US President Donald Trump announced that the US began “major combat operations in Iran” a short time ago.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said in a video statement posted on his Truth Social account.
Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on Saturday morning, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the center and east of the Iranian capital.
Multiple US media outlets, citing American officials, reported that Washington had begun strikes on Iran in a joint operation with Israel, which said it had also carried out strikes and closed its airspace.
“The State of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran. Defense Minister Israel Katz has declared a special and immediate state of emergency throughout the country,” read a statement from his ministry.
Israeli strikes on Iran were targeting “regime and military sites including ballistic missiles”, the Kan public broadcaster reported, citing an Israeli official.
“Israeli official: Regime targets and military sites are being attacked — including ballistic missiles,” appeared on the ticker of the Kan 11 television channel.
The latest detonations were heard in the central city of Isfahan, the holy city of Qom, Karaj, as well as Kermanshah in the country’s west, the news agency said.
Following the strikes, Iraq closed its airspace and the US embassies in Qatar and Bahrain issued shelter-in-place order for personnel. (AFP)
