World News for Students of English

03-03-2026 07:00

The United States and Israel have launched large-scale air strikes across Iran. They said that the goal was to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

President Donald Trump described the operation as major combat and warned of possible American casualties.

In response, Iran fired missiles at US bases in Bahrain and targeted sites in Qatar and other countries in the region. Several countries reported irockets and drones, and casualties have been reported. Israel declared a state of emergency, closed its airspace, and called up reservists. Explosions were reported in several Iranian cities, including Tehran.

During the attacks, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, according to announcements by President Trump and Iranian state media. Khamenei had led Iran since 1989, after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, and had played a key role in Iran’s political and military system since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The conflict follows weeks of rising tension and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Many fear the conflict will grow larger.

Difficult words: large-scale (very big and involving many people or places), casualty (a person who is killed or injured in an accident or war), reservist (a soldier who is not full-time but can be called to serve in the army).

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