Israel said it launched a “pre-emptive” military strike on Iran early Saturday, with Iranian state media reporting explosions in parts of Tehran.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation targeted Iran and announced a nationwide state of emergency in Israel, citing the risk of retaliatory attacks.
“Following a situational assessment, it was determined that as of today (Saturday), at 08:00, immediate changes will be made to the Home Front Command Guidelines As part of the changes, it was decided to shift all areas of the country from Full Activity to Essential Activity. The guidelines include: a prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors,” IDF said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Iran’s state-run rolling news channel IRINN confirmed reports of strikes on 28 February, noting plumes of smoke and the sound of explosions in eastern and northern areas of the capital. The broadcaster briefly experienced an audio interruption around 06:30 GMT before resuming transmission with a ticker reporting developments in Tehran.
U.S. and Israeli media reported that the operation was coordinated with Washington. CNN said the strike was coordinated with the United States, while Ynet News carried similar reporting.
Following the initial reports, IRINN aired pre-recorded footage of pro-establishment rallies alongside archive remarks from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for unity against “enemies,” and interviews with supporters of the Islamic Republic opposing foreign intervention.
Pictures BBC/CNN/YnetNews
