Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, state news media confirms

Airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were damaged overnight as Iranian retaliatory attacks spread across the Gulf states.

"An incident" at Dubai International Airport left four staff injured, according to a social media post by the emirate's media office.

Most airport terminals had been cleared of passengers, the authority said, adding that further updates will be provided as they become available.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi also reported an interception of a drone that targeted the Zayed International airport, killing an Asian national and leaving seven injured.

Iran has responded to the U.S.-Israel strikes by targeting Israel and multiple Gulf states, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan, which host U.S. assets.

An intercepted Iranian drone reportedly caused a minor fire on the Burj Al Arab's outer facade.

One of the berths at Dubai's Jebel Ali Port also caught fire due to debris resulting from an aerial interception, according to local media reports, citing Dubai authorities.

—Anniek Bao

Iran experienced a near-total internet shutdown starting around 2 a.m. ET Saturday, according to independent internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

The organization, which uses network measurement and web traffic analytics to detect government-imposed outages, reported that national connectivity fell to just 4% of normal levels.

Posting on X, NetBlocks said the disruption coincided with U.S. and Israeli military operations and resembled restrictions imposed during last year's conflict with Israel.

—Lee Ying Shan

Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps died in the U.S.-Israeli attack against Tehran on Saturday, the country's official news agency reported. Ali Shamkhani, representative of the Supreme Leader in the Supreme Defense Council, was also killed.

"We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces no longer want to fight and are looking for Immunity from us," Trump said in the aftermath of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death.

— Vinay Dwivedi

Large crowds gathered in Los Angeles cheering the news that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed during U.S.-Israeli strikes on Saturday, CNN reported.

Among the voices was a renewed call for Reza Pahlavi — son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — to return and head a transitional government, with hopes of holding a referendum to determine Iran's political future.

The scenes in Los Angeles mirrored those unfolding within Iran, where Iranians took to the streets to celebrate Khamenei's death, The New York Times reported.

— Anniek Bao

Israel's main airline El Al said it was "preparing a recovery operation" to bring Israelis abroad home once it receives security approvals.

The carrier said it was pausing flight sales until March 21 or "until all EL AL customers holding a valid ticket have been rebooked."

"Closing ticket sales is intended to ensure full priority for customers whose tickets were issued before the current situation and to guarantee their travel as soon as possible," the airline said.

— Leslie Josephs

More than 100 children in Iran were reportedly killed during a joint U.S.-Israeli air strike Saturday on a primary school in southern Iran, according to Iranian authorities.

The Shajareh Tayebeh primary school in the coastal city of Minab was hit during the strikes while approximately 170 schoolgirls were inside, said Mohammad Ashouri, governor of Hormozgan province.

Ashouri said 108 people had been killed and at least 92 people were wounded while an unspecified number remain trapped under rubble. He said he hoped that rescue operations would find more survivors.

In a post on X late Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said "dozens of innocent children have been murdered", in a post on social media.

"The destroyed building is a primary school for girls in the south of Iran. It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils," Araghchi added.

"These crimes against the Iranian people will not go unanswered," he said.

— Anniek Bao

A diplomatic solution of Iran's tensions with Israel and the U.S. is "easily" possible, Trump told CBS News' Robert Costa.

"Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously, because they are getting beat up badly," the president said.

Trump added that he knows who is running Iran following Khamenei's death but would not be specific.

Asked who he would like to see in charge of Iran, Trump said, "There are some good candidates."

— Jordan Novet

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, Iranian state media agency Press TV said in an X post.

The agency said the supreme leader was "martyred." In a separate post, Press TV announced 40 days of mourning and a week of public holidays.

Khamenei's death resulted from an Israeli airstrike, the Islamic Republic News Agency said on X.

At the time of his death, Khamenei was at his office within his residence, and not a hiding place, Iran's Fars News Agency said on Telegram.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it was sanctioning Fars and Press TV in a 2023 statement after Iran suppressed protests over the death of Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, who died in a Tehran hospital.

— Jordan Novet

Military conflicts have challenged airlines for years, forcing them to divert planes mid-flight or even reroute planes between continents for years at a time.

Tit-for-tat airspace restrictions following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine have forced carriers to find longer, more expensive alternative routes, driving up fuel costs for both passenger and cargo operators. The U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran are the latest example, though so far, many of them are set to last several days.

