Israel launches attack on Iran: LIVE UPDATES

Syrian air defenses reportedly intercepted several Israeli missiles over the southern and central parts of the country, according to a statement from the military cited by SANA. 

“At approximately 02:00 [11pm GMT Friday], the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack with a salvo of missiles from the territory of Lebanon and the occupied Golan Heights, attacking a number of military positions in the southern and central regions,” the military source said, adding that air defense systems “responded to the enemy missiles and shot down several of them.”

Iran has closed its airspace until 9am local time, according to a notice issued by the civil aviation authority.

Footage has emerged showing Israeli military officials supervising the operation from an underground command-and-control center of the Israeli Air Force.

Iranian authorities have yet to confirm any damage or casualties following the Israeli raid, with local media warning that most of the footage circulating online is old and unrelated to the ongoing attack.

The situation in Tehran is “normal,” with no reports of fire or smoke, according to the Iranian state news agency Tasnim. There were no explosions at the Tehran refinery, and no incidents at Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports, which continue to operate normally, according to the agency.

US President Joe Biden, who is currently in Delaware, has been briefed on the Israeli attack and is closely following developments, but his advisers are not planning to convene in the Situation Room, a White House official told CNN.

Washington was given a heads-up but was not involved in the Israeli strikes, three US officials told NBC News.

At least some of the blasts heard in Tehran were caused by the “defense activity,” a security source told IRNA, insisting the Iranian air defenses successfully repelled the attack.

Israel has so far limited its strike to Iranian “military targets,” an Israeli official told NBC News. “We’re targeting things that might have threatened us in the past or could do in the future,” the official said.

In another photo released by the IDF, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and the chief of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, are seen commanding the strikes from the Israeli Air Force’s command center.