Israel strikes Iran: Tel Aviv shuts airspace to civilian flights after launching attack on Tehran
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Israel strikes Iran: Tel Aviv shuts airspace to civilian flights after launching attack on Tehran")
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Photograph: (AFP)
Israel strikes Iran: Tel Aviv shuts airspace to civilian flights after launching attack on Tehran
Israel on Saturday (Feb 28) closed its airspace to civilian flights after announcing it had carried out "preemptive strikes" on Iran and sounding sirens in Jerusalem. According to reports, the strikes on Iran are a joint operation between Israel and the United States; however, America has yet to confirm its involvement.
"Following the security developments, the Minister of Transportation has ordered the Director of the Israel Civil Aviation Authority to close the airspace of the State of Israel to civilian flights," the minister, Miri Regev, announced.
Targets hit across Iran
Israeli media reported that roughly 30 locations were struck in the opening phase of the joint military operation that is being called Operation Fury by the US and Operation Lion's Roar by Israel. Among them were sites linked to Iran's leadership and intelligence apparatus. Explosions and plumes of smoke were seen rising over parts of Tehran. The extent of the damage remains unclear.
According to the Israeli military, their strikes on Iran, conducted in collaboration with the US, hit many military sites and were planned jointly by the allies for months. "The strike targeted dozens of military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated, and joint operation against the regime," the army said in a statement.
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"In the months preceding the strike, close and joint planning was conducted between the IDF and the US military, enabling the execution of the broad strike in full synchronisation and coordination between the two militaries," it added.
Questions over Khamenei’s whereabouts
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are uncertain. Reports suggest a strike took place near his headquarters in the Iranian capital, Tehran. It is not known whether he was present at the time or if he was injured in the strike. According to Reuters, an Iranian official said Khamenei had been moved to a secure location.
Trump issues stark ultimatum to Iranian troops
Soon after the strikes, President Trump confirmed that American forces were involved in what he described as major combat operations. In a video message posted on his Truth Social, the US president ominously warned the “Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Armed Forces, and all of the police” that they must surrender or be killed. He promised that those who surrender will be “treated fairly” and that they'll be granted “total immunity”.