— Leslie Josephs

Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law and grandchild died after Israeli and U.S. airstrikes, the Fars News Agency said in a Telegram post, citing unnamed sources. The agency mentioned a report that a daughter-in-law of Khamenei's also died but did not provide confirmation.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it was sanctioning Fars News Agency in 2023 after Iran suppressed protests over the death of Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, who died in a Tehran hospital.

— Jordan Novet

More than 1,400 flights in and out of Middle East destinations are canceled on Sunday, with some service halted through the end of next week, according to aviation-data firm Cirium and airlines.

In addition to the some 1,800 canceled flights to and from the region on Saturday, more than 40 other flights were diverted due to airspace closures, affecting travelers flying from places as far as Australia and Brazil.

— Leslie Josephs

The board of governors ⁠of the International Atomic Energy ​Agency, the ​U.N. ​nuclear watchdog, will hold an emergency meeting ⁠on ‌Monday at 9 ⁠a.m. ET to discuss U.S. and Israeli strikes on ‌Iran, the watchdog said in ​a statement. Russia requested the meeting.

Diplomats told Reuters there was no indication Iranian nuclear facilities were struck ​on Saturday.

— Terri Culen

American Airlines said it is in touch with one of its flight crews, which includes pilots and flight attendants, stuck in Doha, Qatar, following the U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran, according to a company memo, seen by CNBC.

The crew was advised to shelter in place at their hotel, the memo said. Earlier, another American Airlines flight, from Philadelphia to Doha, turned back shortly after crossing over Spain, according to a playback of the flight on FlightRadar24.

American has suspended its Doha service due to airspace closures and security risks. Like other carriers, it has travel waivers in place for customers affected by the strikes and airspace closures.

— Leslie Josephs

Now that Anthropic's artificial intelligence models have been blacklisted by the government, there's a lingering question regarding Operation Epic Fury: Whose model is being used for the military mission in Iran?

Trump on Friday ordered all government agencies to "immediately cease" using technology from Anthropic, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took the rare step of designating the company a supply-chain risk to national security. The move came after Anthropic refused to comply with Pentagon demands that it allow the technology to be tapped for "all lawful uses."

Anthropic had been deployed in classified settings and was reportedly used in the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January. It was the first large language model to receive a greenlight for classified use, entering the defense ecosystem in late 2024 through its work with Palantir.

Earlier this week, Elon Musk's xAI reached an agreement with the Defense Department to allow Grok to be used in a classified setting, according to multiple reports. And on Friday night, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced his company had also struck an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its models in the DoD's classified network.

OpenAI followed up with a blog post on Saturday, stating that its "deployment has more guardrails than any previous agreement for classified AI deployments, including Anthropic's."

OpenAI said in the post that its technology won't be used for mass domestic surveillance, to direct autonomous weapons systems or "for high-stakes automated decisions."

— Morgan Brennan

Both the U.S. House and Senate are poised to vote next week on a war powers resolution requiring Trump to get approval from Congress before the U.S. carries out further strikes in Iran — but it's unlikely the measure will pass.

In the House, a few Republicans, including Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson, have said they will vote to limit Trump's ability to further strike Iran, asserting Congress' power to declare war under the Constitution.

"War requires Congressional authorization," Davidson said on X.

Even if Massie and Warren vote to curb Trump's power, at least two House Democrats say they will back Trump's ability to fight Iran — Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida.

In the Senate, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., plans to force a vote on war powers against Iran this week.

The Senate voted on a similar resolution in June to require Trump to seek approval from Congress before any strike. While Republican Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., joined nearly all Democrats in voting yes, the measure lacked the 51 votes needed to pass. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., voted with Republicans to oppose the war powers resolution. Fetterman expressed his support for the latest strikes.

—Emily Wilkins

Around 21 people were injured after an overnight Iranian missile strike in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, Reuters reported, citing Israeli ambulance services. Photos show damage and emergency response.

—Jordan Novet

Trump said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israel strikes.

Here is the U.S. president's full post on social media:

"Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS. He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us. As I said last night, "Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!" Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP"

Khamenei, 86, has been in power since 1989.

—Spencer Kimball

The U.S. State Department issued issued Level 4 travel advisories to Lebanon, Iraq and Iran and issued a worldwide security alert to citizens.

Embassy alerts are urging any U.S. citizens in Iran to shelter in place "until further notice." They advise those in Lebanon to depart immediately on a commercial flight option while they are available.

"The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages U.S. citizens in Southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria, in refugee settlements, and in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut to depart those areas immediately," read the alert.

