ISRAEL launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran earlier today, plunging the Middle East into a new military confrontation.
According to reports, the development directly undermines hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West.
Multiple explosions have been heard in Iran’s capital, Tehran, while blasts have also been reported in several other locations across the country.
The New York Times, citing a US official, reported that a US strike on Iran was underway.
Israel’s military said it had protectively sounded air raid sirens in areas across the country “to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward Israel” in retaliation.
Sources told Reuters that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was not in Tehran and had been moved to a safe location.
The United States is participating in the strikes, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military operations.
The White House declined to immediately comment.
On Friday, Donald Trump said he had not made a final decision on whether to launch US strikes on Iran – but added he was “not happy” with the situation, and that military force, including regime change, remained an option.
The attack, which came after Israel and Iran were engaged in a 12-day air war in June, followed repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran continued its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The Israeli military announced the closure of schools and offices, except for essential sectors, and a ban on the use of public airspace.
Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights, and airport authorities asked people not to travel to any of the country's airports. – February 28, 2026
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