An explosion was reported in Tehran on Saturday, as Israel’s defence minister said the country had launched a preventative attack against Iran.
Witnesses said they heard the blast in the Iranian capital. There was no immediate comment from the government in Tehran. Iranian state television acknowledged the blast, without providing more details.
The development comes amid heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme – its long-running effort to enrich uranium, which Western powers fear could be used to produce nuclear weapons.
In Washington, the US president, Donald Trump, signalled frustration with the latest round of negotiations. Speaking to reporters, he said he was “not happy” with how discussions were progressing.
“I’d rather do it the peaceful way, but they’re very difficult people…they’re very dangerous people,” Mr Trump said.
Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has been mediating the talks, expressed hope for a positive outcome as he sought “enough space to really close these remaining areas that we need to discuss and agree upon”.
Meanwhile, staff have been withdrawn from the British Embassy in Iran, ahead of the possible US strikes. At the US embassy in Jerusalem, non-emergency US staff and their families have been told to leave Israel due to safety risks.
Breaking: U.S. participating in Iran strikes
A U.S. official has confirmed that U.S. strikes are underway in Iran.
It is not immediately clear the full extent of its involvement, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military operations.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 07:12
Israel’s operation against Iran was coordinated with US, Israeli official says
The Israeli operation against Iran on Saturday was coordinated with the U.S., an Israeli defence official told Reuters.
The operation was planned or months and the launch date was decided weeks ago, the official added.
Holly Evans28 February 2026 07:03
Protests in Iran continue amid threat of US strikes
People in Iran have continued to protest against the government as the US threatens military strikes against Tehran over its nuclear programme.
University students in Iran are holding protests calling for the government to be overthrown, The New York Times reported.
The new wave of anti-government demonstrations, which started last Saturday, comes after thousands were killed in Iran’s crackdown on protesters last month, per the NYT.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 07:00
Pictures: Explosion reported in Iran as Israel launches ‘preventative attack’
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:59
Israeli airspace closed to civilian flights, airports authority says
Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights on Saturday, the airports authority said, after Israel launched what the defence minister described as a pre-emptive attack against Iran.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:50
Israel launches daylight strike on Tehran as sirens sound nationwide and US forces mass in region
Israel launched a daylight attack on Saturday on Iran’s capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from the city’s downtown.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the target was. But the attack comes as the United States has assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the attack as being done “to remove threats.” He did not immediately elaborate.
In Tehran, witnesses heard the blast. Iranian state television later reported on the explosion, without offering a cause.
Sirens sounded across Israel at the same time. The Israeli military said that it had issued a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel”.
The US military declined to immediately comment on the attack.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:48
Apparent strike in Iran’s capital happened near offices of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
An apparent strike in Iran’s capital on Saturday happened near the offices of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
State television acknowledged an explosion in the area of the offices.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei had been in his offices at the time. He hasn’t been seen publicly in days as tensions with the United States have grown.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:42
Israel’s defense minister says his country has attacked Iran and declares a state of emergency
Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, with the country’s defense minister declaring a state of emergency across the country.
Israel Katz made the announcement as thick smoke rose from an explosion in downtown Tehran, Iran’s capital.
Iranian state television acknowledged the blast, without providing more details.
Sirens sounded across Israel at the same time. The Israeli military said that the “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel”.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:36
Israel military triggers sirens to prepare for possible missile attack
Israel’s military on Saturday said it had sounded air raid sirens in areas across the country “to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward Israel”.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:33
IAEA flags blind spot over Iran’s 60% uranium as stockpile moved to Isfahan tunnel
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has warned that most of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is being held inside an underground tunnel complex at its Isfahan facility and has pressed Tehran to permit inspections without delay.
In a report circulated to member states on Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran continues to enrich uranium to 60 per cent purity – a level described as a short technical step from weapons-grade material – while raising concern about its lack of access to the Isfahan site.
Isfahan is one of three nuclear facilities that the United States said it had “obliterated” during last year’s 12-day war.
According to the agency, satellite imagery showed “regular vehicular activity around the entrance to the tunnel complex at Isfahan in which (uranium) enriched up to 20 per cent and 60 per centU-235 … was stored”.
The IAEA stressed the importance of being able to conduct inspections in Iran without further delay.
The report also said inspectors do not know the precise location of a fourth uranium enrichment facility that Iran had stated it was establishing in Isfahan before the 12-day war. The agency added that it was unaware of whether that facility is operational or whether it currently contains nuclear material.
There was no immediate comment from Iran.
The findings were circulated a day after American and Iranian negotiators met in Geneva for a third round of indirect talks mediated by Oman. The discussions ended without a breakthrough.
Namita Singh28 February 2026 06:30
