Tehran – Washington: Agencies – Europe and the Arabs

Iranians awoke this morning to the sound of explosions following a joint Israeli-American airstrike, according to international media reports. Shortly after the strike, thick plumes of smoke were seen and explosions were heard in several neighborhoods of the Iranian capital, Tehran, according to AFP journalists.

The ISNA news agency reported that one of the plumes rose near the Pasteur district in central Tehran, where the Supreme Leader's office and the presidential palace are located.

According to the Brussels-based European news network Euronews, less than 48 hours after the conclusion of negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva, Israel launched a preemptive strike that rocked several official sites in Tehran. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Saturday that the Israeli army had carried out a preemptive attack against the Islamic Republic. Hebrew media outlets reported that the attack targeted official, missile, and security sites in Iran, while Reuters reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not in Tehran at the time of the attack and had been moved to a safe location. Katz stated, "Under my authority according to the Civil Defense Law, I have issued a special order declaring a state of emergency on the home front throughout Israel, effective immediately." The minister urged citizens to "comply with the instructions of the Home Front Command and the authorities and remain in protected areas." Reuters reported that thick plumes of smoke rose over central Tehran as explosions were heard, indicating the potential scale of the damage resulting from the Israeli preemptive strike. The Israeli Defense Minister announced that Israel had launched a preemptive strike on Iran. American and German media outlets reported this news after eyewitnesses in Tehran heard an explosion, according to the Associated Press. Iranian state television confirmed the explosion without providing further details. Sirens also sounded in Israel. According to the Israeli military, this was a "preemptive warning to alert the population in case of missile fire on Israel."

According to The New York Times, citing a US official, US airstrikes on Iran are underway. The Associated Press also reported that the United States is participating in the Israeli attacks on Iran.

An Israeli defense official told Reuters that the military operation this morning was carried out in coordination with the United States.

Israeli officials confirmed to Sky News that attacks on Iran are ongoing. Journalist Adam Parsons, who is based in the area, said: "I was at home when the sirens went off in Jerusalem. Around that time, a message started coming in via an app on people's mobile phones." The message stated that it was a preemptive warning, meaning that Israel was not currently under attack. It served two purposes: first, to confirm the system's security, and second, to draw public attention. Remember, it's Saturday morning, and it's Shabbat here. It's a day of great significance, especially in a religious city like Jerusalem.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that sirens sounded across the country in the past few minutes. "A direct alert was also sent to mobile phones urging people to stay close to shelters." They added, "This is a preemptive warning to prepare the public for the possibility of rocket fire on Israel." The IDF emphasized the need for citizens to remain close to protected areas. Schools remain closed, and gatherings are temporarily prohibited. The same applies to professional activities, with the exception of "essential sectors," according to the army. This followed statements from world capitals warning their citizens to be vigilant due to increased threats, particularly from Iran and Israel. According to local media in Brussels, given the rising tensions in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Maxime Priveaux urged Belgians to remain fully vigilant. With current travel recommendations, the highest level of caution is advised.

In a message on the X website, the minister stressed the need to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel and Lebanon. He also strongly advised Belgian citizens against traveling to Iran for any reason. Belgian citizens currently in Iran, including dual nationals, were advised to leave the country as soon as possible.

Preveaux urged Belgians in the region to follow the instructions of local authorities and to carefully consult the travel advice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He noted that the situation in the region has become extremely tense in recent days, requiring increased vigilance.

Finally, Belgians in affected countries were advised to register on the "Travelers Online" platform so that the government could contact them if necessary.

Yesterday, several countries began withdrawing their diplomatic staff, some non-essential personnel, and their families from Iran and Israel.

Other countries advised their citizens to leave both countries immediately and postpone travel, amid growing fears of war.

On Friday, the US Embassy in Israel issued a security alert placing non-essential US government employees and their families on lockdown. Faced with the option of leaving the country for safety reasons.

The embassy also warned that, in response to security incidents, additional restrictions could be imposed, or staff and their families could be barred from traveling to specific areas, including parts of Jerusalem, including the Old City, and the West Bank. It urged them to leave Israel while commercial flights were still available.

Similarly, the Canadian government's Travel Advisory account on the X platform called on Canadian citizens in Iran to leave, noting that conflicts in the region could resume with little or no warning, and urged them to depart immediately.

Also, the British Foreign Office announced on Friday that it was withdrawing its diplomatic staff from Iran due to the possibility of a US strike.  

The embassy's official website stated: "Due to the security situation, our diplomatic staff has been temporarily withdrawn from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely," announcing "a precautionary measure of temporarily relocating some of our staff and their families from Tel Aviv to another location within Israel."

It also advised against travel to Israel and Palestine except for essential purposes.

On Friday, the Italian Foreign Ministry urged Italians to leave Iran and Israel and advised them to exercise caution throughout the Middle East.

It stated that its warning was due to the ongoing security instability.