Its military said a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence" had been launched - called Operation Rising Lion. "Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran," said a statement. Get live updates on the strikes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival" and would last for "as many days as it takes to remove the threat". Iranian state media reported the head of the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, had been killed. Mehr News said nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi was also dead, as was theoretical physicist Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid. State media reported explosions northeast of capital Tehran early on Friday, and said buildings belonging to the armed forces were hit in the Mahalati complex north of the city. The country's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned of "severe punishment" and claimed residential areas had been targeted. "In the enemy's attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. Their successors and colleagues will immediately continue their duties," said a statement reported by the Tasnim news agency. The international atomic watchdog, the IAEA, said Iran's uranium enrichment facility at Natanz - in central Isfahan province - was one of the facilities targeted and that it's in contact with Iranian authorities about radiation levels. The exact locations of the other sites attacked are still to be confirmed A "special state of emergency" is now in effect in Israel, said its defence minister, who warned a "missile and drone attack... is expected in the immediate future". Israelis were woken in the early hours by air raid sirens and a phone alert warning there could be "severe retaliation", said Sky's Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall. An IDF statement said authorities are "prepared for a wide range of scenarios in defense and offense that may be needed". US secretary of state Marco Rubio said America was not involved and Israel believed the strikes were necessary for its self defence. He said "necessary steps" had been taken to protect US forces in the region. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel," Mr Rubio warned. The attack comes amid fears over Iran's nuclear programme, with a warning this week the country is breaking its obligations for the first time in 20 years. Israel and the US have long feared Iran is plotting to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran has repeatedly denied this and insists its programme is for civilian purposes. Mr Netanyahu's video statement on Friday claimed Iran had in recent years developed enough highly enriched uranium for "nine atom bombs". "In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before - steps to weaponize this enriched uranium," said the prime minister Mr Netanyahu added: "If not stopped, it could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year, it could be a few months. "This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival." US and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran's escalating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday. President Trump said earlier on Thursday an Israeli strike on Iran "could very well happen" but that he hoped for a peaceful resolution.

More than 2,500 US performers were barred from working on games impacted by the strike while the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) negotiated a deal with studios. Now, after more than 11 months of discussions, a "tentative" agreement has been reached. "Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers' livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains," said SAG-AFTRA's national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. Actors were banned from working with major game makers like Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa, Insomniac Games, Take 2 and WB Games. Other studios were also impacted by the strike, as actors took industrial action in solidarity. "We are pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games," said Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game producers, to Sky News. "It delivers historic wage increases of over 24% for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading AI provisions requiring transparency, consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games." In the UK, actors protested in solidarity with their American counterparts, while Equity, the UK actors' union, called for a similar wide-reaching agreement between UK studios and actors. Earlier this week, the British Film Institute (BFI) released a report detailing the risks posed by AI to the UK screen sector, including video games, and described it as a "direct threat". Read more from Sky News:Powerful new supercomputer to be built in government U-turn'Trump's anti-migrant rhetoric boosting UK's tech industry'Number of Nintendo Switch 2s sold in four days revealed The scripts of more than 130,000 films and TV shows, YouTube videos, and databases of pirated books have been used to train AI models, according to the report. AI poses a particular threat to some video game voice actors, according to one expert, because of the nature of their work creating animal or monster sound effects. "The generic stuff is the easiest thing for generative AI to replace," Video Games Industry Memo author George Osborn told Sky News previously. "Just saying to the model, 'make 200 monster noises' is much easier than convincingly [making AI] sound like it is having a conversation with someone," he said. Unlike the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike in 2023, which saw blockbusters like Deadpool 3 and Gladiator 2 delayed and entire TV series cancelled, huge delays to games were unlikely. Games take years to make and any game already in development before September 2023 was exempt from the strike. Tensions have risen in the game actor community since the industrial action began, as studios appeared to hire international actors to replace the striking US workers.

