Eurasia Press & News
Smoke rose over Tehran after an Israeli strike near Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s office, sparking questions about his whereabouts.
Israel launched a daylight strike on Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Saturday. Smoke was seen rising from downtown areas of the city. One of the first reported blasts happened near the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strike has raised fresh questions about where Khamenei is right now.
It is not clear whether the 86-year-old leader was inside his office at the time of the explosion. Khamenei has not been seen in public for several days as tensions with the United States have increased. However, As per the latest reports, Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is not in Tehran and has been moved to a “secure location,” an Iranian official told Reuters.
The attack comes as the US has deployed fighter jets and warships to the region, aiming to pressure Iran over its nuclear program. According to a US official and another person familiar with the operation, the United States is participating in the broader military action, although the full extent of its involvement is not yet clear.
US President Donald Trump had pushed for a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear activities. Iran, however, says it has the right to enrich uranium and does not want to negotiate on issues like its long-range missile program or its support for groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iran has warned that US military bases and personnel in the region could be targeted if it retaliates.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strike was carried out “to remove threats,” but did not provide further details.
In Tehran, witnesses said they heard an explosion near Khamenei’s office. Iranian state television confirmed the blast but did not give details about the cause.
At the same time, sirens sounded across Israel. The Israeli military said it had issued a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”
As of now, there is no official confirmation about Khamenei’s exact location or condition.
