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Israel-Iran conflict: major explosion reported in Tehran as Israel says it targeted ‘centrifuge production' site
Israel claims to have hit a 'centrifuge production' site in Tehran following reports of a large explosion in the city.
Posting on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says that it has attacked 'a centrifuge production site and several weapons manufacturing sites' in Iran overnight.
The Iranian government has not acknowledged the attacks.
The IDF wrote that more than 50 fighter jets 'completed a series of strikes on military targets in the Tehran area in recent hours'.
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'During the wave of attacks, several weapons manufacturing sites were targeted. Among the weapons production facilities attacked was a site for producing raw materials and components for assembling surface-to-surface missiles.'
A major explosion could be heard around 5am in Tehran on Wednesday, following other explosions earlier, according to reports.
At least one strike appeared to target Tehran's eastern neighbourhood of Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.
Traffic stood bumper to bumper on roads to the west and downtown Tehran emptied out, with many shops shuttered as well as the ancient Grand Bazaar.
Announcing the fresh wave of strikes on Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the IDF warned residents in parts of the city to urgently evacuate.
'Dear citizens, for your safety and well-being, we urgently request that you immediately evacuate the designated area in Tehran's Area 18. Your presence in this area puts your life at risk,' the IDF posted on social media.
In Israel, the IDF said that families across the country had sought shelter due to missile launches from Iran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that hypersonic missiles were used during the latest attack on Israel. The extent to which they caused any damage also remains unclear.
Responding to the ongoing strikes, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed on X that Iran would retaliate. 'We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,' he said.
Those messages were posted after Donald Trump wrote on social media that the United States knows the location of the Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei, adding that the US would not kill him 'for now' but called for Iran's 'unconditional surrender'. – Guardian
