The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday the launch of a major missile and drone offensive targeting “territories occupied by Israel” in retaliation for the recent aggression against Iran.
According to a statement from the IRGC’s Public Relations Office, the first wave of the attack has commenced, as reported by the Iranian state news agency, IRNA.
The IRNA further reported that ongoing strikes and multiple explosions were heard in central and eastern Tehran around Saturday noon.
The war on Iran
Early Saturday morning, the US and Israel launched a large-scale joint military offensive against Iran.
The assault follows weeks of escalating tensions, US military threats, and a significant buildup of forces across the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the offensive aims to “eliminate the existential threat” posed by Iran, calling on the Iranian people to seize the opportunity to overthrow the regime.
This operation marks the second major confrontation in recent months, following the 12-day war in June 2025—a conflict where Israel, with US support, struck Iranian nuclear and military sites.
At that time, Tehran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at Israel and a US base in Doha.
The latest strikes occurred just hours after President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman, with reports indicating a total collapse of the diplomatic track.
The Pentagon has designated the American campaign “Operation Epic Fury.” Explosions have since been reported in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, and Kermanshah.
Edited translation from Al-Masry al-Youm
