Israel Attacks Iran, US Joins In

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Dubai – As high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran entered what officials described as a decisive phase in Geneva, Israel launched a major military strike against Iran early Saturday morning. U.S. officials have since confirmed that Washington is participating in the operation.

The attack came just one day after the U.S. warship Gerald Ford docked near Israel, a move widely seen as a deterrent against potential Iranian retaliation in anticipation of joint U.S.–Israeli action.

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Explosions Across Iran

Multiple explosions were reported across the Iranian capital, Tehran, with blasts also heard in several other cities, including Kermanshah, Lorestan, Tabriz, Isfahan, and Karaj, according to local media reports.

Thick smoke was seen rising from a district of Tehran where Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, is known to reside. The area also houses the presidential palace and the National Security Council. The Iranian newspaper Sharq reports visible smoke in the vicinity.

Witnesses in Tehran described hearing powerful blasts. Iranian state television later acknowledged the explosions but did not provide details on their cause. No official casualty figures have yet been released, and there was no immediate formal reaction from Iranian authorities.

Joint U.S.–Israeli Operation

According to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the operation, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the military action, the United States is actively participating in the strikes.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz characterised the operation as one intended“to remove threats”, though he declined to elaborate further.

A U.S. official told Al Jazeera that the joint air campaign aims to dismantle Iran's security apparatus.

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State of Emergency and Airspace Closures

Simultaneously, sirens sounded across Israel as the Israeli military issued what it described as a“proactive alert” warning of the possibility of missile launches toward Israeli territory. The Israeli army declared a state of emergency and urged citizens to remain close to bomb shelters.

In response to the strikes, Iran shut down its airspace. Majid Akhavan, spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, announced that a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) had been issued.

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Majid Akhavan stated that Iranian airspace would be closed for at least six hours and advised the public to avoid airports pending further official announcements.

Political Context

The strikes come amid sensitive diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Mehran Kamrava, director of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies and professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, suggested that Israel may be seeking to derail the talks.

Kamrava was quoted by Al Jazeera saying that although he had not expected the United States to directly attack Iran, Israel had been“quite vocal about its intentions to sabotage U.S.–Iran negotiations.”

“As it did last June,” Kamrava said,“it appears to have launched an attack designed to derail the negotiations between Iran and the U.S.”

Unfolding Situation

Details remain limited, and Iranian authorities have not reacted yet.

With both nations on heightened alert and airspace restrictions in place, the situation remains volatile, raising fears of broader regional escalation.

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