The White House confirmed that a "major military operation" has begun in Iran, clarifying that it should not be referred to as a war.
Among the stated objectives of the operation:
▫️ Destruction of Iran's missile capabilities and elimination of its missile industry.
▫️ Attack on naval forces.
▫️ Control of situations to prevent armed groups supported by the regime from destabilizing the region and threatening American troops.
▫️ Prevention of Iran's ability to acquire nuclear weapons.
Additionally, Republicans in Congress have been advised to avoid the term "war" in their statements, preferring to use "major military operation".
According to NBC News, the U.S. has preemptively reduced the number of its troops at bases in the Middle East ahead of strikes on Iran.
According to the publication, weeks before the operation began, the Pentagon redistributed its forces, sending some personnel on temporary assignments to other areas of the region and beyond.
This action should not be perceived as an evacuation, but rather as a planned reduction of presence to minimize potential losses in the event of retaliatory attacks, the publication emphasizes.
Israel and the U.S. launched a missile strike on the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for electing Iran's Supreme Leader, in Qom, according to Tasnim.
It is reported that the building was almost completely destroyed.
The media presented footage of the aftermath of the strike on the Assembly of Experts in Qom.
Local sources are publishing videos from the scene, while Israeli Channel 12 reports that the strike occurred when 88 members of the council were gathering to vote for Khamenei's successor.
Iranian state television claims that the meeting participants were evacuated in advance, so there are no casualties.
In Kuwait, the "fortified" tactical center of the U.S. turned out to be a trailer with a concrete fence.
After an attack by an Iranian drone, six American servicemen were killed there, CBS News reports.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth previously stated that the strike was carried out with powerful weapons, and air defense forces were unable to cope with it. He also noted that the building had fortifications.
However, three American military officials told CBS News that this "building" was actually a converted trailer, and the only fortifications were reinforced concrete walls, which were unable to protect against attacks from above.
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia detained Mossad agents who were planting explosives on their territory.
This was stated by the official representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei:
"I have repeatedly warned about 'false flag operations'. The party that believes it is successfully drawing America into a war against Iran — for the second time — will certainly not hesitate to commit atrocities."
Earlier, Tasnim, citing an Iranian military expert, reported that strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities were carried out by Israel "under a false flag" to divert attention.
The conflict with Iran may revive discussions in the EU about Russian gas, Norwegian authorities do not rule out, reports Reuters.
"The EU has clearly expressed its desire to get rid of Russian oil and gas, but the events of the past few days have also been complicated," said Norway's Minister of Energy Terje Aasland at a conference in Oslo. "Given the current geopolitical situation, I believe that discussions will resume," he added.
Last month, EU countries finalized an agreement to ban gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027. Norway is a leading gas producer in Europe, meeting about 30% of demand, and also supplies about 20% of oil to the continent.
Experts believe that the war in Iran could weaken Ukraine's vital air defense systems, — Bloomberg.
Demand for anti-aircraft missiles from Gulf countries under attack from Iran could lead to a reduction in resources available for Ukraine, and sales of American weapons to Kyiv may slow down if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, two sources reported.
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 his Sunday statement, avoiding direct accusations against Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump. On Monday, in phone calls with leaders of Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE, he called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
As fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine has stalled, Russia has launched an active campaign of missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure during the coldest winter in many years, trying to undermine the morale of Ukrainians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to allies for increased supplies of anti-aircraft missiles for defense against attacks. On Monday, he warned that a protracted war in the Middle East "will undoubtedly affect supplies" of such weapons to his country. Zelensky also noted that he had communicated with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed regarding Iranian drone attacks and offered assistance in strengthening defense.
The death of Khamenei marked the third strategic blow to Kremlin interests in less than a year and a half after the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by American troops. The Cuban government is also struggling to withstand U.S. economic pressure, receiving only limited 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 have begun to seek to strengthen ties with the U.S. and other powers, including China, the European Union, and Turkey. While the fall of yet another Kremlin ally is a setback for Putin, rising energy prices may ease budgetary tensions in Russia and enhance its ability to finance the war to achieve its goals in Ukraine.
The Chinese Foreign Minister informed his Israeli counterpart of Beijing's position against strikes on Iran.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a phone conversation with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, stated that Beijing opposes military actions against Iran, according to state media reports.
China, being a close partner of Tehran, called for a ceasefire and condemned the killing of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "serious violation" of international law.
In a conversation with Saar, Wang refrained from direct condemnation and stated that China advocates resolving conflicts through "dialogue and consultations," as reported by the state news agency Xinhua.
"Recent negotiations between Iran and the U.S. were clearly moving forward... Unfortunately, this process was interrupted due to the conflict," Wang noted.
Emphasizing Beijing's disagreement with U.S.-Israeli military actions, Wang added: "Force cannot truly solve problems. It will only lead to new difficulties and serious consequences."
"China calls for an immediate cessation of military actions to prevent further escalation of the conflict and loss of control of the situation," he concluded.
The post Not a war? The White House announced the start of a "major military operation" in Iran. What else happened? first appeared on K-News.
