After days of escalating tensions, Israel has launched an attack on Iran.
Israeli government officials called the move a “preemptive strike” in an emergency message to citizens. While declaring a state of emergency throughout the entire country, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that retaliatory strikes were expected.
“Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,” a message from Katz read.
The Associated Press shared that explosions were reported in Tehran. The outlet added that the explosions had been acknowledged by state television in Iran. An unnamed Israeli official who spoke to the AP said that the wave of attacks targeted nuclear sites and military outposts.
It is not the first missile exchange between the two countries since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7. In late 2024, Iran launched an air attack on several sites in Israel, with many of the missiles being intercepted. Israel attacked key parts of Iran’s air defense system that same month.
The strike comes after days of President Donald Trump hoping that cooler heads would prevail. The U.S. and Iran are in the middle of talks around a potential nuclear deal, and Trump administration insiders told Axios that the president has no desire to follow Israel into a wider war in the region. Trump had reportedly urged Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu not to carry out such a strike.
The White House has yet to respond to news of the airstrikes publicly.