US bombs Iran live updates: Iran launches fresh strikes in Israel as Trump promises major retaliation

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott says US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “done the world a great favour” after their attack on Iran.

“If, as seems likely, the Ayatollahs’ Islamist regime is at an end, Bibi Netanyahu and Donald Trump have done the world a great favour,” Mr Abbott posted on X on Sunday.

“May this be a new beginning for the long suffering people of Iran - and for a world that has lived under the threat of apocalyptic Islamism.”

Shadow defence minister James Paterson has welcomed confirmation that Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has been killed in the US-Israel led attack.

“It is a good thing for Australia, the Middle East and the world that the Ayatollah and many of his most senior Islamic Republic regime officials are dead,” Senator Paterson posted on X on Sunday.

“The IRGC sponsored terror attacks on Australian soil, murdered tens of thousands of its own citizens and masterminded a network of terror proxies to menace democracies around the world.

“It is to the great credit of the United States and Israel that they have dealt such a heavy blow to this malignant actor.

“But now it is up to the Iranian people to choose their own destiny. We stand in solidarity with the people of Iran as they decide the future of their nation.”

Iran has been showered in a fresh wave of strikes, with at least three loud explosions heard around 4am local time, AFP reports.

The US Central Command has posted video of the action dubbed Operation Epic Fury, saying it is delivering swift and decisive action as directed.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has described the operation as “the most lethal, most complex, and most-precision aerial operation in history”.

“The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal — and now they are suffering the consequences.”

During an emergency session of the UN Security Council over Iran strikes on Sunday, Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack, warning it could destabilise the region.

The session was divided with US and Israeli representatives insisting the attack was in the world’s best interest while Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced it as a “war crime”.

He noted the string of civilian deaths, notably of more than 100 children at Minab School in southern Iran.

“It is regrettable that some members of this body, in a blatant double standard, disregard the flagrant act of aggression committed by the US and Israel on Iran, and condemn Iran for using its inherent right to self-defense in the UN Charter,” he said.

US ambassador Mike Waltz said it was “not a matter of politics, it’s a matter of global security”.

“The United States is taking lawful actions,” he said.

Representatives of Gulf states, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria and Jordan, condemned Iran’s strikes against them as “cowardly”.

A joint statement read by Bahrain’s ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei stated: “We hold the government of Iran fully responsible for these attacks, and we reject any justifications or explanations to justify this hostile behavior or to manipulate rules of international law”.

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US President Donald Trump has insisted that there is a justifiable basis for the US-Israel attacks on Iran, warning against its nuclear build up and its role in threatening international peace through regional proxy groups.

But his reference to Iran’s nuclear threat has been questioned after Mr Trump had claimed America’s mid-2025 strikes on its nuclear program had already “obliterated” it.

Australia’s PM and Foreign Minister were careful with their wording, saying it supports efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons but didn’t give the strikes a full-throated endorsement.

When asked if he was concerned about the legal basis, Anthony Albanese said they were “judgements and statements for the United States”.

“What I would say is that the threat to international peace and of the Iranian regime is real,” he told a press conference in Sydney on Sunday.

Beyond the nuclear concern, the PM also sought to highlight the regime’s influence through proxies such as the 2024 Iran-orchestrated attacks on Australian soil.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has declared Australia supports the prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons but has been tight-lipped on what conversations have been had with counterparts.

“Iran has been in breach of nuclear agreements for a very long time. It’s critically important, critically important, that Iran does not end up with nuclear weapons,” he told Weekend Sunrise.

“We’re supporting the United States, taking action to prevent that.

“The actions, as stated by the United States and Israel, have been taken by them. I won’t go into what conversations happen back and forth. But those two governments are the ones taking the action, and Australia’s role right now is to say to our own citizens.”

The Labor frontbencher added that Australia “unequivocally stands” with the Iranian people, saying “we want the Iranian people to be able to have charge of their government again”.

Iranian State media have finally confirmed the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hours after Donald Trump did so on social media.

“The Supreme Leader of Iran Has Reached Martyrdom,” state broadcaster IRIB reported.

Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter were also killed in US and Israeli strikes.

“After establishing contact with informed sources in the Supreme Leader’s household, the news of the martyrdom of the daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter of the Revolutionary Leader has unfortunately been confirmed,” Fars news agency reported.

Forty days of mourning has been announced for Iranians to mark Khamenei’s death.

Anthony Albanese has been asked about whether Australia should offer more support for the change of reigme in Iran after the US-Israel offensive.

The Prime Minister aid it was a “matter for the Iranian people”.

“This is a regime that we hope that the Iranian people are able to determine their own destiny,” he told a Sydney press conference.

When asked earlier today if Australia was prepared to send troops, his Foreign Minister Penny Wong had said Australia “did not participate in the strikes and you would not expect us to participate”.

Asked to clarify if she was ruling it out, she added “you would not expect us… to participate”.

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie had told Sky’s Sunday Agenda that he couldn’t weigh into if Australia should offer military support as he hadn’t been briefed on what, if any, requests had been made.

“My first concern last night when I saw footage of a missile hitting Bahrain was for the ADF personnel who had been sent there over the last few years. I don’t know what the picture is, and I’d hesitate to comment without any information on that,” he said.

WA Liberal MP and former SAS veteran Andrew Hastie says US President Donald Trump’s decision to strike wasn’t surprising as he labelled him “an apex opportunist” but added that he held concerns on the change of regime by force.

“I’m not surprised that President Trump has taken this action along with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he told Sunday Agenda.

“There’s a lot of risk and as a veteran of the so-called Forever Wars, I’m very suspicious about regime change by force,” he said.

“But Iran has a terrible regime – they’re a proxy, they’re underwritten by Chinese and Russian tech.

“So, this is also a demonstration by President Trump that he is reestablishing deterrence and he’s also going to send a message to some of his other geopolitical competitors that US military technology is superior.

“He made that point after Venezuela, defeating Russian and Chinese tech in their air defences. I assume the same point will be made post this operation as well.”

“I understand there are thousands of Australians with loved ones in the Middle East,” the PM continued.

“The days ahead are going to be difficult,” he said.

“My government’s priority remains the safety Australians in the region. The government will do all we can to keep Australians safe and our personnel who are there in the region, as well.”