"The commercial airport remains open and there is availability on commercial carriers, however flights may be cancelled at any time."

In Iraq, the department urged citizens to "exercise increased caution, limit their movements, and be prepared to shelter in place" due to reports of missiles, drones, or rockets in the country's airspace.

Iraqi airspace is currently closed, the report said, but "Iraqi officials may close and reopen airspace at short notice."

A Level 4 advisory urges U.S. citizens not to travel to an affected country, or to leave as soon as is safely possible.

—CJ Haddad

The U.S. had "indicators" Iran intended to use the nuclear missiles they were trying to rebuild against U.S. threats, senior Trump administration officials said on a call with reporters, according to MS NOW.

The White House offered new details behind this week's negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in Geneva, saying Iranian officials "refused at every instance" to discuss ballistic missiles with the U.S.

"We had analysis that basically told us, if we sat back and waited to get hit first, the amount of casualties and damage would be substantially higher than if we acted in a preemptive defensive way to prevent those launches from occurring, and that is the focus of the campaign right now," a senior Trump administration official said on the call, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Iran also allegedly denied an offer for "free nuclear fuel forever," presumably in exchange for not enriching uranium and expanding the country's nuclear energy capabilities, the officials said.

A senior administration official also said Iran agreed not to enrich uranium "for a short period of time," but that the U.S. as a way to buy time working to do the opposite.

"The fact that they weren't willing to take free nuclear fuel was a big tell to us that they were looking to buy time while they're weak and to get to a place where they, over time, can enrich," an official said. "There are several other areas in the negotiations that also showed that they were not curious about doing a deal."

The White House took no questions from the press on Saturday's call.

—CJ Haddad

Iranian armed drones were reportedly confirmed to have struck high-rise buildings in Bahrain, according to a security alert out of the country's U.S. embassy.

The alert follows multiple unconfirmed social media reports appearing to capture Iranian Shahed drones slamming into the facades of large buildings near Bahrain's capital, Manama.

Bahrain's Juffair region and the country's high-rise buildings are "not safe for U.S. personnel," according to the embassy.

"The U.S. embassy is aware of unconfirmed social media reports of U.S. citizens in Bahrain being targeted by Iran and its proxies," the alert read. "We encourage everyone to practice personal security awareness, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid large groups and demonstrations."

— CJ Haddad

Trump told NBC News, "We feel that is a correct story," referring to media reports citing Israeli claims that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in airstrikes.

Iran has denied those reports, saying that Khamenei is "safe and sound."

Trump said "most" of Iran's senior leadership is "gone," NBC reported.

"The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone," the president said.

Trump said "a large amount of leadership" was killed.

"I don't mean like two people," he told the outlet.

—Dan Mangan

The White House shared images of Trump and his national security team, monitoring the attack on Iran from the president's residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

The White House's official X account, in one post, showed Trump talking to Susie Wiles, his chief of staff, as they kept tabs on the mission.

The White House also shared an image of Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet secretaries, monitoring the attack from the Situation Room.

Pages of documents on the images appeared to have been blurred.

— Dan Mangan

United Airlines is extending its suspension of service to Dubai and Tel Aviv as the U.S. carrier with the most international exposure assesses security risks and airspace closures. Tel Aviv flights are among the most profitable for United.

Crews have left Tel Aviv, but plans are currently being arranged to remove flight crews from Dubai, a United spokesman said.

United said its Tel Aviv service, which includes flights from Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport, is canceled through next Friday. Dubai flights, which depart from Newark, are canceled through at least Wednesday.

— Leslie Josephs

The joint U.S. and Israeli attack on OPEC member Iran risks a major oil supply disruption in the Middle East that, in a worst-case scenario, could trigger a global economic recession.

The oil market has long shrugged off the risk of an oil supply disruption in the Middle East. Traders are underestimating the threat that Iranian retaliation to the U.S. attack poses to the market, said Bob McNally, a former White House energy advisor to former President George W. Bush.

Iran could try to scare President Donald Trump by making the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic, which could spike oil prices above $100 per barrel, McNally said. 

"A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is a guaranteed global recession," McNally said.

— Spencer Kimball

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed, after Israel and the U.S. carried out airstrikes in Iran.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told MSNOW that both Khamenei and Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian are "safe and sound."

CNBC has not independently verified Khamenei's condition.

"This morning, with a surprising hit, a blow, we hit out at the tyrant Khamenei," Netanyahu said at a press conference on Saturday. "For three decades, he has been sending terror with proxies and has made his people miserable and continue talking about the extermination of the state of Israel. This plan and program no longer exists. This tyrant no longer exists."

