Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Feb 28, 2026. (PHOTO / AP)

JERUSALEM – Israel launched a “preemptive” strike against Iran on Saturday morning “to remove threats to Israel,” the Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Sirens were sounded across Israel to warn the public to prepare for the possibility of an Iranian missile attack on Israel.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran and has been moved to a secure location, according to local media.

The Iranian Civil Aviation Authority, meanwhile, has said the country’s airspace will remain closed until further notice, the Mehr news agency reported.

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In the morning, the Israel Airports Authority announced the closure of Israel’s airspace to civilian flights following the Israeli military’s attacks on Iran.  

Local media in Lebanon, meanwhile, reported quoting the Israel Defense Forces that Israel is also carrying out strikes against the infrastructure of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.