Tehran, Feb 28: Joint military forces from the United States and Israel launched a series of daylight strikes against Tehran on Saturday, triggering massive explosions that rocked the Iranian capital. The operation, which targeted areas near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sent plumes of smoke billowing over the downtown district and prompted Iran to immediately shutter its national airspace.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz affirmed that the military action was taken to remove threats. While the minister did not provide specific details regarding the targets, the strike occurred amidst a significant buildup of American fighter jets and warships in the region. This military presence is part of a broader strategy to pressure the Iranian government into a new agreement concerning its nuclear program.
The status of the 86-year-old Supreme Leader remains unknown following the blasts. Khamenei has not made a public appearance in several days, and officials have not confirmed if he was present in his office during the attack. Iranian state television acknowledged the explosions shortly after they occurred but refrained from providing an official cause or casualty count.
Witnesses in Tehran reported hearing thunderous blasts that shook buildings across the city. Simultaneously, sirens sounded throughout Israel as a precautionary measure. The Israeli military stated that it had issued a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel in retaliation.
Sources familiar with the operation maintained that U.S. forces are actively participating in the strikes alongside Israeli jets. As the situation develops, authorities in Tehran have issued urgent warnings to pilots to avoid the region, while ground reports indicate that secondary explosions continued to ring out across the capital late into the afternoon.
