Israel and the United States on Saturday morning launched an attack on Iran.
Iranian state media reporting that explosions heard in Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj.
A security source confirmed to Walla that the United States is involved in the strikes. A US official also told Reuters American strikes in Iran were “underway,” adding that strikes against Iran are being carried out by air and sea.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement, saying that the aim of the operation was to remove the Ayatollah’s regime from power.
The operation “will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said.
“The time has come for all sections of the people in Iran … to remove the yoke of tyranny from (the regime) and bring a free and peace-loving Iran.
“For 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has called for ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America.’ It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and massacred its own people,” Netanyahu said, while thanking US President Trump for his “historic friendship.”
“This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity.
“The time has come for all segments of the Iranian people – Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Balochis, and Ahwazis – to rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peace-seeking Iran,” Netanyahu stated, mentioning the largest ethnic groups across Iran.
“We shall stand together, fight together, and ensure the eternity of Israel together,” he concluded.
Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi also issued a similar statement, while also calling on Iranian military and police officers to aid anti-regime activity and depose the Islamic Regime.
Israel went into a state of emergency Saturday morning as the IDF sent a national warning to all citizens to stay near protected spaces.
“This is a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the State of Israel,” the IDF said.
Iranian officials said Tehran is preparing for a retaliatory attack. “Tehran is preparing for retaliation; the response will be crushing,” the officials said,
According to Reuters. Sirens later sounded across northern Israel at approximately 10 a.m. and across central Israel, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, at approximately 10:30 a.m., as Iranian missile launches were detected.
Some of the missiles were launched from Lebanon, a security source told Walla, but the IDF denied this.
Mossad launched a Farsi-language Telegram channel for Iranians to follow news updates on Saturday morning, calling out to “Our Iranian brothers and sisters,” saying that “you are not alone.”
“We have launched a super secure and special Telegram channel for you [and] together we will return Iran to its glorious days,” Mossad wrote.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is not in Tehran and has been transferred to a “secure location,” an Iranian official confirmed to Reuters.
Iranian media reported strikes targeting the IRGC’s intelligence headquarters, as well as explosions in central Tehran. The country has closed its airspace in response to the strikes.
An Israeli security official told Reuters that the operation was planned for months and its timing was set several weeks ago.