Khamanei is the country's second supreme leader, having ruled since 1989.

— Jordan Novet

Trump told Axios he had several "off ramps" for Operation Epic Fury.

"I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: 'See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs," Trump told the news outlet during a brief phone interview.

"In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack," he said.

Trump told Axios he decided to attack Iran after that nation's ruling regime "pulled back" from a possible deal with the U.S. to agree to reduce its nuclear program.

The president also cited Iran's history of conducting or backing attacks around the world, noting that he had asked government officials to compile a list of such Iranian-linked actions in the past 25 years.

"I saw that every month they did something bad, blew something up or killed someone," he told Axios.

— Dan Mangan

The Pentagon Pizza Index tracks spikes in activity at pizza restaurants in Arlington, Virginia, located near the Pentagon. An informal, soft data source in use for decades, the index operates on the theory that a surge in food orders can signal that government officials are working around the clock ahead of a major geopolitical event.  

The Pentagon Pizza Index reported "an extreme spike" in pizza activity Friday afternoon, with publicly accessible data for the nearby Domino's, Pizzato and Extreme Pizza restaurants showing activity jumps of 326%, 208%, and 127%, respectively.

The pizza metric has accurately called the start of other major military actions or geopolitical events, including last summer's Operation Midnight Hammer in which the U.S. carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and early January's Operation Absolute Resolve, which extracted former President Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela.

The theory dates back at least to Aug. 1, 1990, when, according to reports, a local Domino's franchisee reported that the CIA had ordered a record amount of pizza — just before Iraq invaded Kuwait, kicking off the Gulf War.

The Pentagon has repeatedly downplayed the Pizza Index and its accuracy. But Israel's Air Force reportedly issued a directive earlier this week asking soldiers not to order food to the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, according to Ynet.

— Morgan Brennan

Trump has spoken with world leaders including those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, U.K., Kuwait and Turkey, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said via posts on X following U.S. strikes across Iran Saturday morning.

Trump additionally spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

— CJ Haddad

The usually safe and glamorous tourism hub of Dubai was hit by falling debris this weekend. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted Iranian missiles that were raining down across the country after the U.S. and Israel launched a military operation in Iran on Saturday.

Tourists are now facing a travel nightmare as the country closed its airspace, and hundreds of flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been cancelled.

CNBC's team in the UAE confirmed seeing missiles across the sky in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as fires were reported in multiple locations. CNBC has not been able to verify the number of casualties or the origins of the debris.

The country's public prosecution originally "warned citizens against publishing, circulating rumours, false or unverified news" as videos of a fire on Dubai's Fairmont Hotel on the Palm were widely distributed among residents. Dubai's Media Office later confirmed the "incident."

The UAE warned residents and citizens against "excessive stockpiling," and "affirmed the resilience and stability of markets across the United Arab Emirates," according to a statement from the Ministry of Economy.

— Emma Graham

Crypto sold off sharply right after the U.S. strikes on Iran, with bitcoin falling to about $63,000 and roughly $130 billion wiped from the broader market before prices began to recover. The decline was exacerbated by leverage: Bitcoin derivatives sell volume surged as traders rushed to cut risk, accelerating the move lower. The episode reinforced that digital assets continue to trade more like high-beta risk assets than geopolitical hedges.

The key driver now is oil. If the conflict begins to threaten flows through the Strait of Hormuz, analysts expect markets to price in higher energy costs, firmer inflation, and tighter financial conditions — an increasingly difficult backdrop for risk assets.

Unlike last month, when headlines out of Venezuela buoyed crypto on expectations of additional oil supply, traders are now focused on disruption risk. Because crypto markets trade through the weekend, they are often the first venue where shifts in sentiment become visible.

That dynamic is extending beyond bitcoin. On crypto-native venues such as Hyperliquid, traders used oil, gold, silver, and equity-linked perpetual contracts to position around the shock. Commodity-linked contracts moved higher, while U.S. equity-linked indexes traded lower.

Meanwhile, tokenized gold outperformed major cryptocurrencies, underscoring that in moments of geopolitical stress, bitcoin still behaves more like a risk asset than a true safe haven.

— MacKenzie Sigalos

From industry sources, it is clear that if there is any disruption to liquefied natural gas, or LNG, shipments through the Strait of Hormuz or the Arabian Gulf, U.S. LNG suppliers and shippers can help mitigate it.

