The Israeli army on Saturday attacked Iran in what Tel Aviv described as a “preventive strike”. Two explosions have been heard in Tehran, AFP reported.
Whereas plumes of smoke have been seen over the central and jap areas of town, it was not instantly clear what websites the Israeli army had focused.
An hour after the strikes, United States President Donald Trump mentioned that the US army was additionally concerned within the assault.
Nevertheless, it was unclear what function the US army had performed within the assaults on Saturday.
The Iranian authorities had but to touch upon the assaults.
The Israeli Protection Forces mentioned that it had recognized missiles being launched from Iran towards Israel and that defensive methods have been “working to intercept the risk”.
The assaults got here amid tensions between the three international locations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s safety.
‘Main fight operations’
In a video message, Trump mentioned that the US had begun “main fight operations” in Iran. The target was to “defend the American individuals by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime”, he mentioned.
The actions of the Iranian authorities “straight endanger” the US, its troopers, abroad army bases and allies, Trump said.
Trump mentioned that the US will destroy Iranian missiles, “raze their missile business to the bottom” and “annihilate their Navy”.
The US will make sure that Iran doesn’t receive a nuclear weapon, Trump mentioned.
He urged the members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the armed forces and the police to put down their weapons to be handled with “complete immunity”.
Trump additionally requested the individuals of Iran to “keep sheltered” and urged them to “take over your authorities”, saying that the US was backing them.
Israel has been claiming that Iran is “nearer than ever” to acquiring a nuclear weapon, which might alter the regional safety steadiness.
Iran has lengthy maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian functions.
Nevertheless, amid fears of a possible assault, with a heavy US army deployment off its coast in current months, Tehran had been pressured to reopen negotiations with Washington about its nuclear programme.
Shortly after the assault on Tehran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the joint operation by Tel Aviv and Washington would “create the situations for the courageous Iranian individuals to take their destiny into their very own arms”.
“The time has come for all components of the Iranian individuals – the Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Baloch, and Ahwazis – to forged off the yoke of tyranny and convey freedom and peace-loving values to Iran,” Netanyahu mentioned in a social media submit.
He added: “I name on you, residents of Israel, to heed the directions of the Dwelling Entrance Command. Within the coming days, throughout Operation ‘Lion’s Roar’, we’ll all be referred to as upon to indicate endurance and power of spirit.”
The Israeli Protection Forces mentioned on Saturday that sirens have been sounded all through Israel as a “proactive alert to organize the general public” for a potential Iranian retaliation.
The airspace of Israel and Iran was closed for industrial flights.
Indians requested to train warning
The Indian embassy in Tehran requested Indian residents to “train utmost warning, keep away from pointless actions and stay indoors”.
It requested residents to attend for additional steering from the embassy.
The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv urged Indian residents in Israel to “train utmost warning and stay vigilant always”.
The diplomatic mission urged Indians to “strictly adhere” to the protection directions issued by the Israeli authorities and stay in proximity to shelters.
Indians have been additionally suggested to keep away from non-essential journey inside Israel.
Tehran, #Iran pic.twitter.com/C1qZ1n933E
— Shin (@hey_itsmyturn) February 28, 2026
The tensions
The US has repeatedly demanded that Iran surrender its nuclear programme, threatening that Tehran should meet its phrases or face penalties.
Whereas Tehran had not commented on the Israeli assault on Saturday, it had earlier threatened to retaliate. The nation’s Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei had warned on February 1 that an assault by the US would spark a “regional conflict”.
On Saturday, Ebrahim Azizi, the top of Iranian Parliament’s nationwide safety fee, threatened to retaliate towards Israel.
“We warned you!” Azizi mentioned on social media. “Now you’ve got began down a path which finish is now not in your management.”
Israel had been getting ready for a potential battle with Iran for a number of weeks.
In June, Tehran and Tel Aviv agreed to a ceasefire after 12 days of hostilities.
On the time, the Israeli army had struck what it claimed have been nuclear targets, and different websites, in Iran with the intention of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran retaliated with missile assaults on Israel.
Each international locations had later accused one another of violating the ceasefire.
The 2 international locations had been nudged by the US to just accept the ceasefire after Washington on June 22 joined Israel’s conflict towards Iran. The US army had carried out what Trump had described as a “very profitable assault” on Iranian nuclear websites in Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan.
Whereas Trump had claimed on the time that Iran’s nuclear amenities had been “fully obliterated” within the assaults, Washington’s preliminary intelligence evaluation had mentioned that the strikes solely set it again by a couple of months, and didn’t destroy its nuclear programme.
Learn extra on the June 2025 Israel-Iran battle right here.
Trump’s contemporary give attention to Iran got here after the US’ army operation in Venezuela. On January 3, the US army kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, for alleged drug trafficking.
Virtually concurrently, on December 28, protests erupted in Iran initially centered on discontent about rising inflation. Nevertheless, they later expanded as demonstrations in additional than 100 cities demanded an finish to clerical rule.
Greater than 5,000 individuals have been killed within the crackdown on the protests, based on worldwide rights teams.
Following this, Trump had introduced that the US army was shifting warships in direction of Iran “simply in case” he desires to take motion, saying that he was “watching them very intently”.
It is a creating story. Will probably be up to date as new particulars turn out to be accessible.
Additionally learn: How the Israel-Iran battle might impression India
