Broadcast and cable networks mobilized overnight for ongoing coverage of the U.S. and Israel attack on Iran, in Donald Trump’s most significant military action of his second term.
As strikes hit Tehran, U.S. outlets provided a mixture of video from news agencies and those obtained from individuals. As Iran launched retaliatory strikes, correspondents in cities including Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi provided details.
On CNN International, an alarm sounded as anchor Becky Anderson, in the UAE, alerted videos that they were told to seek shelter. She immediately went to a commercial break.
“We are all safe,” Anderson later said, confirming retaliatory strikes there and in Bahrain and Qatar, other countries with U.S. military bases.
On NBC News, weekend Today anchors Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett interviewed Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, from Tehran, who insisted that “all high ranking officials are alive,” while “we are handling this situation, and everything is fine.”
The network cautioned that it had not independently verified the claims. Later, ABC News posted a satellite image of the destruction at the residence of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, targeted in the attack. Israeli media reported that the government there believes he was killed.
Networks have been covering the attacks throughout the night. CNN broke in with news during The Story Is with Elex Michaelson, its live show from Los Angeles; Fox News broke into regular coverage at 1:38 a.m. ET, and MS NOW at 1:48 a.m. ET. NBC News started coverage at 1:44 a.m. ET and CBS News was on the air at 2:28 a.m. ET.
Unlike last year’s attacks on sites believed to be where Iran was developing nuclear capabilities, President Donald Trump signaled in his announcement of the attacks that the U.S. goals were far greater, including regime change.
“I’m talking to people who suggest that while this won’t be a matter of hours, it will be a matter of days, but really it could be up to a matter of weeks as well,” Jennifer Griffin, chief national security correspondent, said on Fox News.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the government’s international broadcasting entities, said that President Donald Trump’s announcement of the military action was being carried across Voice of America. “The brave people of Iran are hearing him — and so are citizens living under oppressive regimes around the world,” the agency said. But it was unclear just how effective that effort to reach Iranians has been, given the agency overall has been drastically scaled back under Kari Lake. She wrote on X that the Persian translation of Trump’s remarks was published on the Persian section of the VOA service. In Iran itself, the BBC reported that there was an internet blackout.
Some of the most harrowing images were shared by correspondents on social media, including Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson, who posted on an explosion in Bahrain.
More to come.