While we know Iran cannot "close" the Strait, ships from natural gas suppliers Qatar and the United Arab Emirates could either avoid the area, or insurance considerations could slow or halt shipments for a short time.

That said, any disruption of global LNG flows from this region could increase demand for U.S.-based natural gas. Watch stocks such as Cheniere Energy, Venture Global, and Shell.

— Brian Sullivan

More than 200 people have been killed across Iran following strikes by the U.S. and Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing Iranian state TV.

A spokesperson for Iran's Red Crescent said 747 people are injured, with strikes hitting 24 of Iran's 31 provinces.

It is unclear how many of the casualties, if any, are civilian.

The U.S. military reported no American casualties and "minimal damage" so far from "hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks."

— CJ Haddad

News agencies have circulated photographs of the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran's capital city.

— Jordan Novet

There's always a tweet — or tweets.

Critics of Trump's attack on Iran resurfaced a post he wrote in 2013 on X — then known as Twitter — saying, "Remember, I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly–not skilled!"

Trump in 2011 and 2012 had, in fact, predicted that former President Barack Obama would attack Iran to win re-election in 2012.

"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in a tailspin, watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran," Trump wrote on Oct. 9, 2012, a month before the presidential election. "He is desperate."

Obama did not attack Iran.

Obama that November beat Republican nominee Mitt Romney by 51.1% of the popular vote to 47.2%, and by a margin of 332 votes to 206 votes in the Electoral College, the body that actually selects a president.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, retweeted a March 19, 2023, post on X by Vice President JD Vance, who at the time was a U.S. senator from Ohio.

"Twenty years ago we invaded Iraq," Vance wrote in that post. "The war killed many innocent Iraqis and Americans. It destroyed the oldest Christian populations in the world. It cost over $1 trillion, and turned Iraq into a satellite of Iran. It was an unforced disaster, and I pray that we learn its lessons."

"We are still living in the ideological cage created by that projection," Vance wrote in a thread of from that post, which referred to neconservatives who had supported the U.S. war against Iraq. "Our foreign policy is still held hostage by men so desperate to avoid looking in the mirror that they will support the next war, and then the next one, until their country is hollowed out."

In another old tweet that drew attention, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Nov. 1, 2024 wrote: "To anyone still gullible enough to fall for scummy media hoaxes: Trump said warmongering neocons love sending your kids to die for wars they would never fight themselves."

"Liz Cheney is Kamala's top advisor. Liz wants to invade the whole Middle East. Kamala = WWIII. Trump = Peace," Miller wrote in that post, referencing former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., four days before the election in which Trump defeated then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

—Dan Mangan

—Phil LeBeau

Airlines were forced to cancel thousands of flights to Middle East destinations including Tel Aviv, Doha, Dubai after airspace was closed following the attacks.

At least 14,000 departure and arrival flights have been affected, according to estimates from MS NOW.

Etihad Airways suspended all flights departing or flying into Abu Dhabi until Sunday. The company said it would contact affected passengers directly and will support those customers with rebooking and hotels "where necessary."

"The situation remains fluid and further adjustments may be required. Etihad continues to work in close coordination with the relevant authorities and will resume normal operations as soon as conditions permit," the company said. "The safety of Etihad's guests and staff is our highest priority. We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate our guests' understanding."

Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Air India, Lufthansa Group, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are among more names that have halted all or most of its service in the region, though for how long varies between the carriers.

Lufthansa Group said it's suspended flights to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Tehran until March 7, while Delta's Tel Aviv service will be canceled through at least Sunday.

Some flights to Doha and Dubai were rerouted back to their origin airports, or diverted to airports in Europe due to the security concerns.

—CJ Haddad and Leslie Josephs

The Strait of Hormuz isn't only critical for oil — it's also a key waterway for flows of liquefied natural gas.

About 20% of global LNG passes through the narrow waterway, according to the Energy Information Administration. While some of the oil that passes through the Strait can be diverted, it's more complex for LNG. The waterway is the sole export route for Qatar and the UAE, which together make up about one fifth of global supply. More than half of the LNG passing through the Strait heads to China, India and South Korea, according to the EIA.

—Pippa Stevens

A former top Department of Homeland Security official said the attack on Iran "almost certainly will lead to attempts to target Trump and other top US officials," and test the resources of DHS, whose funding appropriation remains blocked by congressional Democrats.

