The Israeli army has reported that it intercepted missiles launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, activating sirens in several regions as confirmed by international news outlets.
According to their statements, Israeli air defenses successfully countered a series of drone attacks originating from Iran, managing to intercept three drones over the Dead Sea area.
Earlier, Iranian media indicated that their air defenses engaged “hostile targets” in northern Tehran, with reports of explosions heard from the industrial city of Rasht. These actions followed a warning issued by the Israeli military for residents in the industrial village of Kalesh Talashan, Iran, to evacuate due to incoming threats.
This escalation comes in the wake of Israeli airstrikes on Thursday targeting nuclear facilities in Iran, while Iran retaliated with missiles and drones aimed at Israel amid rising tensions between the two nations.
In a related development, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would make a decision regarding Iran in the coming two weeks, highlighting a “vital” opportunity for negotiations to potential cease hostilities between Iran and Israel.
White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt stated in a release: “Given the real possibility for negotiations with Iran in the near future, I will decide on my level of intervention within the next two weeks.”
Furthermore, Reuters reported that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Wittkoff, has been in frequent communication with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi over the past week.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, after meetings with American officials in Washington, asserted that there remains an opportunity for a diplomatic resolution with Tehran.
Lammy met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Wittkoff at the White House before heading to Geneva for talks alongside his French and German counterparts, as well as the European Union’s foreign policy chief, discussing strategies with Araghchi. He emphasized, “Now is the right time to address the dangerous dynamics in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that benefits no one,” while EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kalas reaffirmed that diplomacy remains the most effective approach to ensuring Iran does not develop nuclear capabilities.