The Israeli military said a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence" had been launched against targets in Iran - called Operation Rising Lion. Follow latest: Israel attacks Iran's nuclear sites According to Iranian state media, six nuclear scientists were killed in Israel's strikes. An Israeli military spokesperson said Iran had launched more than 100 drones towards the country. In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged "all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently". He added: "Escalation serves no one in the region. Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. "Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy." Foreign Secretary David Lammy added that "this is a dangerous moment" and said "stability in the Middle East is vital for global security". The US said it had not been involved in Israel's attack on Iran, and warned against any retaliation targeting American interests or personnel. US President Donald Trump has previously urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Iran while Washington negotiates a nuclear deal with the country. Speaking to Sky News, industry minister Sarah Jones said the UK was also not involved in the Israeli military operation. Read more from Sky News:Charges over Ballymena riotsMPs to vote again on assisted dying - will it pass?Everything we know about the Air India plane crash Asked if Israel was right to say that it had no choice but to carry out dozens of airstrikes on Iranian military sites overnight, Ms Jones said: "I don't think anybody questions how destabilising Iran is being." "This is escalating, not de-escalating the situation. And we would urge restraint," she added. "We need to be calm at this point, work with our allies, do what we can to stop escalation, because we do not believe escalation, is going to be helpful in the region or the wider, wider world, of course." The minister said the "foreign secretary will say more in due course".

The Dane has signed a contract until 2028 and leaves Brentford after seven impressive years in charge to succeed Ange Postecoglou. Spurs sacked the Australian despite winning the Europa League to end the club's 17-year trophy drought. Flexible Frank can add layers to Angeball - but Spurs move a gambleTransfer Centre LIVE! | Tottenham news & transfers⚪Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from next season Tottenham said: "In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead." Frank will be joined from Brentford by assistant coach Justin Cochrane, head of performance and assistant coach Chris Haslam and analyst Joe Newton, with Andreas Georgson arriving from Manchester United as an assistant coach. Frank takes over a side that endured its worst-ever Premier League campaign last season as Tottenham finished 17th after suffering 22 defeats to record just 38 points. But despite their domestic woes, Spurs will be competing in next season's Champions League after Europa League glory, meaning Frank will manage in Europe for the first time in his career. The 51-year-old can also win the first major silverware of his career in his first competitive game in charge of the north London club, with Spurs taking on Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13 in Udine, Italy. Frank's appointment comes nearly a week after the dismissal of Postecoglou, which was "one of the toughest decisions" the Spurs board had to make after the ex-Celtic boss had won the club's first European trophy in 41 years. Frank was the Spurs board members' number one managerial target to succeed Postecoglou, with no second or third-choice options. The ex-Brondby boss took over at Brentford in 2018, earning Premier League promotion three years later with Championship play-off final victory at Wembley and has established the Bees as a top-flight club despite their small budget. Frank departs Brentford to become the fifth permanent manager in six years appointed by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019. 'We will never forget Thomas' Brentford director of football Phil Giles paid tribute to Frank, saying: "It has been a pleasure working alongside Thomas. "From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build and his wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club. "There have been so many special moments with Thomas and nobody will ever forget the day at Wembley for the play-off final or that emotional first Premier League game against Arsenal. "But it's not just what you see on the pitch. He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength. "However, just as when a player leaves, it provides an opportunity for someone else to come in and make their own impact. "We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential." Frank reunites with Spurs chief Lange Frank's switch sees him reunite with Tottenham technical director Johan Lange after the pair worked together in Denmark at Lyngby, and they have known each other for many years. Frank was in the mix for the Aston Villa job while Lange was sporting director at Villa Park. Data forms a huge part of the work Lange does at Spurs in terms of recruitment, and the data on Frank is understood to be strong. He has had Brentford performing way above their budget and resources in each of the seasons they have been in the Premier League. Since guiding the Bees to top-flight promotion in 2021, Frank has overseen finishes of 13th, ninth, 16th and 10th in their four Premier League seasons. After they recovered key players from injury last season, Brentford surged up the table and almost finished in a European spot as they