On Saturday, February 28, Israel launched a missile attack on the Iranian capital, Tehran. Israeli Defense Minister Katz promptly confirmed this military action, describing it as a “preemptive strike” to protect national security.
Currently, Iran has urgently closed its airspace, and air raid sirens are simultaneously sounding across Israel in preparation for potential retaliatory actions.
According to international reports, this rare daytime attack resulted in thick smoke rising in downtown Tehran. Iran’s Fars News Agency indicated that several missiles hit the “University Street” and the “Jomhouri area” in the city.
Significantly, the targeted areas are in close proximity to the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As of now, Iranian authorities have not released specific information regarding casualties.
In his statement, Katz clearly stated, “Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran to eliminate threats to the country.”
However, further details were not immediately provided.
During the attack, the Israeli military also issued alerts in various parts of the country. The military explained that this was done “to prepare the public for possible missile launches at Israel,” to guard against potential retaliation from Iran.
This conflict comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment between the United States and Iran, with both sides expected to negotiate the nuclear agreement in Geneva next Thursday. The U.S. government aims to constrain Iran’s nuclear program through negotiations and has deployed a significant number of warplanes and warships in the region to maintain pressure.
The U.S. believes that Iran is currently facing internal political pressure due to ongoing protests, which could present an opportunity for reaching an agreement.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 86 years old, has not been seen in public for several days, and it is unclear if he was in his office at the time of the attack.
Regarding Israel’s actions, the U.S. military is currently refusing to comment.