Explosions Seen Across Tehran after Trump Warns Iranians to Evacuate; Israel’s Haifa Refinery Hit
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
HAIFA/JERUSALEM/TEHRAN (Worthy News) – Massive explosions were seen across Tehran after U.S. President Donald J. Trump urged citizens to evacuate the Iranian capital, while Israel suffered deadly Iranian strikes, including on its northern city of Haifa and oil refinery facilities in the area.
Shortly after sunrise, witnesses reported seeing explosions and heavy air defense fire in the Iranian capital of Tehran early Tuesday.
Explosions were reported in the east and southeast of Tehran. There were also blasts in Ahvaz, in Iran’s Khuzestan province in southwest Iran, the Iranian dissident broadcaster Iran International said.
As strikes continued, Iranian air defense systems were reportedly activated at the Iranian nuclear facility in the city of Natanz, a key target of Israeli attacks.
However, sirens also sounded across Israel, including in central and northern parts of the country and the West Bank, which is also known by its Biblical names Judaea and Samaria.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command urged Israelis to “enter protected spaces and remain there until further notice.”
RELENTLESS STRIKES
It comes amid relentless Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel, sometimes backed by its Houthi allies in Yemen.
Hours earlier, Iranian missiles struck Israel’s Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa before dawn, killing at least eight people and destroying homes, officials said.
It was the latest Iranian attacks that have killed dozens of Israelis and injured hundreds, prompting Israel’s defense minister to warn that Tehran would “pay the price and soon.”
Following Iranian attacks, the Bazan Group said late Monday that all of its oil refinery facilities and subsidiaries in the Haifa area were shut down.
The attacks caused significant damage to the power plant, which supplies part of the steam and electricity needed for the group’s operations across the refinery complex. Additional damage was also reported.
Amid the Iranian strikes, the United States Embassy in Jerusalem directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to continue “to shelter in place and near their residences until further notice.”
The U.S. embassy stated that it is “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel.”
ISRAELI ATTACKS
Iran said it responded to Israeli attacks on its nuclear and military sites and the killings of key leaders.
Israel said it had no choice but to carry out strikes as Tehran became dangerously close to obtaining nuclear weapons that could “threaten Israel’s existence” as well as “millions” worldwide.
The Group of Seven (G7) leaders at a summit in Canada affirmed Israel’s right “to defend itself” and reiterated their support for its security. They also make it clear that they can never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
Yet foreign ministers from various Arab and African countries, including Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Iran and called for a nuclear-free Middle East.
As the conflict escalated into a broader war, most countries in the Middle East had closed their airspace by Tuesday.
Dozens of airports stopped all flights or severely reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict or travel home.
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