Huge explosions rocked Tehran on Saturday as the United States and Israel launched a preventive missile strike against Iran. The development, which escalates tensions in the Middle East and raises fears of renewed military confrontation, comes even as diplomatic efforts were underway between Tehran and Washington.
The presidential building complex was also reportedly targeted in the strike, and Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has already been moved to a safer location.
The strikes follow weeks of spiralling tensions between Washington and Tehran over the collapsing nuclear deal, amid growing apprehension that a broader conflict involving the United States was becoming inevitable.
According to reports, several missiles struck University Street and the Jomhouri district. Plumes of thick, acrid smoke were also seen billowing from the Pasteur Street area in the heart of downtown Tehran, a high-security zone.
US President Donald Trump, in his first statement, confirmed the attack and stressed that Tehran can never have a nuclear weapon.
"Our goal is to protect the American people by destroying the imminent threats from the Iranian regime. Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear
programme and develop missiles," Trump said.
A US official has, reportedly, said that the joint US-Israeli airstrikes aim to dismantle Iran’s security apparatus.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a blunt statement confirming the operation shortly after the sirens began to wail.
"The State of Israel has launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove immediate threats to the State of Israel," Katz declared, though he did not specify the exact nature of the intelligence that triggered the move.
Back in Israel, the military is taking no chances. Air raid sirens have been sounded across the country—not in response to an incoming strike, but as a "protective" measure to ensure the public is ready for the almost certain Iranian retaliation.
In anticipation of a counter-strike, the Israeli military has implemented strict "Home Front" protocols. All large-scale events and gatherings have been prohibited. Schools and universities have been ordered to remain shut until further notice. Also, non-essential workers have been told to stay at home, with only essential sectors granted an exemption.
The international community is now watching the 2,000-kilometre gap between the two nations, fearing that this "pre-emptive" move could be the spark that ignites a full-scale regional war.
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