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Explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as Israel claimed it was attacking the country. Iranian state media reported explosions in the northeastern parts of the city.
The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme. The Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the first time in 20 years on Thursday censured Iran over it not working with its inspectors.
Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site in the country and swap out some centrifuges for more-advanced ones.
Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it doesn’t want — though official there have repeatedly warned it could.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced a “special situation” in the country following the attacks. He said schools would be closed nationwide on Friday, adding that an Iranian retaliation of missiles and drones are to be expected in the “immediate future”.
There was no immediate word from Israeli officials on what was struck or was being targeted.
A US media outlet says US President Donald Trump has reportedly convened his cabinet for an emergency meeting following the Israeli attack.
The White House did not officially address the attack.
As the explosions in Tehran started, Trump was on the lawn of the White House mingling with members of Congress. It was unclear if he had been informed but the president continued shaking hands and posing for pictures for several minutes.
In the days leading up to the attacks, Washington has made clear that it will not participate in any Israeli attacks on Iran. Trump had urged Israel to refrain from striking Tehran, and to seek diplomatic solutions, but acknowledged that an Israeli strike could very well happen.
The US has been preparing for something to happen, already pulling some diplomats from Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of US troops in the wider Middle East region.
Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.
Additional sources • AP