Israel announced on Saturday that it carried out a "preemptive" strike against Iran, renewing military confrontation in the Middle East and undermining prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the years-long conflict with the West over Tehran's nuclear program. Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported three explosions in central Tehran.
The attack—preceded by a 12-day aerial war between Israel and Iran in June—follows repeated warnings from the United States and Israel that they would launch another offensive if Iran continued its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated: "Israel has launched a preemptive strike on Iran to counter the threats it faces."
Iranian media reported the sounds of explosions heard in Tehran on Saturday.
In February, the United States and Iran resumed negotiations in an effort to settle the decades-old dispute through diplomatic means and avoid the risk of a military confrontation that could destabilize the region.
However, Israel has insisted that any agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran must involve the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, rather than just halting enrichment. It has also pressured Washington to include restrictions on Iran's missile program within the negotiations.
Iran has stated its readiness to discuss limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions but refuses to link the nuclear file to its missile prog
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Reuters
