Explosions were reported across Tehran on Saturday, with thick plumes of smoke rising over several areas of the city. In a speech, US President Donald Trump warned of a potential war aimed at “obliterating” Iran’s missile defence systems and halting the country’s nuclear ambitions.
The attacks were supported by Israel who also launched strikes of its own on Iranian targets. Israeli defence minister said Israel launched them as a “preemptive” strike against Iran.
Sirens also sounded across Israel, which declared a “special and immediate” state of emergency across the country that includes a prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors.
The strikes come amid diplomatic efforts between US and Iranian officials for a deal on Iran’s nuclear program.
Badr Albusaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, who mediated the talks, met US Vice President JD Vance on Friday. “I am grateful for their engagement and look forward to further and decisive progress in the coming days. Peace is within our reach,” he wrote on US social media company X after the meeting.
Images of civilian victims of the joint US-Israeli strikes have been shared on social media but a media blackout appears to have occurred amid claims of a cyberattack on Iranian media platforms, making access to Iranian state media difficult at this time.
It remains unclear which sites exactly were targeted but claims circulating on social media speculate that it would have been government and military buildings. Iranian sources have rebuked claims that the Iranian president Pezeshkian had been harmed in the attacks.
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It is believed that Iran’s next course of action will be to launch retaliatory strikes. Israel will likely be targeted but questions remain open about whether Iran will respond by also targeting US military assets in the region.
More on this story as it develops.
