Massive explosions were heard across Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Sunday as the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it was striking targets in the “heart of the city.” The blasts came a day after a coordinated US-Israeli operation killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several senior figures. Israel said its forces were hitting key elements of what it called the Iranian “terror regime”, claiming the strikes were designed to establish aerial superiority and pave the way to Tehran’s centre.
Explosions & Military Actions Shake Tehran
Multiple blasts were reported in northern Tehran on Sunday, with videos showing huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky and buildings shaking from the force of the detonations. According to the IDF, the Israeli Air Force was conducting large-scale strikes on what it described as “targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran.”
These explosions followed an earlier joint US-Israeli military campaign that struck several cities across Iran, including Tehran, after nuclear negotiations with Tehran stalled and intelligence reports suggested Iranian authorities were preparing further threats. The earlier operation was officially dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” and targeted air defences, military installations and senior officials.
Iranian state media and social platforms showed dramatic footage of the smoke rising over the capital, while residents spoke of the ground trembling beneath them. Roads were closed and emergency sirens sounded as the situation intensified.
Wider Conflict & Regional Fallout
The fresh strikes in Tehran are part of an escalating conflict that has spread far beyond Iran’s borders. Hours after Khamenei’s killing, Iran vowed revenge and launched a series of missile and drone attacks against targets in Israel and US bases across Gulf states. Reports suggested strikes and blasts were also heard in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain, adding to regional instability.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have publicly declared that their retaliation will continue, threatening further attacks on “occupied territories and American bases” across the Middle East. They described the offensive as an act of vengeance against those they hold responsible for “the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah.”
The mounting hostilities have disrupted daily life and raised fears of a wider war. Governments in neighbouring states have urged calm, even as airspaces remain closed and international airlines suspend flights in and around the region. Economic markets, especially oil, are also reacting nervously to the deepening conflict.
