The United States has begun military strikes on Iran, joining Israel in a significant escalation of tensions in the region, according to US media reports.
Earlier, TruthLive News media reported that Israel had carried out what it described as a pre-emptive strike on Iran. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said a “special and permanent state of emergency” had been declared, signalling heightened security measures across the country.
Subsequently, major American and international news organisations, including Reuters and BBC News, cited senior US officials as saying the strikes formed part of a joint operation between Washington and Israel.
The Pentagon has not yet issued an official statement on the reported military action.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, US President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes, saying they were intended to counter what he described as “imminent threats” from Iran.
“A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran,” he wrote. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Qatar has issued a shelter-in-place order for its staff, a step that typically reflects elevated security concerns in the region.
Iranian authorities have not yet provided details on damage or casualties. However, officials in Tehran have repeatedly warned that any attack on the country would trigger a strong response.
The latest developments represent a sharp intensification of long-standing hostilities between Iran and Israel, with the United States now directly involved, raising concerns about the risk of a wider regional conflict.