ended 10th, seven places and 18 points above Spurs. Could Semenyo or Mbeumo become Frank's first signing? Before Frank's appointment, Sky Sports News reported Tottenham had stepped up their interest in Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo. Manchester United also remain admirers of the 25-year-old despite having a bid rejected for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo - a player also on the list at Spurs. Sky Sports News understands Frank would be keen to sign Mbeumo - but it is ultimately Spurs as a club that decide which players to sign. Levy and Lange call the recruitment shots, with the returning Fabio Paratici also having a say, so Frank's arrival does not necessarily make a move for Mbeumo inevitable. In fact, Sky Sports News understands Spurs have recently done more work on Semenyo. Flexible Frank can add layers to Angeball - but Spurs move a gamble Sky Sports' Sam Blitz: When you sit down with Thomas Frank for a one-on-one chat or in a press conference, you always get honesty and insight rarely seen in the game. For this journalist, the most recent meeting with the Dane was no different. It was late April for what turned out to be Frank's final one-on-one chat with Sky Sports as Brentford's head coach. Given that context, there was one line that stood out. "We've got patience at Brentford, which is a word that you probably can't say in football. I think you need to have it," Frank said. Frank's appreciation of patience makes his move to Tottenham a career gamble. He arrives at a club where Postecoglou's shadow, success and popularity loom large in the fanbase. Frank also enters a Spurs dressing room where players went public in their support for his predecessor. "Him continuing would be good for the dressing room," said Pedro Porro about Postecoglou, while James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray all backed the Australian for a third season. It begs the question: what do Spurs see in Frank - who has no experience managing Champions League football - that the popular Postecoglou could not deliver? Read more about Frank's philosophy and why his move is a risk here. Lyngby boys: Frank and Lange reunite Sky Sports' Adam Bate: Frank and Lange have come a long way since the two men used to share a small office together back when they were part of the coaching set-up at Danish club Lyngby. Speaking to Birgir Jorgensen in 2021, the man who hired them both over two decades ago revealed that these are two very different Danes. But the charismatic Frank and the analytical Lange also shared qualities. "Good people," Jorgensen told Sky Sports. "Thomas is Thomas, he walks the talk. He has always been the same and will always be the same. He is very hardworking and always in a good mood. Johan is the opposite of Thomas, he keeps his cards close to his chest. But he is a fantastic guy, very smart." Together in that office at Lyngby, ideas were shared and an unlikely coaching school developed, one that included future Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand. What exactly was it about Frank and Lange, about Lyngby, that has helped them all to flourish? "I think we all have a common thing, we all believe in ourselves, we all know where we are coming from and none of us think we are something we are not. That is what has made us successful, good people who are working hard, being themselves. "Lyngby is just an ordinary football club but we have a special environment. We are built on curious coaching. You can experiment here. Of course, we try to win our games and be champions. But we are always collecting good people, hard-working people. "A lot of clubs believe only in serious people but you need a bit of yourself, a bit of social life. A football club is about teamwork, otherwise it cannot exist. That is why so many former Lyngby coaches are successful. We are happy about it and want it to continue."

The question now... what happens next? Israel has long regarded Iran's nuclear ambitions to be an existential threat, whatever the ayatollahs have said about their peaceful intentions. Israel-Iran live: Israel attacks Iran's nuclear sites Iranian leaders have talked of wiping Israel off the face of the Earth, and that threat has been taken at face value by Israelis. Benjamin Netanyahu has always said that ambition can never be combined with the means to fulfil it. He clearly thinks this is the time to act. Having started this effort to eradicate that threat, Israel can be expected to try to finish it if it can and if it is allowed to do so by the US. Equally, Iran will do what it can to stop Israel's attacks. It is a weakened regime and weak regimes cannot afford to look weaker. Its retaliation may involve attacks not just on Israeli and US assets but allies and oil installations in the Persian Gulf. Enough tankers being sunk or oil refineries going up in smoke could have an immediate impact on the global economy and that, Iranians might hope, will persuade America to call time on Israel's actions. Read more:Watch: Iran and Israel in major conflictIsrael attacks Iran and declares emergencyIran TV shows bomb damage So expect the following: Israel continues striking Iran; Iran hits back with all it can; America is forced to help defend Israel; Iran hits both Israel, the US and possibly US allies. That is the predictable bit. Wars follow the laws of unintended consequences. At any point in that escalation, unexpected events could lead to greater escalation. Brace yourself, the coming days could go in a number of directions. If the Persian Gulf becomes the battlefield, we will all feel the consequences.

