The military operation against Iran entered its eighth day on Saturday. Israeli forces continued to expand their strikes against Iranian proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon, while the remnants of the leadership in Tehran vowed to keep fighting but apologized for hitting its Gulf neighbours, and President Trump has warned that Iran will be “hit very hard” today.
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**Saturday’s live updates below. All updates in Eastern time**
10:40 PM: Quds Force aircraft in Tehran destroyed by Israelis
The Israel Defense Force said on Saturday that it had destroyed 16 Qods Force aircraft during airstrikes on the Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran over the past night.
“Aircraft loaded with weapons and cash took off from the airport numerous times and landed across the region for the use of the Iranian terror regime’s proxies,” the IDF said per the Times of Israel.
The IDF claimed that the aircraft were being used to send weapons to the jihadist Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.
10:25 PM: 42 Iranian ships knocked out, says Trump
Speaking at a ‘Shield of the Americas’ Summit on Saturday in Doral, Florida, U.S President Donald Trump said that American forces have “knocked out 42 navy ships, some of them very large in three days.”
“That was the end of the navy; we knocked out their air force. We knocked out their communications and all telecommunications is gone,” he said. “I don’t know how they communicate, but I guess they will figure something out. It’s not working out too well.”
9:55 PM: U.S. begins using UK bases for Iran conflict
Britain’s Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that the United States’ armed forces have begun using its bases for “defensive” operations in the Iran conflict. Initially, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer refused requests from Washington to use NATO air bases; however, under intense pressure, he later relented and approved their use for “defensive” purposes. Offensive strikes by America from British bases against Iran are still being prohibited by the left-wing government in London.
9:30 PM: Kuwait cuts back oil production
The state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) announced on Saturday that it will reduce crude oil production and refining capacity as a “precautionary” measure amid threats from Iran and the danger posed to cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The national oil company said that it will review the decision as the situation in the region develops and that it “remains fully prepared to restore production levels once conditions allow.”
9:20 PM: U.S. approves sale of more bombs to Israel
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs announced on Friday the approval of the sale of 12,000 470-kg bombs to Israel for $151.8 million. “The proposed sale will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats,” the bureau said.
9:00 PM: Lebanon death toll
The state-run National News Agency of Lebanon claimed on Saturday that 294 people have been killed and 1,023 have been wounded amid the conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists, which broke the 2024 ceasefire agreement and fired rockets into Israel last week after the strikes on Iran.
8:50 PM: Britain reportedly prepping an aircraft carrier for possible deployment
After facing widespread criticism at home and abroad for a dithering early response to the conflict in Iran, the UK is reportedly preparing aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales for possible deployment to the Middle East, Sky News reported. Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that four RAF Typhoon fighter jets have been pictured as they arrived in Qatar on Saturday.
7:50 PM: Arab states report continued Iranian attacks
Despite the public apology from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and a promise to halt attacks, multiple neighbouring countries have reported attempted Iranian strikes on Saturday. The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates said that it intercepted 15 ballistic missiles, while another fell into the sea. The MoD said that it also intercepted 119 Iranian drones, while two fell onto UAE territory. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said that it intercepted drones on their way to the Shaybah oil field and its capital city of Riyadh.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud warned on Saturday that Iran should “exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation.”
7:00 PM: CENTCOM: Not slowing down
U.S. Central Command said that during the first week of Operation Epic Fury in Iran, American forces struck over 3,000 targets in Iran, adding, “and we are not slowing down.”
6:45 PM: U.S. to step up strikes, Trump says
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the decision by Iran to “surrender” to its Gulf neighbours and halt regional strikes was a result of it being “beat to Hell” by the “relentless” strikes from the United States and Israel.
“They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, ‘Thank you President Trump.’ I have said, ‘You’re welcome!’ Iran is no longer the ‘Bully of the Middle East,’ they are, instead, ‘THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,’ and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse!” the president wrote.
President Trump said that Iran “will be hit very hard” on Saturday, and added: “Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time.”
6:40 PM: Tehran vows to keep fighting, but apologises for strikes on neighbours
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that what remains of his government will never surrender to the forces of the United States and Israel. In a nationally televised address, Pezeshkian is quoted by the Times of London as saying: “The enemies must take their wish for the surrender of the Iranian people to their graves.”
However, Pezeshkian did take a more contrite tone towards Iran’s Arab neighbours and said that Tehran will cease strikes on neutral Gulf states.
“I apologise… to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran”, he said. “The interim leadership council agreed yesterday that no more attacks will be made on neighbouring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.”
6:35 PM: Israel continues strikes in Lebanon
The Israel Defence Forces said on Saturday that it completed another wave of military strikes against targets across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, including attacks on rocket launchers, weapons stockpiles, and other Hezbollah sites. The IDF also claimed to have struck commanders from the Radwan Force of the Iranian-backed terror group, which entered the conflict last Sunday, breaking its 2024 truce with Jerusalem to launch rockets into northern Israel in revenge strikes over the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
For earlier Livewire updates from Friday, please click here
