Explosions have been reported across Iran as the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iranian territory, according to US officials who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Several missiles struck University Street and the Jomhouri area in Tehran, Fars News Agency reported. Smoke was seen rising over the city, according to an Al Jazeera correspondent on the ground.
The Aljezeera reports that the semi-official Tasnim News Agency said explosions were also reported in Tehran’s northern Seyyed Khandan district, while other Iranian outlets cited attacks in multiple provinces, including Ilam.
Donald Trump said the joint operation was intended to “eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
“Short time ago, US military began major combat operation in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime,” he said.
Israel Katz stated that Israel launched missile strikes to “remove threats to the State of Israel.”
A US official told Al Jazeera that the attacks were part of a joint operation, supported by a large US deployment of fighter jets and warships in the region aimed at pressuring Iran over its nuclear program. Another US official told Reutersthe strikes were being carried out by “air and sea.”
One targeted area in Tehran was reportedly near the offices of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Associated Press reported. According to an official cited by Reuters, Khamenei is not in the capital and has been moved to a secure location.
Maziar Motamedi, reporting from Tehran, said mobile phone service was disrupted in several districts. “No calls are possible at present,” he said.
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An Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is preparing for retaliation, which is expected to be “crushing.”
As sirens sounded and a state of emergency was declared in Israel, the Israeli military issued a “proactive alert” warning of possible incoming missiles. Israel’s Airports Authority closed national airspace to civilian flights and urged the public to avoid the airport.
The US Embassy in Qatar ordered staff to shelter in place and advised American citizens to do the same. Iraq’s transport ministry announced the closure of its airspace.
According to an Israeli defense official quoted by Reuters, planning for the attacks began months earlier, with the launch date set weeks in advance—even as diplomatic negotiations continued between the US and Iran.
Mehran Kamrava, director of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, said Israel “appears to have launched an attack designed to derail the negotiations.”
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