KUWAIT CITY/TEHRAN -- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that three US F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jets crashed over Kuwait after being hit by "friendly fire," while Iran's armed forces said it shot down one.

Iran's armed forces said in a statement that it shot down a US F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jet in Kuwait.

It added that the US fighter jet, "which sought to attack Iran," was brought down by the Iranian air defense forces, noting that the warplane crashed in Kuwait's territory.

In a statement posted on its official account, CENTCOM said that during active combat involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense systems.

All six crew members safely ejected by parachute and were successfully recovered in stable condition, the statement said.

Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Staff Saud Al-Atwan said that relevant authorities are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the crash.

Earlier, several videos circulated on social media appeared to show two burning warplanes descending in spirals before crashing in a remote area. Other footage showed a pilot being placed into a vehicle, apparently for transport to the hospital.

Since early Monday morning, air raid sirens have sounded across Kuwait, accompanied by explosions, after which the Kuwaiti military announced intercepting several hostile aerial targets, with no casualties reported.

On Saturday morning, joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians.

Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases across the Middle East.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on hundreds of targets across Iran on Monday, and Israel expanded its bombing campaign to Lebanon as defiant Iranian forces continued firing missiles and drones across the Middle East in retaliation for the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and as many as 40 senior officials.

Iran's surviving leaders said the counterattacks were justified as self-defense. Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, flatly refuted on Monday media claims that he had made a fresh push to resume nuclear talks with Washington, stressing Tehran's refusal to engage in any negotiations amid the ongoing hostilities.

The Israeli military said it is striking at the heart of Tehran and has launched attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Lebanon's Health Ministry said more than 30 people have been killed and 150 wounded in the Israeli attacks.

Fresh explosions were heard across the Gulf on Monday, including in the cities of Dubai, Doha and Manama. Civilian infrastructure has been targeted, ranging from airports and seaports to residential buildings and hotels.

"The Gulf countries right now are really on the front lines of this war. As always, the Gulf states want to support de-escalation and diplomacy ... But this commitment and these principles are being put to the test right now," Anna Jacobs, a security analyst, said.

Nasdaq Dubai will be temporarily closed for two days, market regulator Dubai Financial Services Authority said on Monday.

Trump, speaking to The New York Times, said the US and Israel could keep up the level of attacks for four to five weeks.

"It won't be difficult. We have tremendous amounts of ammunition," he said, adding he had a shortlist of three unnamed people he favored to lead post-war Iran.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that he would let the US use UK bases for "defensive" strikes but that his country -- a steadfast partner in the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- "will not join offensive action now". Earlier, the British airbase in Cyprus was targeted by Iranian drones, causing "limited" damage.

The Pentagon said three US service members were killed in the operation "Epic Fury".

Trump, who campaigned on a platform of denouncing foreign interventions, has done little to explain the case for war to the US public.

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the soldiers' deaths were the result of a "reckless decision" and that there was no threat to "justify this type of preemptive military strikes".

Three ships were also attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after Iran declared the closure of the strategic waterway, sending global oil prices spiking. Container shipping company Maersk said it was halting passage through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz for "safety" reasons.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four missiles, but the Pentagon said the "missiles didn't even come close".

On Sunday, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Iranian attacks on their territories. In a joint statement, foreign ministers and senior officials from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman stressed their "legal right to respond ... the right of self-defence, individually and collectively, in the event of aggression".

The UAE said on Sunday it was closing its embassy in Tehran and recalling the ambassador, marking the strongest condemnation yet by a Gulf state in the ongoing conflict.

Since Saturday, the UAE has detected 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152, and intercepted two cruise missiles, the military said, adding that 506 of 541 Iranian drones were shot down.

Tehran also appeared to target a building complex on Sunday in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi that houses the Israeli embassy.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday that China is deeply concerned about the spillover effects of the air strikes against Iran — which has affected Iran's neighboring countries — and believes that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf countries should be fully respected.

Since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Saturday, US military targets in member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council and in Jordan have come under attack. The countries concerned have issued statements condemning the attacks.

The US and Israel carried out military strikes against Iran without authorization from the UN Security Council, in violation of international law, Mao said at a daily news briefing.

"We urge all parties to cease military actions, prevent further spread of the fighting, and avoid further escalation," Mao said.

China appreciates the emphasis placed on dialogue and diplomacy by the GCC extraordinary foreign ministers' meeting as the only viable way to overcome the current crisis and safeguard regional security, she said.

Noting that the regional situation remains complex and sensitive, Mao said China supports the countries in the region in strengthening communication and coordination in the spirit of good-neighborliness and friendship, and jointly working to maintain regional peace and stability.

