Israel, US Attack Iranian Cities Including Tehran As Nuclear Talks Stall

Israel and the United States on Saturday launched a "preventative attack" on Iran as explosions hit Tehran after weeks of escalating tensions between the two Middle East powers. The two archfoes engaged in a 12-day war in June last year, killing hundreds.

The Israel Defence Forces said sirens were sounded all throughout the country, with an advance instruction alert directly to cellular devices to stay within proximity to 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 emphasizes that the public is requested to stay in proximity to protected spaces," the IDF said in a statement on X said.

Follow live updates on Israel-Iran conflict here.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency as he announced the strike, and said the country expects to come under drone and missile attack in the immediate future, Bloomberg News reported. The country's airspace has been shut.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran during Israeli airstrikes, as per Reuters. Last year, senior military and nuclear officials were killed by US and Israeli strikes.

Airspaces of both countries have been shut amid worries over a broader exchange of missiles and drones.

The United States, Tel Aviv's closest ally, has undertaken a large military buildup in the region to deter Iranian threats. While Benjamin Netanyahu's government has sought a more hardline approach to Tehran, the US has preferred diplomatic means.

US President Donald Trump said their aim is to eliminate threats from the Iranian regime. "Iran has waged a campaign of mass murder... We are not going to put up with their actions any longer. We sought repeatedly to make a deal with Iran but they rejected every opportunity to renounce nuclear weapons. The US military is undertaking massive ongoing operations and we are going to destroy Iran's missile capabilities," he said in a video statement on Truth Social.

ALSO READ: Trump Flags Rising Risk Of Wider Middle East Conflict Amid Iran Tensions

Israel Attack Hours After Trump Warning

Just hours before the military operations, Trump said the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East is possible if the nuclear negotiations with Iran fails and the US chooses military option. "There's always a risk... It would be wonderful if they negotiate in good faith and conscience. But they are not getting there," he told reporters.

The remarks came amid ongoing talks between US and Iranian officials in Geneva, which mediators said would continue next week after no breakthrough was achieved. At the same time, Washington has significantly increased its military presence around Iran, one of the largest regional deployments in over two decades, comparable to levels seen before the Iraq War in 2003. The two countries resumed indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in Oman earlier this month.

 "We haven't made a final decision (on Iran). We're not exactly happy with the way they're negotiating. They cannot have nuclear weapons," Trump said.

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance asserted that even if Trump authorises fresh military strikes on Iran, there is "no chance" the US would be drawn into a prolonged Middle East war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed‌ Abbas Araqchi told reporters that the third round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington yielded "good progress" on the nuclear issue and sanction relief, but stated that some differences remain in place.

ALSO READ: Iran Bars UN Inspectors From Bombed Nuclear Sites, IAEA Flags 'Urgent' Gaps In Oversight

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