Middle East
How the global media reacted to the U.S.–Israel strike on Iran
The attacks carried out by Israel and the United States against Iran, and Tehran’s response, are today’s main agenda item. While Iranian and Israeli media speak of the successes achieved, the U.S. press has reacted critically to Trump, and Iran’s neighbors are trying to understand the reasons behind what has happened.
The top leadership in Tehran was targeted: Israel and the U.S. struck the residences of Khamenei and Pezeshkian; Ali Shamkhani is assessed to have been neutralized.
Operation “Lion’s Roar” began with a dramatic series of pinpoint strikes aimed at paralyzing the command-and-control chain of the Revolutionary Guards and the Ayatollah regime. According to information obtained by our television channel, Israel assesses with high probability that its air force neutralized figures at the top of the security and state leadership in Tehran, including key individuals in the nuclear program and intelligence.
Following the terrorist attacks carried out by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on Saturday morning, General Abolfazl Shirkati announced that the Iranian armed forces responded immediately and launched missile strikes against all facilities held by the U.S. and Israeli militaries: “With God’s permission, we will give the U.S. and Israel a lesson they have never received in their history.” The General stated that Israeli bases have already been damaged and that Iran will deliver a much harsher blow later. He called on the Iranian public to remain calm, not to heed rumors, and to follow official news through national media.
Gulf News (United Arab Emirates)
Tensions between Washington and Tehran had been escalating for years, but the current escalation is linked to the collapse of the nuclear agreement. Subsequent attempts to revive the deal failed due to disagreements over uranium enrichment levels, sanctions relief, and regional security issues. Re-elected president in 2025, Trump reinstated the “maximum pressure” policy against Iran. Trump cited Iran’s suppression of anti-government protests as justification for potential actions. The protests that erupted at the end of December were harshly suppressed by security forces. What happens next? Iran had previously signaled that it was prepared for retaliatory measures. Analysts say Tehran has several options, including missile strikes on U.S. bases in the region, attacks on Israeli facilities, or moves against American warships. Whether the conflict remains limited or expands regionally will largely depend on Iran’s response in the coming days.
The New York Times (United States)
Why did you start this war, Mr. President?
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised voters that he would not start wars but would instead end them. However, over the past year he ordered military strikes on seven countries. His appetite for military operations appears to grow as they are carried out… Trump’s approach to Iran is reckless. His objectives are unclear. He has failed to secure the international and domestic support necessary to maximize the chances of achieving the desired outcome. He has disregarded both international and domestic laws of war.
Iran is not defenseless in the face of a U.S. attack. According to experts, the Tehran regime has the capacity to resist the U.S. Armed Forces, at least temporarily. Farzan Sabet, an analyst of Middle Eastern politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, states that the Iranian military “could inflict significant damage on U.S. bases in the region and cause high casualties among American soldiers.”
At this stage, Iran primarily relies on its missile inventory. In a statement in 2022, former U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Kenneth McKenzie said that Iran possesses more than 3,000 ballistic missiles of various types. According to McKenzie, these weapons have “much more advanced precision accuracy” compared to previous models.
It is difficult to estimate the current state of Iran’s inventory. Tehran used hundreds of ballistic missiles during the 12-day war with Israel last year. According to Sabet, since then Iran has focused on replenishing its stock of missiles with ranges between 1,000 and 3,000 kilometers. However, the extent to which Iran has been able to increase the number of its launchers remains unclear. Israel claims that this number was reduced by half during the clashes.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it will never produce nuclear weapons and that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Neither U.S. intelligence nor the IAEA has found evidence that Iran is seeking to build an atomic bomb, although Israel and some representatives of the Trump administration have claimed otherwise.
Sources speaking to Al Jazeera’s Washington correspondent Alan Fisher said that U.S. participation in the attack aimed to “collapse the regime leadership.” According to the sources, the strikes could target areas where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might be hiding. One source stated, “The goal was to eliminate the regime leader and then observe what would happen afterward.” According to the Associated Press, one of the locations struck in the capital was an area near the offices of Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Correspondent Fisher said, “There are countries warning the U.S. against this attack and asking what the plan is for ‘the day after,’ because you cannot say that removing the Supreme Leader guarantees the establishment of a pro-American government.”
A senior Iranian official emphasized that there would be “no red lines” in the response to Israel and U.S. attacks, adding, “All U.S. and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East are now legitimate targets.”
The United Kingdom must resist attempts to be drawn into the conflict in the Middle East. Emily Thornberry, Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and a Labour MP, stated that the U.S. and Israeli attacks had no legal basis.
Thornberry said: “According to the information I have received, we are not involved. The UK did not approve this participation, and I believe that is correct. I do not think there is a legal basis for these actions. They [the U.S. and Israel] were not under direct threat, so it is difficult to understand what the legal justification is.”
Asked whether the UK should oppose becoming involved in the conflict, Thornberry responded, “Absolutely. Unless we ourselves are attacked. As I said before, unfortunately as of this morning we do not know whether that might happen, because there is a possibility that the Iranians could attack Western bases in the Gulf, and in that case the picture could change.”
In the months leading up to the attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the U.S. Armed Forces conducted joint planning and carried out a comprehensive strike in full coordination and synchronization. Military officials confirmed that the IDF, with all its units, had made “long-term and extensive preparations for this operation within the framework of defense systems and various offensive plans.”
In a statement from the military, it was noted that Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and other commanders conducted a situation assessment, and that the Israeli Air Force continues to strike military targets in Iran. The Air Force is particularly targeting multiple military facilities in western Iran.