Israel Closes Airspace, Declares Emergency After Striking Iran

Tel Aviv – Israel has closed its airspace to civilian flights and declared a state of emergency nationwide following what it described as a “preemptive strike” against Iran. The move, announced by Israel’s Minister of Transport, Miri Regev, came after the Israeli Defense Ministry stated its forces had launched the offensive.

“Following security developments, the Minister of Transport has instructed the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel to close the State of Israel’s airspace to civilian flights,” Regev stated, according to the French news agency AFP.

The declaration of a state of emergency extends across Israel, with sirens sounding in the Jerusalem area and warnings issued regarding a “remarkably serious threat.” The Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed the “preemptive strike” against Iran and stated that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had declared a special nationwide emergency.

Reports from AFP correspondents indicate that two loud explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday morning. Thick plumes of smoke were observed rising in the central and eastern parts of the city.

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the explosions were caused by missile strikes. “The nature of the explosion indicates that it was a missile attack,” the agency stated, without providing further details.

As of Saturday afternoon, Iranian authorities had not issued an official statement regarding the reported Israeli strikes. Miri Regev currently serves as Minister of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety, having previously held the position of Minister of Culture and Sport, according to information available from Wikipedia. She began her career in the Israel Defense Forces, rising to the rank of Brigadier General and serving as the IDF Spokeswoman.