Israel on Saturday launched a “preventative attack” on Iran, with the country’s defence minister declaring a state of emergency nationwide.“The State of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran. Defence minister Israel Katz has declared a special and immediate state of emergency throughout the country,” a ministry statement said.Israel Katz made the announcement as thick smoke was seen rising from an explosion in downtown Tehran, Iran’s capital. Iranian state television acknowledged the blast but did not provide further details.At the same time, sirens sounded across Israel and people across the country received phone alerts about an “extremely serious” threat.The Israeli military said the move was a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”The developments come amid heightened regional tensions. Earlier on Friday, the US State Department authorised non-emergency personnel and their family members to leave Israel, citing unspecified “safety risks”, CBS News reported.The updated advisory comes as Washington continues negotiations with Tehran over a potential nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump has earlier threatened to attack Iran if no deal to rein in its nuclear programme is reached.This is a developing story.
