Israel s defense minister says his country has attacked Iran and declares a state of emergency

On Saturday, Israel carried out an attack on Iran, prompting the country’s defense minister, Israel Katz, to announce a state of emergency throughout Israel. This declaration came as thick smoke billowed from an explosion in Tehran, the capital of Iran. The explosion was confirmed by Iranian state television, though they did not provide further details. At the same time, sirens were activated across Israel. The Israeli military stated that this was a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.” This is a breaking news update. Earlier reports from the Associated Press indicate that witnesses heard an explosion in Tehran on Saturday, but the Iranian government did not immediately comment on the incident. The blast occurred amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. It remains unclear if the explosion and the sirens in Israel are related.