Hamas describes the US strikes in Iran as "blatant aggression".

In a statement, Hamas says the attack is a "flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to international peace and stability".

Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. Israel's military offensive in Gaza in response has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Hamas, a Palestinian armed group and political movement, is designated a terrorist group by many countries including the US, UK and Israel.

More reaction is coming out of Israel, where we're hearing from the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar.

He says Trump has written his name in gold in the history books thanks to his "courageous decision" to carry out the strikes, according to a translation of his post on X.

He adds that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu led the "historic move".

We're now getting some images from the White House showing Donald Trump and other US officials in the Situation Room during the strikes on Iran.

Image source, The White House

Image source, The White House

Image source, The White House

Image source, The White House

Image source, Reuters

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his warnings to Iran against any retaliation.

In a post on Truth Social, posted after his address in the White House, Trump wrote:

"ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT."

Mark Kimmitt, the US former deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East, has just been speaking with the BBC News channel.

Kimmitt said that while it was clear the US had launched "a substantial hit" on Iran's nuclear facilities, formal assessments would still be needed to confirm the extent of the damage.

He added that if multiple so-called "bunker-buster" bombs were used on the Fordo nuclear facility, there was a "greater chance than not that the facility is out of action".

Would Trump go as far as regime change in Iran?published at 03:44 British Summer Time

03:44 BST

published at 11:44

11:44

Gary O'Donoghue
Chief North America correspondent

When Israel hit Iran last Thursday week, Donald Trump’s Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, Marco Rubio, immediately distanced the US from the action, calling it “unilateral” on Israel’s part.

Fast forward to now, and America is a combatant.

The president hopes this is a ‘one and done’ action, as Americans like to put it, but the one thing that is out of his hands is how Iran responds.

He is urging Iran to make peace – warning that future attacks would be “far worse and a lot easier”.

Does that mean he’s prepared to go as far as regime change? That would certainly be counter to his promise to avoid taking the US into foreign wars and could cause a significant domestic backlash among many of his supporters.

US presidents often come into office vowing to focus on their agenda at home – and many have ended up getting drawn into international hotspots and wars. Is the same happening to the most isolationist president in living memory?

Jake Kwon
North America Correspondent

Image source, Reuters

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is likely patting himself on the back today.

President Trump in his first term mulled bombing North Korea's nuclear sites after the country tested missiles that can reach the continental US. Ultimately Washington chose diplomacy over military strikes.

It was understood that the US couldn't risk attacking a country who had already demonstrated it had working nuclear bombs.

Iran gave up its enriched uranium after the 2015 deal with the US and Europe. Trump's spy chief Tulsi Gabbard said in March that Iran was not building nuclear weapons.

After today's strike, future adversaries of the US may believe that North Korea calculated correctly.

The UN has also issued its response to the strikes.

Calling it a "dangerous escalation", the UN Secretary General António Guterres says there is now a "growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world".

He adds in the post on X: "At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace."

Image source, Reuters

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
BBC Persian, World Service reporter

We're just getting some more reaction from Iran following the US strikes.

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) condemns America's “savage assault” on three Iranian nuclear sites.

The organisation also criticises the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for being “indifferent and even complicit”.

The AEOI called on the global community to “condemn the attacks and support Iran’s rightful position”.

The organisation says that “despite the malicious plans of the enemies”, scientists and experts will “keep the country’s nuclear industry moving forward”.

The organisation will be taking “necessary" steps which will include “legal actions” following the attacks, the statement said.

Trump's message to Iran - negotiate or expect more strikespublished at 03:23 British Summer Time

03:23 BST

published at 11:23

11:23

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

Trump's message to the Iranian regime was short, simple and direct: come to the negotiating table, or more strikes will come.

"If they do not, future attacks will be far greater," he said. "And a lot easier."

In the lead-up to the attacks, Trump had repeatedly - at least publicly - left room for negotiations to continue.

Now, he continues to leave the path open, but with the threat of further American strikes looming over Iran's leadership.

"There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days," he said.

Notably, Trump did not explicitly mention the possibility of regime change in Tehran. Instead, he made it clear the US considers the operation largely over. But if - and only if - Iran comes to the table.

The US has moved considerable military assets to the region, which suggests, as Trump noted, that the US is ready to move extremely quickly if the president so chooses.

Image source, Reuters

Trump says thousands were killed by Iran's former military commander Qasem Soleimani.

"I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen, it will not continue."

He also congratulates Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they worked as a "team" to erase this "horrible threat to Israel".

Trump remarks lasted for about four minutes.

Image source, Reuters

"There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater that we have witnessed over the last eight days," Trump warns.

"Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal.

"But if peace doesn't come quickly we will go to those other targets with precision, speed and skill," the US president says.

Trump confirms the US struck Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan a short while ago.

"Everyone heard those names for years as they built this horrible destructive enterprise," he says.

"Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success."

He goes on to say "Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated".

Iran "must now make peace," says US President Donald Trump.

"If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier," he says.

Donald Trump has started his address. Follow more for the latest updates.

Donald Trump is set to make a televised address any moment now after earlier using social media to announce the US strikes on Iran.

You can follow all the latest here and watch it by clicking 'Watch live' at the top of this page.

US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says that US strikes on Iran has "dramatically increased" the risk of war.

In a post on X, Jeffries says: "President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorisation for the use of military force and risks the entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East."

He added that Trump "shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action".

Separately, Democratic US senator Bernie Sanders says that Trump's strikes are "grossly unconstitutional".

"The only entity that can take this country to war is the US Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders added.

Image source, Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just issued a statement following the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

"President Trump and I often say: 'Peace through strength.' First comes strength, then comes peace," he says.

"And tonight, president Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength," Netanyahu says.

As we've reported earlier, the US had given Israel a heads up ahead of the strikes. Netanayhu and Trump also spoke afterwards.

Jo Floto
Middle East bureau chief in Jerusalem

Israel has always maintained that it had the capacity to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme on its own, but it is also no secret that only America possessed the massive ordnance capable of dealing with the strongest levels of protection, particularly at Fordo, built deep inside a mountain.

If the sites are now indeed out of use, then there may be an opportunity for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare his main war aim complete.

But this morning the Middle East will be holding its breath, waiting to see whether this marks the beginning of the end of this conflict, or the beginning of an even more deadly phase to the war.

Last week Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had vowed to hit back at the US were it to enter the war. “The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” he said.

Only on Saturday the Houthi group in Yemen - staunch Iranian allies - had threatened to attack US ships transiting through the Red Sea if America entered the war.

Image source, Reuters

As we have reported, one of the main targets of the US strikes was the Fordo nuclear facility.

This is what the area looks like.

They were reported to have used 'bunker-buster' bombs.

And the only planes that could carry such bombs are B-2 stealth bombers.