U.S. And Israeli forces launched a wave of attacks against Iranian cities Saturday morning, targeting what officials described as military sites and missile facilities, including locations near Tehran. Explosions were reported in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, according to Iranian state media and the AFP news agency.
The attacks come after a period of escalating tensions, including a twelve-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025, triggered by an Israeli strike on Iranian military command, launch facilities, and nuclear program installations. The United States participated in that earlier offensive, striking three Iranian nuclear sites, according to reports from earlier this year.
The Israeli Defense Ministry announced the current operation as a “preventive attack” against Iran. Sirens sounded in Jerusalem, and residents were alerted via mobile phone to an “extremely grave” alarm. A state of emergency was declared throughout Israel.
According to reports from the scene, streets around the compound where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei resides were blocked as a security measure. The type of explosions suggests a missile attack, the Fars news agency reported, without providing further details. Iranian state television reported seven missile impacts in the Keshvardoost and Pasteur neighborhoods of Tehran, and stated that the targets included “regime palaces and military sites,” including ballistic missile facilities.
The operation, dubbed “Ruggito del Leone” by the Israel Defense Forces and “Epic Fury” by the U.S. Military, is intended, according to President Donald Trump, to “defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” Trump stated that the U.S. Would “destroy their missiles and ensure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon,” adding that the regime would “soon learn not to challenge the strength of the American armed forces.”
Iran, Iraq, and Israel have all closed their airspace to civilian traffic. The U.S. Embassies in Qatar and Bahrain have urged American citizens to shelter in place.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that “Europe doesn’t know how much it can do at this moment, the game is in the hands of Iran, Israel and the United States, but we continue to work so that the war can end and an agreement can be found.” He also emphasized the need for Iran to abandon its nuclear program, stating that an Iran with a nuclear bomb would be “very dangerous for the entire territory.”
The current attacks are occurring amidst diplomatic efforts between U.S. And Iranian officials aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program and averting open war, with negotiations scheduled to continue.