BEIJING -- One Chinese national died in Tehran in the military conflict, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday at a regular press briefing.

"We mourn for the life lost and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved," the spokesperson said.

MEXICO CITY -- The Mexican government will always advocate for world peace, the country's President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Sunday, referring to the recent military attacks launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.

"Mexico will always advocate for world peace, which is very necessary at this time," Sheinbaum emphasized at an event in the western state of Baja California Sur.

She pointed out that the country's constitution establishes that Mexico's foreign policy principles should be guided by the self-determination of peoples, non-intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The United States and Israel began large-scale airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.

US fighter jet crashes in Kuwait: local media

Smoke seen rising from US embassy in Kuwait: media

Iran's security chief says Iran will not negotiate with US: media

WASHINGTON — Multiple US Democratic lawmakers slammed the administration on Saturday for launching massive military strikes against Iran without Congress' war power authorization, saying the operation raises "serious legal and constitutional concerns".

"By the president's own words,'American heroes may be lost,'" said Senator Mark Warner, vice-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

"That alone should have demanded the highest level of scrutiny, deliberation and accountability, yet the president moved forward without seeking congressional authorization," Warner said.

"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."

Veteran Senator Tim Kaine called the strikes "a colossal mistake", urging his colleagues to "immediately return" to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit US strikes against Iran.

"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," Kaine said.

Senator Ruben Gallego said on social media on Saturday that people should not have to "pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn't been explained or justified to the American people".

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the administration "failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran".

Any US president, excluding under the "exigent circumstances","must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war", Jeffries said in a statement.

The ongoing operation "has left American troops vulnerable to Iran's retaliatory actions", he said.

Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said, "Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame."

Himes said he had told Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly that military action in the Middle East "almost never ends well for the United States".

"It does not appear that (President) Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history," he said.

Ahead of the strikes, Rubio reached out personally to top lawmakers at the Capitol, The Associated Press reported, citing a person familiar with the notifications who requested anonymity to discuss them.

The notifications mentioned ballistic missiles, but did not indicate the strikes would be so expansive or the goals so broad, the report added.

However, a spokesman from the office of Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, confirmed on Saturday morning that the senator had not been notified.

Reed said in a statement dated Friday that the administration did not provide Congress with any "real briefings or intelligence" on the ongoing massive military operations against Iran.

Xinhua - Agencies

JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said on Monday the army has "launched an offensive campaign against Hezbollah," warning the operation would last "many days" as the conflict escalates sharply along the country's northern border.

"We must prepare for many days of combat ahead," Zamir said during a situational assessment at the military's headquarters in Tel Aviv.

"This requires strong defensive readiness and sustained offensive readiness, operating in continuous waves while constantly utilizing opportunities," he said.

The announcement came after Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned Lebanese group, joined the conflict by launching overnight missile and drone attacks toward Israel. No injuries or damage were reported, but the incident marked the first such attack since the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that formally ended the conflict with Hezbollah, Israel's public broadcaster reported.

The move came two days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Israeli military has mobilized 100,000 reservists to prepare for what it described as a "multi-arena" conflict.

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on Sunday afternoon that US combat operations "continue at this time in full force," predicting there would be more US casualties in the coming days.

"Combat operations continue at this time, in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have very strong objectives," Trump said in a six-minute video message on Truth Social, without specifying what the objectives are.

"Sadly there will likely be more before it ends," he said of the possibility of more US casualties, saying that "that's the way it is."

Trump repeated his call on members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to "lay down their arms" for "full immunity."

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told ABC News on Sunday that no country's leader has the right to tell Iran not to respond to the ongoing US-Israeli massive airstrikes on Iran, saying that his country has every right to defend itself and the Iranian forces "are capable enough to defend our country."

The United States and Israel began large-scale airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told Fox News that 48 senior Iranian officials have been killed in the strikes on Iran.

Iran confirmed on Sunday that its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes the previous day.

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the US forces have sunk nine Iranian warships and largely destroyed Iran's navy headquarters.

"I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters," Trump said, adding that the US military is going after the rest of the Iranian navy's fleet.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told Fox News that 48 senior Iranian officials have been killed in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The US Central Command also said on Sunday that US forces struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette at the start of the military campaign dubbed Operation Epic Fury on Saturday morning.

"The ship is currently sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman at a Chah Bahar pier," the command said.

The US military has carried out strikes against over 1,000 Iranian targets so far since starting the operation on Saturday, including the headquarters of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the command said.

