Early Saturday morning, reports emerged of major blasts rocking Tehran, amid statements from Israel that it had carried out a preemptive strike.
Loud Blasts and Plumes of Smoke Reported in Central Tehran
As per on-the-ground reports, two loud blasts were audible in the city on Saturday morning. Correspondingly, two plumes of dense smoke were observed rising over the centre and east of the city.
“The nature of explosions indicates that this is a strike involving missiles,” one news agency stated, though it did not immediately offer additional information.
Context: Escalating Tensions and Prior Developments
The incident occurs against a background of severely escalated tensions in the Middle East. Major events preceding this attack include:
- American Naval Deployment: A massive build-up of American warships in the Middle East, including the movement of aircraft carriers.
- Nuclear Talks: Recent talks between the US and Iran on Tehran's nuclear programme concluded without a deal, with suggestions of more discussions planned.
- Public Statements: Prior to the strike, a senior US official had labeled Iran as “the world’s number one sponsor of terror” and delivered warnings regarding its missile program.
- Diplomatic Deadline: Reportedly, a deadline of 10 to 15 days had been presented to Iran to resolve the nuclear dispute or face severe consequences.
Reaction from Tehran
In response to earlier allegations, Iranian authorities had accused the United States of spreading “big lies” about its missiles programme. They rejected claims about missile development and protest deaths as baseless.
These developments remains fast-moving, with further updates expected as the situation develops.
