Israel says it launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran to counter security threats.
Reports suggest U.S. strikes were also underway as explosions were heard in Tehran.
Escalation comes amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran on Saturday, marking a sharp escalation in tensions in the Middle East and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation was carried out to neutralise threats posed by Iran. “The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel,” he said.
Explosions were reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, according to Iranian media. Around the same time, sirens sounded across Israel as the military issued alerts preparing the public for the possibility of retaliatory missile attacks.
According to reports citing US officials, the United States had also begun strikes targeting locations in Iran. A source said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran and had been moved to a secure location.
An Israeli defence official said the operation had been planned for months in coordination with Washington, with the final decision on the launch date taken weeks ago.
Following the strike, Israeli authorities ordered the closure of schools and workplaces, except for essential services. Israel also shut its airspace to civilian flights, and the country’s airports authority urged citizens to avoid travelling to airports.
The latest escalation follows a 12-day air war between Israel and Iran in June, during which the United States joined Israeli military operations targeting Iranian nuclear installations, the most direct American military action against the Islamic Republic.
Tensions have largely centred on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Western governments argue the missile programme threatens regional stability and could potentially deliver nuclear weapons, while Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies seeking atomic weapons.
In recent months, Washington and Tehran had resumed negotiations in an effort to resolve the long-running dispute diplomatically. However, Israel has insisted that any agreement must involve the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and include restrictions on its missile capabilities.
Iran has said it is willing to discuss limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief but has rejected linking the issue to its missile programme. Iranian authorities have also warned that they would retaliate against US bases in neighbouring countries if Washington joined military strikes against Iran.
The developments raise concerns of a wider conflict that could destabilise the Middle East and disrupt global energy markets.
