Israel launches 'pre-emptive attack' against Iran, says Defence Minister

Israel on Saturday, February 28, launched pre-emptive attacks on Iran, the country's defence minister said. Iranian local media said explosions were heard in central Tehran.

The US confirmed that its forces were involved in the attack, with President Donald Trump even acknowledging a few American casualties.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces said sirens were sounded all throughout Israel as a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the State of Israel.

"The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack ​against Iran to remove ⁠threats to the State of Israel," Defence Minister Israel Katz said, without providing more details of the attack.

In a separate post, the IDF said that all areas in the country were shifted from Full Activity to Essential Activity with immediate effect. Tel Aviv also closed its airspace for all commercial flights.

"The guidelines include: a prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors," it said.

This comes after months of tension in the region over Iran's nuclear capabilities. The two countries were engaged in a 12-day war in June last year.

The attack on Saturday follows repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran pressed for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

The attack also comes amid renewed negotiations between the US and Iran in February ⁠in ‌a bid to resolve the decades-long dispute through diplomacy and avert the threat of a military confrontation ‌that could destabilise the region.

Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has moved out of Tehran and has been placed at a secure place.

However, Israel had insisted that a deal with Iran must include the dismantling of Tehran's nuclear infrastructure, not just stopping the enrichment process.

Iran had agreed to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions but ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

In June, the US and Israel had launched a military campaign against Iranian nuclear installations, in the most direct American military action ever against the Islamic Republic.

Tehran retaliated by launching missiles toward the US ​Al Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest in ​the Middle East.

Click here for all the live updates.

(With Reuters inputs)