a day ago
Israel strikes Iran; heavy explosions shake Tehran
TEHRAN/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Loud explosions rocked the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Thursday night, as Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced the declaration of a 'special situation' across the country in response to escalating tensions with Iran.
Iran's semi-official 'Nour News' agency reported that multiple powerful blasts were heard in Tehran, particularly in the Shahid Mahallati district in the northeastern part of the city.
The agency added that Iranian air defence systems were actively responding at the time of the explosions, though no additional official details were immediately released.
At the same time, The Times of Israel reported that Israel had launched a military operation against Iran. In a breaking news update, the newspaper stated that air raid sirens had been activated across several regions in Israel without prior warning.
As a result, the Israeli authorities declared a 'special situation' on the home front -- a legal status that expands the powers of security and emergency services in times of national crisis.
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed that Israeli had carried out a preemptive strike on Iranian targets.
He further warned that retaliatory response involving missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iran is expected in the near future.