On Saturday night, US B-2 stealth bombers, armed with 2,000 pounds of bombs, struck Iran's hardened ballistic missile facilities, it said.

The command also denied Iran's claims to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles.

"The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn't even come close," it said.

Three US soldiers were killed in action and five others seriously injured as part of the military operation against Iran, the command said.

The United States and Israel began large-scale airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Sunday that 48 senior Iranian officials have been killed in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

WASHINGTON -- Three US soldiers were killed in action and five others seriously injured as part of the military operation against Iran, the US Central Command said Sunday.

Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions, said the command in a statement on social media, adding that they are "in the process of being returned to duty."

Countries around the world voiced fears of a Middle East conflagration as top Iranian officials vowed on Sunday to avenge their slain supreme leader.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres condemned the strikes. "I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation," he said in a statement, adding that the attacks on both sides undermined international peace and security.

UN rights chief Volker Turk said further attacks would "only result in death, destruction and human misery".

On Sunday, Iranian top officials vowed to avenge their slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and declared a new wave of strikes on US bases in the Gulf.

A day before, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, including Tabriz, Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US bases across the region.

Russia condemned the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, warning they were "bringing the region to the brink of a humanitarian, economic, and — this cannot be ruled out — radiological catastrophe".

The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom said they did not participate in the strikes and urged Tehran to end its nuclear program and seek "a negotiated solution".

In a joint statement, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa said the situation in Iran is "greatly concerning", and reaffirmed their "steadfast commitment to safeguarding regional security and stability".

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement that Ottawa was closely following the situation and urged Canadians in Iran to shelter in place.

Across the Middle East, governments and bodies voiced fears that the confrontation could spiral into a broader regional war.

Oman, which has mediated recent US-Iran talks, expressed dismay that negotiations had been undermined and urged an immediate halt to military operations.

The Arab League appealed to all international parties "to work toward de-escalation as soon as possible, to spare the region the scourge of instability and violence, and to return to dialogue".

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has vowed to confront the US and Israel over their strikes on Iran.

On Sunday, Israel and Iran traded strikes, The Associated Press reported.

Blasts in Tehran — whose target was not immediately clear — sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky in an area where there are government buildings. Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed since the start of the US and Israeli strikes.

Loud explosions caused by missile impacts or interceptions could be heard in Tel Aviv. Israel's rescue services said eight people were killed and 28 wounded in a strike in the central town of Beit Shemesh, bringing the overall death toll in the country to 10.

Meanwhile, Iran's Expediency Discernment Council has selected Alireza Arafi as a member of the country's interim leadership council, the official news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.

Earlier, Iran announced the formation of a three-member transitional council to handle the state duties after Khamenei was killed.

The interim leadership council also comprises Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei.

Pezeshkian said the new leadership council "has begun its work".

Agencies, Xinhua and Yang Gao in Toronto contributed to this story.

The key members of the OPEC+ oil alliance announced a greater-than-expected increase to production quotas on Sunday following United States and Israeli strikes on Iran that triggered retaliation by Tehran across the Middle East.

The "Voluntary Eight" group in the alliance, which includes top oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, said they had agreed a "production adjustment" of 206,000 barrels per day.

"This adjustment will be implemented in April," they said in a statement.

The text did not mention the outbreak of the Iran conflict, instead citing "a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals" as reasons for the increase.

Before the weekend's meeting, experts had forecast a more modest increase of 137,000 barrels per day.

However, Jorge Leon, an analyst at Rystad Energy, warned the agreed increase was potentially not large enough to prevent the Iran conflict causing a spike in oil prices when trading opens on Monday.

Leon pointed to the possibility that Iran could target the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway through which around nearly one-fourth of the world's seaborne oil supplies — in retaliation.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have contacted ships to announce the strait is closed. On Sunday, Iranian state TV said an oil tanker in the strait was struck while attempting to "illegally" pass through and was sinking, showing footage of a burning tanker at sea.

"If oil cannot move through Hormuz, an extra 206,000 barrels per day does very little to ease the market," Leon said, arguing that "logistics and transit risk matter more than production targets right now".

The OPEC+ move "is unlikely to calm markets", he said.

"Prices will respond to developments in the Gulf and the status of shipping flows, not to a relatively small increase in output."

Besides Russia and Saudi Arabia, the Voluntary Eight group within OPEC+ includes Kuwait, Oman, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, all of which were targeted by Iranian attacks for a second day on Sunday.

Algeria and Kazakhstan are also part of the group.

