The US and Israel launch an offensive; Iran prepares for retaliation.

Iranian and international sources indicate the operation was carried out by both air and sea.

Several missiles struck University Street and the Jomhouri area in Tehran. Smoke rose in many parts of the city. Explosions also occurred in the Seyyed Khandan area, north of Tehran. Iranian media simultaneously reported attacks in several other locations, including the Ilam province in the west of the country.

Smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on February 28. (Screenshot)

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel launched the missiles to “eliminate threats to the State of Israel.”

A U.S. official said this was a joint military operation between the U.S. and Israel. The two countries had previously deployed a large fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region, amid pressure on Iran to reach an agreement on its nuclear program.

One of the targets in Tehran is located near the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. An official said Khamenei is not currently in Tehran and has been moved to a safe location.

Meanwhile, an Iranian official said that Tehran is preparing for what is expected to be a very strong response.

In Israel, air raid sirens sounded and a state of emergency was declared. The Israeli military announced it had issued a proactive warning in preparation for the possibility of missile launches toward the country. Israeli airport authorities said airspace had been closed to all civilian flights and advised people to stay away from airports.

In the Middle East, the US Embassy in Qatar has instructed all staff to shelter in place and advised US citizens to do the same until further notice. The Iraqi Ministry of Transport has also announced the closure of the country's airspace.

An Israeli defense official was quoted as saying the operation had been planned months in advance and the timing of its deployment had been decided weeks prior, amid ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran.

Mehran Kamrava, director of the Iran research unit at the Center for Arab Studies and Policy and a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, believes Israel appears to have launched the attack to sabotage the negotiations.

US President Donald Trump said the joint operation with Israel aims to “eliminate the imminent threat from the Iranian regime.” He said the US military had begun a major military operation in Iran with the goal of protecting American citizens.

A spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Health said hospitals are on high alert. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, wrote on social media that Iran had previously issued warnings and that the current situation could lead to uncontrollable developments.

An Iranian official went on to say that Tehran is preparing retaliatory measures and that a strong response is expected.

Source: https://congluan.vn/my-va-israel-mo-chien-dich-tan-cong-iran-chuan-bi-tra-dua-10331765.html