"This war will have a home front in the United States," wrote Tom Warrick, a former DHS deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy, in a post on X from the Atlantic Council, where he is a nonresident senior fellow. Warrick was a government official during both Democratic and Republican administrations.

"The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the US Capitol Police will all be tested in the coming weeks and can afford zero failures," Warrick wrote.

"Iran will try every cyber trick it can mount, testing the Department of Homeland Security, the private sector, and US cyber defenses," he wrote. "Iran tried in the past, unsuccessfully, to meddle in US elections, and would almost certainly fail to have any impact this time."

The attack comes amid an ongoing partial government shutdown that began after Democrats blocked appropriations for DHS over concerns with its immigration enforcement tactics.

It is not immediately clear how the Iran strikes will influence ongoing negotiations over DHS funding, which lapsed Feb. 14.

But congressional Democrats hammered the White House for neglecting to seek congressional authorization before taking military action. That criticism could complicate the talks about resuming DHS funding.

And it could exacerbate already heightened national security concerns.

Some DHS subagencies like the Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency, could be forced to work without pay if the shutdown continues.

"Shutdowns have real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement earlier this week.

—Dan Mangan and Justin Papp

All energy traders are watching the Strait of Hormuz given about 20 million barrels per day of oil flows through the narrow waterway daily, but Kpler doesn't expect a full, prolonged blockade.

Iran has never closed the Strait before — although it has been threatened – and analysts say it may not even be possible for a full-scale closure. But Iran can still disrupt vessel traffic in the waterway, all of which will drive up oil prices as things like shipping insurance costs rise.

"Temporary slowdowns, rerouting, or heightened maritime security checks are more plausible scenarios," analysts at Kpler said in a note to clients. "A sustained blockade would significantly impact regional producers' own export revenues, creating strong economic disincentives. Therefore, volatility risk is elevated, but structural and prolonged supply loss remains lower probability," the firm added.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, hit its highest level since July on Friday amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

—Pippa Stevens

Trump monitored the attack overnight with members of his national security team from his residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.

"The President spoke with [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu by phone. Prior to the attacks, Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members," Leavitt wrote.

"The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day," she said.

—Dan Mangan

Abu Dhabi residents received an emergency alert on their phones telling them to "seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building, and to steer away from windows, doors and open areas."

The alert cited the "current situation" there, with "potential missile threats."

Employees working at at least one U.S. company in Dubai, which is a sister emirate of Abu Dhabi, have been told to work online from home for now.

Schools are taking precautionary measures and are likely to move to online learning as the situation evolves.

The United Arab Emirates separately sent out an alert telling residents to remain indoors and to await further instructions.

—Dan Mangan

The Fairmont Hotel on Palm Street in Dubai was on fire, CNBC-TV18 reported.

It is not clear what caused the blaze at the Fairmont.

"Dubai authorities confirm that an incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area," Dubai's media office said in a statement.

"Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and the site has been secured. Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control," the office said.

"Four individuals sustained injuries and have been transferred to medical facilities. The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority. Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public. The public is urged to remain calm, rely solely on verified information from official sources, and refrain from circulating videos or images on social media. Further updates will be provided as they become available."

The 5-star hotel is popular with British tourists.

— Dan Mangan

The oil market is well supplied, so unless we see a strike on Iran's Kharg Island export facility, it is unlikely there is a sustained jump in oil prices. 

For context, remember that ahead of the June strikes on Iran, oil surged about $10 per barrel but immediately retreated when it became clear oil facilities were not targeted. Sources in the oil markets and in Washington tell me Trump does not want to risk higher oil and gasoline prices by directly targeting Iranian oil. 

The focus right now is on OPEC's planned Sunday "group of eight" meeting and whether the group will seek to calm any unease by adding more barrels to the oil market or, more likely, assuring the market that it stands ready to raise production or quotas if there is any meaningful disruption in supply.

—Brian Sullivan

Iran may threaten to 'close' the vital Strait of Hormuz, but it is not Iran's decision to "close" the waterway.

Though Iran can mine, attack or otherwise harass ships, it is important to remember that Iran does not own or control the Strait. The U.S. Navy, along with Saudi and UAE assets, will work hard to ensure ships can safely transit the region.

Shipping costs have already gone up and will continue to go higher as tensions rise, so Iran will succeed in at least making it more expensive and dangerous to transit through the Strait.

—Brian Sullivan

World leaders reacted to U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran Saturday, with multiple emphasizing condemning the Iranian regime while urging restraint in the unprovoked attack.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. had "no role" in the strikes, but called the Iranian regime "utterly abhorrent" in a video address at 10 Downing Street.

"They have murdered thousands of their own people, brutally crushed dissent, and sought to destabilize the region," Starmer said. "So, it is clear, they must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. That remains the primary aim of the United Kingdom and our allies, including the U.S.."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized Russia's military links to the Iranian regime in a Saturday morning X post as the war between Russia and Ukraine entered its fifth year earlier this week.

"Although Ukrainians never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime chose to become Putin's accomplice and supplied him with 'shahed' drones, and not only the drones themselves, but also the technologies to produce them," he wrote.

"Other nations have also suffered from Iranian-backed terror. Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also offered support to the United States for "acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security."

"Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups. Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran's oppressive regime."

—CJ Haddad

The United Nations Security Council said it will gather for an emergency meeting to discuss the attacks in Iran at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.

"I condemn today's military escalation in the Middle East," UN Secretary General António Guterres said in a statement. "The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security."

Guterres called for involved parties to restart negotiations.

President Trump criticized the UN in a speech before its General Assembly in September, and he has cut U.S. funding for the organization.

—Jordan Novet

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a statement on Saturday said the "Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act."

The Senate is due back late Monday. Even before Saturday's operation, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., had planned to force a war powers resolution vote in the coming week, though exact timing is unknown. A war powers resolution in Congress would be intended to limit Trump's authority to declare war without congressional approval.

Schumer in his statement also called for an "immediate all senators classified briefing" and "public testimony."

"The administration has not provided Congress and the American people with critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat," Schumer said. "Confronting Iran's malign regional activities, nuclear ambitions, and harsh oppression of the Iranian people demands American strength, resolve, regional coordination, and strategic clarity. Unfortunately, President Trump's fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy."

—Justin Papp

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who is leading a war powers resolution to restrict Trump's military actions in Iran, called on Congress to reconvene on Monday — earlier than scheduled for next week — to take up his measure.

"Trump says his goal is to topple the Iranian regime, but the American people are tired of regime-change wars that cost us billions of dollars and risk our lives. we don't want to be at war with a country of 90 million people in the Middle East," Khanna said in a video posted to X on Saturday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday announced he would compel a vote on the war powers resolution brought by Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Massie is a Republican who frequently clashes with Trump.

In a statement Saturday, Jeffries reiterated that commitment but did not provide timing.

The House is not due back in session until Wednesday.

The measure brought by Khanna and Massie would compel the administration to seek congressional approval before engaging in any further activity in Iran. 

"I am opposed to this War. This is not "America First." When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran," Massie posted to X on Saturday. "The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war."

—Justin Papp

Market watchers are paying close attention to the developing news in Iran, and some experts say coordinated strikes from the U.S. and Israel could carry heavier market consequences than more recent geopolitical conflicts.

Markets have been accustomed to absorbing recent geopolitical and economic shocks, including Trump's announcement of a hike in U.S. tariffs on all imports to 15%, as well as the administration's recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a similar weekend military action.

"This has definitely bigger ramifications than Venezuela," said Florian Weidinger, CIO at Santa Lucia Asset Management. 

"Venezuela was ... only really relevant for people who care about that particular heavy crude," Weidinger told CNBC. The country's heavy, sour crude can be challenging to extract.

"That's why it's a bigger risk. You would expect oil to tick up a bit more violently next week as a result of that," he added.

About 13 million barrels per day of crude oil transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, roughly 31% of global seaborne crude flows, according to data from market intelligence firm Kpler.

In June, when Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites, equities sold off sharply at the open, then recovered once it became clear the strait was not disrupted.

"That is the pattern markets will reference on Monday," said Kenneth Goh, director of private wealth management at UOB Kay Hian in Singapore. He adding that there could be a flight to safety with a strengthening of the U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, and a rush into gold. 

Read CNBC's full article here.

— Lee Ying Shan

Trump, in a 2:30 a.m. ET video posted to his official Truth Social account, aired his rationale for ordering an attack on Iran.

The video message, in which Trump spoke from behind a podium wearing a white hat saying "USA," comes after explosions were heard in multiple cities in the Middle East and Israel launched a daylight attack on Iran's capital.

"Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people," Trump said in the video message.

The president called the Iranian regime the "no. one state sponsor of terror," referring to allegations of the regime's links to other terrorist attacks, including Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel.

Trump also emphasized Iran's nuclear capabilities, saying the regime can never have a nuclear weapon. Negotiations on Iran's program have been ongoing between officials in Geneva, Switzerland, this week.

"They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can't take it anymore. Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland."

—CJ Haddad

Former Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had a public falling-out with Trump before leaving office midway through her term, in a post to X on Saturday questioned the president's commitment to the "America first" messaging that was central to his reelection campaign.

"We said 'No More Foreign Wars, No More Regime Change!' We said it on rally stage after rally stage, speech after speech. Trump, [Vice President JD] Vance, basically the entire admin campaigned on it and promised to put America FIRST and Make America Great Again," Greene wrote.

Greene was a staunch ally of Trump for most of her political career. But the pair clashed over the Trump administration's handling of files related to the disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and foreign policy.

Greene announced she would resign in November and left office in early January.

"Now, America is going to be force fed and gas lighted all the 'noble' reasons the American 'Peace' President and Pro-Peace administration had to go to war once again this year, after being in power for only a year. Head-spinning, but maga," Greene wrote.

—Justin Papp

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Saturday said "Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions."

"President Trump and the Administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime's sustained nuclear ambitions and development, terrorism, and the murder of Americans — and even their own people," Johnson posted to X.

Johnson noted in his post that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was on the Hill this week to brief House and Senate leaders on the evolving situation in Iran.

In a statement on Saturday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Iran a "bad actor" that "must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region." But, like other Democrats, he questioned the constitutionality of launching such an attack without Congress' blessing.

"The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war as the branch of government closest to the American people," Jeffries said.

"Donald Trump failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran. Instead, the President's decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a massive military attack has left American troops vulnerable to Iran's retaliatory actions," Jeffries continued.

—Justin Papp

While most Democrats who have weighed in are questioning the constitutionality of Trump's attack on Iran, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in cheering it.

"Operation Epic Fury. President Trump has been willing to do what's right and necessary to produce real peace in the region. God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel," Fetterman, often a dissenting voice within the Democratic caucus, posted to X.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, posted on X that "the butcher's bill has finally come due for the ayatollahs," referring to the Supreme Leader of Iran.

"A nuclear-weapons program. Thousands of missiles. State sponsorship of terror. Iran has waged war against the U.S. for 47 years: the hostage crisis, the Beirut Marine barracks, Khobar Towers, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan that killed or maimed thousands of American soldiers, the attempted assassination of President Trump," Cotton wrote.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., in a statement on Saturday thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio "for providing updates on these issues throughout the week" and said he looked forward to the administration briefing all senators on the attack.

"Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns. I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats," Thune said.

—Justin Papp

President Trump urged Iranians to "take over your government" in an eight-minute address following U.S. and Israeli combat operations in the region.

"To the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand," he said, in a video posted to the White House's social media early Saturday morning.

"Stay sheltered, don't leave your home, it's very dangerous outside, bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations."

— CJ Haddad

Emirates, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, United Airlines and others suspended flights to Middle East destinations due to airspace closures and the attacks on Iran.

Some flights were forced to return to their origin airports or diverted, including a United flight from Newark to Tel Aviv that landed in Athens.

Airlines have been periodically halting flights to the region for years as conflicts and associated security concerns arise. Airspace closures there often force carriers to take longer routes to skirt the area, which requires them to use more fuel.

— Leslie Josephs

Democrats called for a briefing and questioned the constitutionality of another military action without congressional approval.

"The Constitution is clear: the decision to take this nation to war rests with Congress, and launching large-scale military operations — particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States — raises serious legal and constitutional concerns," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., ranking member on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement. 

"Congress must be fully briefed, and the administration must come forward with a clear legal justification, a defined end state, and a plan that avoids dragging the United States into yet another costly and unnecessary war," Warner said.

Both the House and the Senate were expected to take up war powers resolutions in the coming week, which could have limited Trump's ability to engage militarily in Iran. The issue does not break cleanly along partisan lines, and passage in either chamber was uncertain.

Trump drew similar complaints from Democrats in early January after a targeted operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, about which lawmakers said they were not briefed beforehand.

The Constitution grants Congress primary authority to declare war. The War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 in response to the Vietnam War, limits the president's ability to take military action unilaterally and requires the president to consult with Congress when troops are deployed.

"For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war —especially wars that aren't authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don't have a clear objective," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who introduced an Iran war powers resolution, said in a statement. "These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives."

— Justin Papp