against tyranny”.
“We support the United States taking action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international peace and security,” Albanese added.
“It has long been recognized that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace. The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime will never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.”
With Chris Zappone, AP, Reuters
Read more about the US-Israel-Iran conflict:
Tom Minear- Tom is The Age’s state features editor.
