Image source, EPA

International reaction is beginning to roll in.

Speaking at a new conference moments after the news of Israel's strikes broke, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the country was "alarmed by the escalation between Israel and Iran".

"This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile," she said, calling on "all parties" to refrain from exacerbating tensions.

Tom Bennett
Reporting from Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just released a statement on the strikes.

"Moments ago Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove the spread," he says.

"In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before, steps to weaponise this enriched uranium," he adds.

"If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year. It could be within a few months, less than a year. This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival."

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

At the White House, officials have just called a "travel/photo lid" over loudspeakers - which in the parlance of the White House press corps means we won't be seeing President Trump tonight.

We could still, however, see the president post on Truth Social at some point tonight.

Several officials I contacted in the last hour directed me to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's previous statement.

Tomorrow's public schedule has yet to be released, but this is sure to dominate the conversation here at the White House.

Peter Hoskins
Business reporter, Singapore

Global oil prices jumped and stocks fell after the Israeli strike on Iran.

Benchmarks Brent Crude and NYMEX Light Sweet were up by more than 8% after the news emerged.

Traders are concerned that conflict in the energy-rich region will disrupt supplies and mean less oil will be available.

Meanwhile, stocks were down in early Asian trade on Friday as investors moved into so-called safe haven assets like gold and the Swiss franc.

Image source, FlightRadar24

The latest images from flight tracking site FlightRadar24 show that flights that were bound for Tel Aviv have been diverted.

The airspace over Israel is almost completely clear.

Israel declared a state of emergency, after conducting strikes on Iran, saying it expected an attack in the "immediate future".

Watch as sirens sound in Jerusalem:

The Israeli Defence Force has acknowledged the strikes on its English-language social media account on X, external.

It says that dozens of Israeli Air Force jets "completed the first stage" of the attack, which includes "strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran".

It says that weapons of mass destruction in the hands of Iran are an "existential threat" to Israel "and to the wider world".

"The State of Israel has no choice but to fulfil the obligation to act in defence of its citizens," it says.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has said that Israel has launched a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive" to strike Iran's nuclear programme.

It added the strikes were in response to the "Iranian regime's ongoing aggression against Israel".

Dozens of Israeli jets were involved in the "first stage" on "nuclear targets" in different areas of Iran, the statement said. It didn't elaborate on whether there would be more strikes.

"Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and a significant threat to the wider world."

It said the IDF is "ready to continue to act as required".

We have just received a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio:

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

We are still waiting to hear from President Donald Trump.

Jo Floto
Middle East bureau chief in Jerusalem

Iran has enough nuclear material to create nuclear bombs "within days", a senior military official tells the BBC.

In recent months, secret attempts to assemble these weapons have been made, the official says.

All flights at Tehran's main international airport have been suspended, according to Iranian state media.

Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport is located just over 30km southwest of the Iranian capital.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

At the White House earlier today, it was quiet on the events in Iran.

US President Trump was asked about the threats of a strike and was explicit that he did not want to see any Israeli strikes in Iran yet.

"As long as I think there will be an agreement, I don't want them going in," he said, adding that any strike could "blow it" when it comes to negotiations.

He added that he believes an attack is "fairly close."

"I don't want to say it's imminent," he said of a potential Israeli attack. "But it looks like something that could well happen."

Additionally, Trump said he would "love to avoid a conflict".

"They [Iran] are going to have to be willing to give us some things that they're not willing to give us right now," he said.

Jo Floto
Middle East bureau chief in Jerusalem

An Israeli military official says that there are multiple strikes and that they are "against Iran’s nuclear programme and other military targets". It involves dozens of strikes in different areas of the country, the official says.

It is targeting long-range missiles and targets related to the nuclear programme, the official adds.

Israel has announced changes to its Home Front Command Guidelines, which are guidelines issued to Israel's citizens in emergency situations.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said the guidelines would be shifted from "Full Activity" to "Essential Activity", as of 03:00 local time (01:00 BST) on Friday.

Those new guidelines include a "prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors".

Tom Bennett
Reporting from Jerusalem

We were just woken up here in Jerusalem - where it’s just gone 03:00 local time - by a short burst of sirens followed by a phone alert.

Israel has conducted "pre-emptive" strikes against Iran and is now preparing for a retaliatory missile and drone attack, according to Defence Minister Israel Katz.

We'll bring you more as we have it.

Hugo Bachega
BBC Middle East correspondent

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a statement declaring a "special state of emergency" across Israel and expects an attack "in the immediate future".

This is the full statement announcing the strikes on Iran and declaring the state of emergency:

Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.

Therefore, and in accordance with his authority under the Civil Defense Law, Defense Minister Israel Katz has now signed a special order, according to which a special state of emergency will be imposed in the home front throughout the entire State of Israel.

You must obey the instructions of the Home Front Command and the authorities and remain in the protected areas.

Explosions have been heard north-east of Tehran, the Reuters news agency is reporting, citing the Iranian state-run Nour News.

It added the cause of the explosions were not immediately clear.

BBC reporters have also heard from people in Tehran confirming explosions.

US officials were told on Wednesday that Israel was ready to launch an operation into Iran, the BBC's US partner CBS reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.

The officials said this was part of the reason the US had advised some Americans to leave the region, and that the US anticipated Iran could retaliate on certain US sites in Iraq.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announces that Israel has launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran, and declared a state of emergency in Israel.

The announcement says: "Following the State of Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future."

We’re hearing reports of explosions in Tehran in Iran, and Israel says it has launched "pre-emptive strikes".

Stay with us as we bring you the latest on this breaking story.