Israel announced this morning that it had launched what it described as a “preemptive” strike against Iran, with Iranian media reporting that three explosions were heard in the capital Tehran.
Reuters news agency, citing the Israeli Defense Ministry, said the strike was a pre-emptive strike targeting Iranian targets. Minutes after the strike was announced, the Israeli Civil Defense Command said sirens had been heard across the country, prompting fears of a swift response.
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that heavy smoke was rising from the sites of the blasts in Tehran. The Fars news agency also reported that rockets had landed on University Street and the Republic Square in the capital.
Israel’s Defense Ministry declared a “state of emergency” across the country, invoking the 1951 Civil Defense Law. An official statement from the Defense Ministry said the decision was made after it was confirmed that an attack on Israel was possible. The state of emergency will last for 48 hours, starting at 10:08 a.m. today, February 28, 2026.
On the other hand, official Israeli media reported that the country’s airspace was closed, while civilian aircraft heading to Israel were reportedly turned back after the attack in Tehran.
Other reports from Iranian media indicate that an airstrike was carried out near the presidential palace in Tehran, although official details of the casualties were not provided.
Some Israeli media also reported that the attacks were carried out jointly by Israel and the United States, but there has been no official statement on this from Washington so far.
