Israel's defense minister announced on the 28th (local time) that "Israel has carried out a preemptive strike against Iran," Reuters and AP reported. The strike targeted an area near the Iranian supreme leader's office, but he was reportedly not in Tehran at the time.
According to reports, witnesses said smoke was visible after two large explosions near the office of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran's capital.
Khamenei, 86, has not appeared in public for several days amid rising tensions with the United States. However, foreign media reported he was not in Tehran during the attack. The strike came as the United States was positioning a large fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to pressure Iran into negotiations over its nuclear program.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the attack as "aimed at eliminating threats."
This marks the first direct military confrontation between Israel and Iran in approximately eight months, since the "12-day war" last June that severely damaged Iran's nuclear facilities and military leadership.
Israeli military authorities activated air defense sirens across the country to prepare citizens for possible retaliatory missile launches from Iran. Israel subsequently announced business closures and school shutdowns following the attack on Iran.