Smoke Rises Over Tehran After US and Israel Launch Strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump confirms “major combat operations” are under way as Israel describes attacks as pre‑emptive and Iran reports explosions across multiple cities.
Smoke billowed into the Tehran skyline early on Saturday after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, with President Donald Trump confirming that “major combat operations” are under way.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had carried out a “pre‑emptive” attack on Tehran, while the Israeli military claimed Iran had fired retaliatory missiles.
Images from the Iranian capital showed plumes of smoke rising as explosions were reported in at least five cities, including Tehran, the BBC reported.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and the United States had launched a joint operation to counter what he described as an existential threat from Iran.
“My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran,” he said.
Netanyahu thanked President Trump for what he called “historic leadership,” accusing Iran’s leadership of decades of hostility toward Israel and the United States.
Washington has been putting increasing pressure on Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal. On Friday, Trump said he was “not happy” with Iran’s negotiating position during ongoing talks.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that explosions were heard in the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah, as well as in the capital, Tehran.
Iran has confirmed the attacks and their impact through state media, reported widespread explosions, and taken defensive measures such as closing its airspace, but has not yet issued a detailed official response or declaration at the highest political level.