Another analyst, Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, said that, with the fear of incoming missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, insurers canceling contracts for vessels wanting to go through there, and jammed electronic signaling in the Gulf region, commercial shippers were scared.

They are "starting to act as if the route is compromised", he said.

"A full closure for more than a few days is a nightmare scenario," he said.

A blockage of the strait could mean oil prices leaping from around $72 before the conflict to $120 to $150 a barrel when trading starts on Monday, he said, based on industry estimates.

He and other analysts pointed to land pipelines Saudi Arabia and the UAE could use to get around shipping through the strait, but noted that would still leave a shortfall of some 8 million to 10 million barrels per day on the market.

"Those are meaningful pressure valves, but they are not a replacement for the full seaborne flow," Innes said.

cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn

Agencies contributed to this story.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Saturday afternoon following US and Israeli military strikes against Iran, amid escalating tensions across the Middle East.

China's permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, said it was "shocking" that the military strikes occurred at a time when diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran were ongoing, urging relevant parties to demonstrate political sincerity and resume talks as soon as possible.

China is "deeply concerned" over the escalation of tensions in the region, Fu said.

The US and Israel on Saturday launched "major combat operations" against Iran, which later retaliated with counterattacks targeting Israeli and US military installations in several Arab states across the region, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Fu said US and Israeli strikes against Iran had led to a "sudden escalation of regional tensions", and urged all parties to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

"China has consistently maintained that all parties should observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations," he said.

Fu stressed that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Iran and other countries in the region must be respected, and said China is "deeply saddened" by the heavy civilian casualties caused by the conflict.

"At no time should the red line of protecting civilians in armed conflict be crossed, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable," he said, calling on all parties to fulfill their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to effectively protect civilians and avoid attacks on civilian facilities.

"Force is not the right way to resolve international disputes," Fu said. "The spillover of escalating tensions in the Middle East is in no one's interest. Resolving differences through dialogue and negotiations is the only viable way forward."

Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the United Nations, insisted the US military action was lawful, while Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon defended the airstrikes as necessary to stop an existential threat.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, called the US-Israel strikes "war crimes".

The meeting was convened at the request of China, Russia, France, Bahrain and Colombia.

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com

Agencies contributed to this story.

Several airlines were forced to suspend flights to and from the Middle East, following United States-Israel coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday, resulting in global travel mayhem.

Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates announced closure of their airspace, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.

Israel said it launched another wave of strikes on Iran on Sunday, while loud blasts were heard for a second day near Dubai and over Doha after Iran launched retaliatory air attacks on the neighboring Gulf states.

Dubai International Airport sustained ‌damage during Iran's attacks, while airports in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were also hit. Thousands of flights have been affected across the Middle East, according to data on flight-tracking ‌platform FlightAware.

The UAE's national carrier, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, said in a post on X on Sunday that its operations and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi have been suspended until 2 pm on Monday. Another flag carrier, Emirates, also temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai until 3 pm on Monday.

China's Foreign Ministry on Sunday advised Chinese citizens to closely monitor developments and refrain from traveling to countries and regions surrounding Iran that have been affected by military strikes.

There have been reports of injuries to Chinese citizens, and a number of travelers are currently stranded in the affected areas, the ministry said.

It urged Chinese citizens already in the relevant countries and regions to take safety precautions and avoid sensitive locations such as military facilities and sites of demonstrations or gatherings.

In case of emergency, they are advised to call the police immediately and contact local Chinese diplomatic missions for assistance.

Qatar Airways said it will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace. A further update will be provided at 9 am on Monday, it said.

The effect is expected to last for several days, creating ripple effects across the world as airports scramble to clear hundreds of backlogs caused by flight cancellations and diversions with affected governments prioritizing passengers' and civilians' safety.

Dubai and neighboring Doha sit at the crossroads of east-west air travel, ‌funneling long-haul traffic between Europe and Asia through tightly scheduled networks of connecting flights. With those hubs idle, aircraft and crews remained stranded out of position, disrupting airline schedules worldwide.

"It's the sheer volume of people and the complexity," said John Strickland, an aviation analyst based in the United Kingdom.

"You will have hundreds of thousands of people being stuck in wrong parts of the world without any certainty as to when they can move," Strickland told Reuters. "It is not only customers; it is ​the crews and aircraft all over ‌place."

Major Gulf airlines, such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, are also among the world's biggest cargo operators, he added.

Delayed or canceled
As of Sunday morning, more than 700 flights in the Middle East had been canceled, the UAE's Khaleej Times reported, citing aviation analytics firm Cirium.