The 73-year-old was found not guilty of another count of committing a criminal sexual act relating to a second woman. The jury has so far not recorded a verdict in relation to an allegation of rape against a third woman. Weinstein pleaded not guilty to all three charges and has denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex. The case was being retried after an appeals court overturned his 2020 conviction last year. He was accused of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a New York hotel room in 2013 and forcing oral sex on two other women. Two of the charges were those he faced during the original trial, while the third - one of the charges of forcing oral sex - was added last year. The partial verdict came after an extraordinary day which saw the jury foreperson ask to speak to the judge and Weinstein himself call for the trial to be halted. "My life is on the line and you know what? It's not fair," the former movie mogul said. "It's time, it's time, it's time, it's time to say this trial is over." He spoke before there was a verdict on any of the charges. The foreperson requested to speak to the judge about "a situation". The man - who had on Monday complained other jurors were pushing people to change their minds, and talking about information beyond the charges - was questioned in private, at his request. The episode was the latest sign of jurors under strain. On Friday, one asked to be excused because he felt another juror was being treated unfairly - at which point Weinstein lawyers unsuccessfully asked for a mistrial. Nearly eight years ago, a series of sexual misconduct allegations against the Oscar-winning movie producer propelled the #MeToo movement. Read more:What has happened to the #MeToo movement? Some of those accusations later generated criminal charges and convictions in New York and California. Before the retrial, Weinstein was also serving a 16-year prison sentence after being found guilty of rape in California in December 2022. He had also denied this charge.

The Assisted Dying Bill, which would give some terminally ill adults the right to end their lives, is back in the Commons for votes on amendments, with the final vote likely to come next week. There are not many issues like this - literally a matter of life and death - that require MPs to search their consciences and make a personal decision with profound and irreversible consequences. When the Commons first voted on the legislation back in November it passed with a 55 majority. That may seem reasonably comfortable but delving into the numbers reveals that it is flimsier than it first appears. Firstly, it would take just 28 MPs to switch from for to against to bring the bill down. And some of that initial support is quite soft with a significant number voting in favour simply to move the bill to the next stage, have the debate, raise the profile of the issue and make progress on the detail. Now that the final vote is drawing near, they may decide it's gone far enough. Read more on assisted dying:Doctors urge MPs to vote against billEuthanasia advocate dies There are also the abstainers who could go either way if they do choose to vote at third reading. All this makes the outcome unpredictable, but Sky News has been speaking to MPs to get a sense of where the parliamentary arithmetic is headed. Ahead of the latest round of votes, 20 have confirmed to Sky that their position has changed and although there is movement in both directions it shows that the momentum is mostly one way. Taking this snapshot of MPs, the first time round nine voted for, nine abstained and three voted against. Based on how they say they will vote at the third reading, the numbers are very different - with just four in favour, one abstaining and 15 against. Among those are two ministers, Sir Chris Bryant and Ellie Reeves who are swimming against the tide by declaring that they will now vote in favour. Sir Chris told Sky News: "I abstained on the first time round, I decided I wasn't going to vote because I wanted to hear the debate. I have listened to a lot of the debate… "I also have heard the cries of people who are absolutely miserable, and that's why I will be voting for the bill." Of the many more MPs who have withdrawn their support, Conservative George Freeman is one of a handful who have spoken out. He told Sky: "I want to see a law change, I think Kim [Leadbeater]'s done us a favour… "I think government needs to come back with a properly thought through, properly consulted on, possibly by royal commission. This is a big change, so I want to see law change, but I'm no longer going to vote for this bill." And skewing our figures slightly is Labour MP Emma Hardy, who voted both for and against at second reading but has now settled on against. Just that small number of switchers would still see the legislation over the line, but with a reduced majority of 38, and many believe the vote will be much closer. The main issues that are concerning undecided MPs are, firstly, protecting patients from being forced or coerced into ending their own lives. At the beginning of the parliamentary process it was suggested that a high court judge would sign off every assisted death. That has now been changed to a panel of experts, and some MPs are worried that this represents a watering down of safeguards. Kim Leadbeater, who is behind the law change, says this will actually make it safer. Others point to the way the legislation has been brought to parliament, as a private member's bill, which some argue reduces its robustness. They would like to see it return with the full weight of government behind it. 👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne's on your podcast app👈 And finally, changes to the timeline have raised a lot of eyebrows with the maximum implementation period extended to four years.That has raised concerns that the bill could be passed in this parliament but not delivered, and would become a divisive issue at the next general election. Despite all this there is still a huge amount of support and all eyes will be on the House of Commons as more debate and votes on amendments get underway, giving us the best sense yet of whether this once in a generation legislation still has a chance.

