Stephen Carroll

This is US President Donald Trump says the American bombing campaign against Iran will continue until its objectives are achieved.

In a video posted on social media, Trump said the US and Israel had struck hundreds of targets in Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities and air defences.

He also reconfirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and called on the country's leaders to capitulate.

Trump's comments came as Iran sent waves of missiles at targets in multiple countries that host US military bases.

Projectiles struck buildings and killed civilians in Israel, while defences in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait continue to intercept incoming fire.

Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi defended the regime's strikes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaking there as Trump said in a brief interview with the New York Times on Sunday that the assault on Iran could last four or five weeks.

Meanwhile, officials in Tehran yesterday said the death toll in the country was already over 200, with that figure expected to rise significantly.

The Israeli military says it's starting an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In another sign, the conflict is spreading across the region.

Israel's chief of general staff, Eyal Zamir, warned citizens to be prepared for several days of fighting.

The message comes as the AFP news agency reports Israeli strikes this morning have killed more than 30 people in the country.

Speaking in Lebanon, speaking yesterday before the latest military action was announced, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US-Israel offensive.

Netanyahu there speaking via a translator.

The escalation comes after Hezbollah fired into Israel, saying it was acting in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader.

As the US and Israeli bombing of Iran continues, President Trump told ABC that his preferred candidates to lead the country were killed in the initial attack.

Iran has said it hopes to elect a new supreme leader within the next few days, according to a foreign ministry spokesman who spoke to NPR today.

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has thrown the country's future leadership into question.

Khamenei did not publicly designate a successor.

Wendy Sherman, former US Deputy Secretary of State, says Iran's regime will be extremely hard to dislodge.