In the White House, the start of a "major military operation" in Iran was announced, clarifying that this should not be considered a war.
Among the main tasks outlined in the official statement are:
- Elimination of Iran's missile potential and destruction of its missile industry.
- Striking at naval forces.
- Preventing destabilization of the region and the world by armed groups under the control of the Iranian regime, as well as protecting American forces.
- Ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.
Additionally, Republicans in Congress have been strongly advised to avoid using the word "war" in the context of current events, referring to them as a "major military operation."
According to NBC News, the U.S. had previously reduced its military presence at bases in the Middle East before the strikes on Iran began.
The Pentagon reportedly redistributed troops for several weeks before the operation, sending them on temporary assignments to other regions to minimize potential losses from retaliatory attacks.
This was not an evacuation, but a planned reduction in numbers to lower risks, the publication notes.
According to Tasnim, the office of the Council of Experts responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader of Iran was hit by a missile strike from Israel and the U.S. in Qom.
The building is believed to be almost completely destroyed.
The media has released footage of the aftermath of the strike on the Council of Experts in Qom.
Local sources report video from the scene. Israeli Channel 12 claims that the strike occurred at the moment when 88 council members gathered to vote for a successor to Khamenei.
Iranian state television states that the participants of the meeting were evacuated in advance and there are no casualties.
According to CBS News, the "fortified" tactical center of the U.S. in Kuwait turned out to be a trailer with a concrete fence.
After the strike by an Iranian drone, six American servicemen were killed, the publication reports.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth previously claimed that the strike was carried out with powerful weaponry, and the air defense forces failed to cope with the threat, adding that the building was fortified.
However, three American military officials told CBS News that this "building" was a converted office trailer. The only fortifications were reinforced concrete walls, which could not protect against a strike from above.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia detained agents of Mossad who were planting bombs on their territory.
This was reported by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei:
"I have repeatedly warned about 'false flag operations.' The party that believes it is successfully dragging America into war against Iran — for the second time — will not hesitate to commit any atrocities."
Earlier, Tasnim referred to an Iranian military expert who claimed that the strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities were carried out by Israel "under a false flag" to divert attention.
A possible war with Iran may revive discussions in the EU about Russian gas, — Reuters.
"The EU has made it clear that it aims to rid itself of Russian oil and gas, but the events of the last few days have not been easy," said Norway's Minister of Energy Terje Aasland at a conference in Oslo. "Given the current geopolitical situation, I believe discussions will resume," he added.
Last month, EU countries finally approved a ban on gas imports from Russia until the end of 2027. Norway is the largest gas producer in Europe, meeting about 30% of demand, and also supplies about 20% of oil on the continent.
Experts believe that the war in Iran will weaken Ukraine's air defense systems — Bloomberg.
The growing demand for anti-aircraft missiles from Gulf countries facing Iranian attacks may lead to a reduction in resources for Ukraine. Sales of American weapons to Kyiv may slow down if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, two sources report.
Putin, who is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine, condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law" in a Sunday statement, avoiding direct accusations against Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump. On Monday, he called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in phone conversations with leaders of the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE.
Given that hostilities in eastern and southern Ukraine have largely reached a stalemate, Russia has begun an active campaign of missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure during the coldest winter in years, trying to break Ukrainian morale. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to allies for more anti-aircraft missiles to protect civilians from attacks. On Monday, he warned that a prolonged war in the Middle East "will undoubtedly affect the supply" of such weapons to his country. Zelensky also reported that on Tuesday he discussed Iranian drone attacks with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and offered assistance in strengthening defenses.
The death of Khamenei was the third major blow to the Kremlin in less than 18 months after the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by American troops. The communist government of Cuba is also struggling under economic pressure from the U.S., receiving only minor assistance from Moscow. These setbacks exacerbate the weakening of Russia's influence in neighboring countries since the start of the war in Ukraine, as concerned former Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia turn to the U.S. and other powers, including China and the European Union, to strengthen ties. The loss of another ally is a blow to Putin, but rising energy prices may help ease pressure on the Russian budget deficit and improve funding capabilities for the war to achieve goals in Ukraine.
The Chinese Foreign Minister told his Israeli counterpart that Beijing opposes strikes on Iran.
Wang Yi, China's Foreign Minister, in a phone conversation with Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, noted that Beijing condemns military strikes on Iran, according to state media reports.
China, being a close partner of Iran, called for a ceasefire and condemned the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "serious violation."
During the conversation with Saar, Wang did not directly condemn the actions, stating that China advocates resolving issues through "dialogue and consultations," as reported by the state news agency Xinhua.
"Recent negotiations between Iran and the U.S. were clearly making progress... Unfortunately, the process was interrupted by gunfire," Wang said.
Confirming Beijing's disagreement with the military actions of the U.S. and Israel, Wang added: "Force cannot solve problems. It will only lead to new problems and serious consequences." He also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent further escalation of the conflict and its spiraling out of control.
The record "Not War? The White House announced the start of a 'major military operation' in Iran. What else happened?" first appeared on K-News.
