In the early hours of a Saturday morning, the ancient rivalry between Israel and Iran crossed a threshold that diplomacy had long struggled to hold. Israel launched a pre-emptive military operation it named 'Roar of the Lion,' striking targets across Tehran — including areas near the office of Supreme Leader Khamenei — while the United States confirmed direct combat involvement under President Trump. What had simmered for months in planning rooms and diplomatic frustrations has now become open warfare, forcing a region already stretched by tension to confront the weight of what comes next.
Israel launches 'Roar of the Lion' strike on Iran; Trump confirms US combat ops
The Supreme Leader had already left before the bombs fell.
Mark
So Israel struck Iran, and the US was involved. But what exactly was hit?
Mimi
Multiple explosions across Tehran, including areas near Khamenei's office. That's the significant part—they were targeting the Supreme Leader's immediate vicinity.
Luke
But did they hit him? The source says an Iranian official claimed he'd already left. That's one source saying he's safe. We don't have independent confirmation.
Mimi
Right. Iranian state media acknowledged the explosion near his office, but the exact damage and whether anyone was killed—that's still unclear.
Mark
How long had this been planned?
Mimi
Israeli officials said months of preparation, but the actual decision to launch came only weeks before Saturday.
Luke
That's interesting—months of planning, but weeks to decide. That suggests something changed recently. The source doesn't explain what.
Mark
Trump said the US was doing "major combat operations." That's a big phrase.
Mimi
It is. He'd been publicly unhappy with talks with Iran, and this appears to be his response.
Luke
But "major combat operations" could mean different things. Was the US flying the planes? Providing intelligence? The source doesn't specify the nature of American involvement.
Mark
What happened to communications in Tehran?
Mimi
Phone lines were cut in parts of the city, internet weakened. Both countries closed their airspace, the stock exchange shut down.
Luke
Again, we don't know if that was intentional shutdown or damage from strikes. The source notes the speculation but doesn't confirm which it was.
El Pulso
- Multiple explosions tore through Tehran on Saturday morning, with strikes reported near Ayatollah Khamenei's office — the symbolic and political heart of the Iranian state.
- President Trump confirmed the United States had launched 'major combat operations in Iran,' ending any ambiguity about American involvement and dramatically raising the stakes of the conflict.
- Communications infrastructure across Tehran began to collapse — mobile networks cut, internet connectivity failing — leaving millions uncertain whether the blackouts were deliberate or the collateral wound of the strikes.
- Iran and Israel both sealed their airspace, Tehran's stock exchange halted all trading, and air raid sirens wailed across Jerusalem as both nations braced for the next blow.
- Iranian officials claimed Khamenei had been evacuated to a secure location before the strikes began, offering a sliver of clarity amid the chaos — but leaving the broader trajectory of the conflict deeply unresolved.
In the early hours of a Saturday morning, the ancient rivalry between Israel and Iran crossed a threshold that diplomacy had long struggled to hold. Israel launched a pre-emptive military operation it named 'Roar of the Lion,' striking targets across Tehran — including areas near the office of Supreme Leader Khamenei — while the United States confirmed direct combat involvement under President Trump. What had simmered for months in planning rooms and diplomatic frustrations has now become open warfare, forcing a region already stretched by tension to confront the weight of what comes next.
Saturday morning in Tehran began with explosions. Israel announced it had launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran — an operation it called 'Roar of the Lion' — targeting areas across the capital, including the vicinity of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office. Iranian state television confirmed a blast near that location, and multiple strikes were reported across different sections of the city. According to an Israeli defense official, the operation had been months in preparation, though the final decision to proceed came only weeks before launch.
The strikes were not Israel's alone. President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States had commenced 'major combat operations in Iran' — a declaration that arrived shortly after he had publicly expressed frustration with stalled diplomatic talks, warning that a significant decision was near. The operation appeared to be his answer.
An Iranian official stated that Khamenei had been relocated to a secure, undisclosed location before the attack began, offering some reassurance about his immediate safety while leaving much else uncertain. Across Tehran, communications began to deteriorate — mobile networks failed in parts of the city, internet connectivity weakened — raising questions about whether Iran was enacting security protocols or whether critical infrastructure had been struck.
Both nations moved quickly to close their airspace. Tehran's stock exchange suspended all trading. In Israel, air raid sirens sounded across Jerusalem and other cities, with residents warned of an 'extremely serious' threat and the possibility of incoming missiles. The Israeli military framed the alerts as preparation for potential Iranian retaliation. Within hours, what had been a prolonged diplomatic standoff had become active military conflict — and both sides were already preparing for what might follow.
Saturday morning in Tehran brought a series of explosions that shattered the capital's skyline. Israel announced it had launched what officials called a pre-emptive operation against Iran, an attack it designated "Roar of the Lion." Among the targets struck were areas surrounding the office of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, immediately raising questions about his safety and current location.
Iranian state television confirmed that an explosion had occurred near Khamenei's office. Multiple blasts were reported across different sections of Tehran, with Reuters citing Iranian state media accounts of the strikes. The timing and scale of the operation suggested months of preparation. An Israeli defense official told Reuters that planning had been underway for an extended period, though the decision to proceed came only weeks before the actual launch. The operation was not conducted by Israel alone—the United States had played a direct role in the strikes.
Within hours of the explosions, an Iranian official stated that Khamenei had already departed Tehran before the attack began, relocated to an undisclosed secure location. No additional information about his whereabouts was provided. The claim offered some reassurance about the Supreme Leader's immediate safety, though it left significant uncertainty about the broader situation unresolved.
President Donald Trump confirmed American involvement in the operation. He stated that the United States had commenced "major combat operations in Iran." The announcement came shortly after Trump had publicly expressed frustration with ongoing diplomatic discussions with Iran, saying he was "not happy" with the talks and that a significant decision was imminent. The operation appeared to be his answer to that impasse.
As the strikes continued, communications infrastructure across Tehran began to fail. Mobile phone lines were cut in parts of eastern and western sections of the capital. Internet connectivity weakened in multiple areas, suggesting either deliberate disruption or collateral damage from the strikes themselves. The blackouts fueled immediate speculation about whether Iran was implementing security measures or whether the attacks had damaged critical infrastructure.
Both nations moved swiftly to secure their airspace. Iran and Israel each closed their skies to civilian and commercial traffic. In Tehran, the stock exchange suspended all trading, a dramatic signal of the economic uncertainty now gripping the country. The cascade of closures and disruptions underscored how rapidly the situation had escalated from diplomatic tension to active military conflict.
In Israel, the military took precautionary measures of its own. Air raid sirens sounded across Jerusalem and other population centers. Residents received phone alerts warning of an "extremely serious" threat and the possibility that missiles could be launched toward Israeli territory. The Israeli military framed the alert as a proactive step to prepare the public for potential Iranian retaliation. The region had moved from a state of heightened alert to active military engagement, with both sides now bracing for what might come next.
Citas Notables
The United States had begun major combat operations in Iran.— President Donald Trump
Khamenei had already left Tehran and been moved to a secure location.— Iranian official (via Reuters)
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