On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a major military operation against Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate with attacks on US bases in the Middle East and Israel. Israel declared a nationwide state of emergency and instructed major hospitals to go into emergency mode.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry threatened on Saturday to respond decisively and clearly to the military strikes by the US and Israel against Iran, stating that they would target “all” US military bases in the region. The Iranian military also claimed to have launched a round of “dozens of attack drones” against Israel.
Following the latest ballistic missile attack by Iran, sirens were heard in Tel Aviv and central Israel.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Saturday morning that the entire country was in a state of “special, immediate emergency.”
The Israeli Ministry of Defense sent out a photo signed by Katz of the emergency declaration through WhatsApp to the media, explaining that the emergency state was declared due to Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran.
The Israeli military announced the closure of schools and workplaces (except for essential industries) and banned public air traffic. Civilian airspace was also shut down, with the airport authority urging people not to travel to any Israeli airports.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that they were working to intercept Iranian missiles with full force. Hospitals reported that, following the Health Ministry’s instructions, medical centers throughout Israel had shifted to emergency mode, relocating critically ill patients and surgeries to underground facilities or secure areas.
The US embassies in the Middle East countries urged American citizens in the region to evacuate, including those in Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan. Explosions were reported in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Dubai, with all incoming and outgoing flights at all Dubai airports being suspended.