Spaun equalled the lowest-ever opening round for a US Open at Oakmont by carding four birdies in a four-under 66, with his impressive start the only bogey-free round on a day where just 10 of the 156-man field finished under par. The American's closest challenge comes from Thriston Lawrence, who made six birdies in a three-under 67, while Scheffler, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and world No 2 Rory McIlroy were among those to struggle on the opening day. US Open LIVE! Latest updates, news, highlightsLatest US Open leaderboard and other golf scoresStream the US Open and more sport with NOWWhen is the US Open on Sky Sports? Key TV timesChoose the sports notifications you want! Scheffler mixed three birdies with six bogeys during a frustrating opening-round 73, leaving him seven back in his bid for back-to-back major titles, with DeChambeau on the same total after three bogeys in his last seven holes. McIlroy - looking to bounce back from last week's missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open - was also unable to build on a fast start, having reached the turn in a bogey-free 33, as The Masters champion dropped five shots in the last six holes of a four-over 74. How Spaun grabbed major lead Spaun chipped in from off the 10th green - his opening hole of the day - and took advantage of the par-five 12th, with back-to-back birdies from the 16th lifting him to four under and top of the leaderboard. The world No 25 holed from 11 feet to save par at the first and scrambled brilliantly to close out a blemish-free card, with South African Lawrence one back after recovering from a mid-round double-bogey to card three birdies on the back nine of an opening-round 67. "I was actually pretty nervous," admitted Spaun, who finished runner-up to McIlroy at The Players earlier this year. "I actually tried to harness that, the nerves, the anxiety, because it kind of heightens my focus, makes me swing better. "I just tried to kind of take what the course gave me. I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren't very many out here. But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round." Sungjae Im briefly moved to five under and the solo lead before three late bogeys dropped him back to two under, alongside compatriot Si Woo Kim, with five-time major winner Brooks Koepka producing a birdie-birdie finish to join the Korean pair in tied-third. McIlroy and marquee names make slow starts at Oakmont Scheffler - in the afternoon wave - sent an ominous warning to the field when he picked up a shot at the par-four second, only for him to bogey three of his next four holes and cancel out a birdie at the seventh with another dropped shot at the ninth. The three-time major champion drained a 20-footer at the 11th but three-putted the 13th and missed from three feet to save par at the 15th, with Scheffler's frustrating round seeing him match the total posted by DeChambeau earlier in the day. DeChambeau had been under par until he three-putted the ninth and had to hole from the fringe, having taken three shots out of the rough, to get away with a bogey at the par-five 12th. Last year's champion also registered successive bogeys from the 15th, dropping him back to three over, with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and former Masters champion Patrick Reed - who carded an albatross and triple-bogey in his round - also on the same score. "Just didn't get anything out of it," DeChambeau said. "I wasn't fully on my game. Pretty disappointed with how I played. It's not too far off. Just got to get the putting a little bit more dialled and I'll be right there, because three over could have easily been two under." McIlroy - also out early - made a dream start when he followed a 30-foot birdie at the 11th by firing a 392-yard drive on his way to another at the par-five next, although he sits eight back after carding four bogeys and a double-bogey in a second-nine 41. Playing partners Justin Rose and Shane Lowry did not fare any better, posting scores of 77 and 79 respectively, leaving plenty of notable names needing to improve on Friday to break into the top-60 and ties required to make the cut. Who will win the US Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream no contract on NOW.