DaysofPal- Thick columns of smoke rose over central Tehran on Saturday morning after multiple explosions were heard across the Iranian capital, following what Israel described as a “preemptive” attack on Iran. The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in tensions that were already running high amid ongoing U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations.
Shortly after the blasts, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the start of “broad military operations” against Iran, signaling a widening of the confrontation beyond Israel’s initial action.
According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, at least five explosions struck central Tehran within minutes of Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declaring the launch of a “preemptive strike” on Iran.
Iranian media also reported explosions at Mehrabad Airport, while additional strikes were said to have targeted Palestine Street and Vesal Street in the heart of the capital.
Israeli media outlets further reported that one of the attacks directly targeted the Iranian presidential building, describing the operation as a series of “focused assassinations.” The military correspondent for i24NEWS claimed that “in the last few minutes, several assassinations were carried out in Tehran,” although independent confirmation was not immediately available.
The escalation comes at a particularly sensitive moment, coinciding with U.S.–Iran negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Israeli Channel 14, citing security sources, reported that within the next 24 hours, “more bombs will fall on Iran than in the last war,” underscoring expectations of sustained military action.
In Tehran’s first official response, Ibrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, addressed Israel in a message declaring: “You have now begun a path whose end is no longer in your hands.”
Separately, Reuters quoted an Iranian official as saying that Tehran is preparing a response and that its retaliation would be “devastating.”
On the Israeli side, Channel 12 reported that Sheba Medical Center in eastern Tel Aviv had begun relocating departments to fortified areas as a precautionary measure.
As smoke continued to billow over Tehran and sirens echoed across Israel, the region braced for what could become one of the most dangerous confrontations in recent years, with both sides signaling that further escalation may be imminent.
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