Israel and the United States have carried out coordinated military strikes on Iran in what Israeli officials described as a preemptive operation, sharply escalating tensions in the Middle East after weeks of mounting hostility and an increased American military presence across the region.
Iranian state media reported rocket fire in parts of the capital, Tehran, with state television broadcasting images of smoke billowing into the sky following explosions.
Authorities have yet to confirm the extent of the damage or whether there were casualties.
In Israel, air raid sirens were activated nationwide at about 8:15 a.m. local time, urging residents to take shelter amid concerns about possible retaliation.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said the strikes were launched to preempt and neutralise threats facing the country.
The action follows weeks of speculation that military confrontation could be imminent, particularly after the United States significantly reinforced its forces in the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that American troops are engaged in what he called a “massive and ongoing” operation against Iran.
In a video message shared on his Truth Social platform early Saturday, Trump said the campaign aims to dismantle Iran’s missile programme and eliminate its missile production capacity.
According to him, the operation will also focus on Iran’s naval forces and key military infrastructure.
He vowed that U.S. forces would destroy the country’s missiles and severely weaken its navy, describing the effort as broad and decisive.
Trump also indicated that the offensive is intended not only to degrade Iran’s military strength but to confront the leadership that has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran has also publicly declared what it describes as a “decisive response” and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched multiple waves of missile and drone strikes, not only at Israel but also at U.S. targets across the Gulf.
The unfolding situation marks a major escalation in regional tensions and has heightened fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
