View of Tehran at night after authorities urged evacuation

Dubai: A tense calm gripped Tehran overnight after one of the most dramatic escalations in years, as large-scale strikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iran on Saturday. The Iranian Red Crescent said around 200 people were killed in the attacks, which prompted fears of a wider regional conflict.

Authorities urged residents to evacuate the capital, home to nearly 10 million people, as emergency services worked through the night and air defence systems remained on high alert.

Iran responded with a retaliatory missile barrage, sending shockwaves across the Middle East and forcing civilians in several countries to seek shelter.

Images of Tehran’s skyline after dark captured an uneasy stillness, with dimly lit streets and sparse traffic reflecting growing uncertainty as the region braced for further escalation and global leaders called for restraint.

Video: AFP