Mojtaba Khamenei chosen as Iran's next supreme leader, Iranian state media reports
He is the son of assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.
Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed by airstrikes in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His successor is yet to be named.
Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
(Read previous Iran live updates here.)
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Key Headlines
- Iran’s near-total internet blackout continues, tracker says
- Israel warns of strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs
- Israel says its working to intercept Iranian missiles
- Iranian missiles, drones targeting UAE, ministry says
- US orders evacuation of non-emergency government employees from Saudi Arabia
- More missile and drone attacks reported in the region
Senate fails to advance Iran war powers resolution
The Senate on Wednesday rejected a Democratic-led Iran war powers resolution that called for congressional approval for military action against Iran.
The procedural vote, which directed the removal of United States armed forces from hostilities within or against Iran that have not been authorized by Congress, failed by a vote of 47 to 53.
Sen. Rand Paul, who co-sponsored the resolution, was the only Republican to cast a vote in favor of it. Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it.
Rubio holds calls with counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Cyprus and Italy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Cyprus and Italy on Wednesday about the situation in Iran and the Middle East, according to his spokesperson.
Rubio thanked Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud for Saudi Arabia's response to the attack this week on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, according to Rubio's spokesperson.
"They also discussed the continued threats the Iranian regime poses to regional stability, as well as other developments in the region," the spokesperson said.
Rubio told Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan "that attacks on Turkey's sovereign territory were unacceptable and pledged full support from the United States," the spokesperson said.
On his calls with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the leaders "reaffirmed the strong partnership" between the two countries, the spokesperson said.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
Ground troops 'not part of the plan,' Leavitt says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. ground troops in Iran are "not part of the plan" at present.
“They’re not part of the plan for this operation at this time, but I certainly will never take away military options on behalf of the president of the United States or the commander in chief, and he wisely does not do the same for himself,” Leavitt said at a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.
Trump to attend dignified transfer of killed service members
President Donald Trump will attend the dignified transfer of the six U.S. service members killed in this weekend’s retaliatory attack by Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday.
Four of the six have been identified: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa. All four died Saturday in Kuwait from an Iranian drone attack.