The fate of senior Iranian officials has been the focus of intense speculation since US and Israeli strikes began on Iran early on Saturday.

Nearly all senior leaders were targeted, Israeli media have reported, although Iranian outlets have downplayed some of these claims.

An Israeli military official said the joint strikes, which had been planned over months, targeted sites where senior Iranians officials were convening

"Three sites where gatherings of the Iranian terror regime were taking place were struck simultaneously, and several senior figures essential to the management of the campaign and the regime’s governance were eliminated," the Israeli official said.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Iran's Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commander Mohammed Pakpour are believed to have been killed in Israeli attacks.