Israel on Saturday confirmed it had carried out what it described as a preemptive military strike against Iran, as explosions were reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
In a statement, the Israeli Defence Ministry announced the operation and declared a nationwide state of emergency amid fears of possible retaliation.
“The State of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran,” the ministry said, adding that Defence Minister Israel Katz had ordered a special and immediate state of emergency across the country.
Air raid sirens reportedly sounded in Jerusalem shortly after the announcement, while residents across Israel received emergency alerts on their mobile phones warning of an “extremely serious” security threat.
Although details of the targets and scale of the operation were not immediately disclosed, the reported explosions in Tehran signalled a sharp escalation in tensions between the two long-time adversaries.
Authorities in both countries were yet to provide comprehensive accounts of casualties or damage as of press time.