FlightAware said more than 19,000 flights had been delayed globally and more than 2,600 canceled as of Sunday.

Other airlines that have diverted or canceled their flights on Saturday and Sunday include Flydubai, IndiGo, British Airways, Iran Aseman Airlines, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian, Turkish Airlines, and Philippine Airlines.

Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh El-Hefny has directed that a state of maximum readiness be implemented at Cairo International Airport and that Cairo was ready to receive diverted flights. EgyptAir has suspended flights to at least 13 Arab cities.

From Europe, Air France announced it had canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. Dutch airline KLM also halted flights between Amsterdam and Tel Aviv, as well as Germany's Lufthansa.

At Charles de Gaulle airport, Thai-bound traveler Roman Simon said his onward flight via Doha was canceled. "Now, we're trying to find a solution to still make our trip to Thailand," he told Reuters.

jan@chinadailapac.com

Reuters contributed to this story.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack on Iran and the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the United States and Israel, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, while experts warned that the joint military strikes will have far-reaching repercussions in the region and the world.

Calling the attack a grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and security, the spokesperson said it also tramples on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and basic norms governing international relations. "We urge an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation, and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large," the spokesperson added.

The US-Israeli airstrikes, which entered a second day on Sunday, have killed more than 200 people in Iran, including Khamenei, 86, and dozens of students at a girls' primary school in the southern part of the country, according to Iranian authorities.

The joint strikes have drawn the Middle East into unknown territory, as Iran has retaliated by firing missiles targeting Israel and 27 US military bases in the region.

The attack has opened a dangerous new chapter in terms of US intervention in Iran, marking the second time in over eight months that the US and Israel have attacked Iran amid negotiations over its nuclear program.

On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sharply criticized the strikes in a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, calling for an immediate cessation of US-Israel military operations in Iran, a prompt return to dialogue and negotiations, and joint opposition to such unilateral actions. Wang said that China has consistently advocated adherence to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and is opposed to the use of force in international relations.

The blatant killing of a leader of a sovereign state and the incitement of regime change are "unacceptable", he said, adding that these actions "violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations".

Noting that the conflict has spread throughout the Persian Gulf, Wang said the situation may be pushed into a dangerous abyss, and China is highly concerned about this. He emphasized that launching military strikes against a sovereign state without the authorization of the UN Security Council undermines the foundation for peace established after World War II.

Wang called on the international community to clearly and unequivocally voice opposition to the world regressing to the law of the jungle.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the killing of Khamenei was a "declaration of war against Muslims". Iran issued a statement vowing that this "great crime will never go unanswered", its official news agency IRNA reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera network on Sunday that a new supreme leader will be chosen in "one or two days". Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that leadership duties would temporarily be assumed by the Iranian president, the judiciary chief and a jurist from the nation's Constitutional Council.

Local media reports quoted Iran's Revolutionary Guard as saying that the Strait of Hormuz — a vital waterway for oil and gas shipments — was restricted to vessels on Saturday.

Jasim Al-Azzawi, an analyst in Iraq, said the conflict already looked broader and deeper than the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June last year.

The recent strikes "followed mediators' announcement of a significant 'breakthrough' in negotiations", with talks set to resume last week, Al-Azzawi told Al Jazeera, adding that "clearly, diplomacy was never meant to succeed and was merely used to mask war plans".

"From the timing of the attack, it is apparent that Washington and Tel Aviv had already made up their minds weeks ago. Iran's readiness to retaliate across the region suggests it is willing to wage a long war rather than compromise," he added.

Sun Degang, director of Fudan University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Shanghai, said the previous rounds of talks between the US and Iran appear to have been a mere delaying tactic, giving time for US-Israeli military deployments.

"The US and Israel, seeking a pretext for military action against Iran, used the talks to enable the deployment of two US aircraft carriers to the Middle East," he said.

Sun added that the recent strikes in Iran may be the beginning of a full-scale conflict, as this time, Iran's determination to retaliate is significantly greater, potentially leading to the mobilization of its full capabilities to counter US-Israeli actions".

Yan Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at China's Northwest University, pointed out that Iran's retaliatory actions may lead to the US and Israel taking further escalatory measures.

"In addition to intensifying military strikes and potentially expanding the range of targets, the US and Israel may further tighten economic sanctions on Iran, and step up information campaigns aimed at weakening the Iranian government's domestic and international standing," he said.

Emphasizing that the US-Israeli strikes in Iran constitute violations of the UN principles and international law, Yan urged nations in the Global South, as well as the UN, to unite to promote peace, end the conflict and resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through political means.

Zhao Jia contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn