Waves of airstrikes hit Tehran as Iran strikes back at U.S., Israeli targets

As the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict entered its fifth week on Saturday, Iran's capital Tehran was hit by multiple rounds of large-scale airstrikes, while Iran launched counterattacks against U.S. and Israeli targets in the Middle East.

Multiple explosions were heard in Tehran on Saturday, mainly in the eastern and northeastern parts of the city, according to a China Media Group (CMG) reporter in the capital.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it conducted large-scale airstrikes on Tehran from Friday night to Saturday night, targeting Iranian infrastructure sites, the shipbuilding organization headquarters, and several facilities for the development and production of weapons and air defense systems.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that his country will retaliate "strongly" against any attack on its infrastructure and economic centers on Saturday.

The Iranian armed forces said on Saturday they launched large-scale drone strikes against multiple strategic targets in Israel from the early hours of the day, including an electronic warfare and radar center in Haifa and a fuel depot at Ben Gurion Airport.

On Saturday afternoon, air raid sirens sounded across central and southern Israel following a new round of missile launches from Iran, while interceptions by Israeli forces were seen in the skies over Jerusalem.

The Iranian military also carried out missile and drone strikes on two sites where more than 500 U.S. troops were gathered, Iranian media reported on Saturday, citing a spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that a task force of 3,500 marines and sailors arrived in the Middle East on Friday.

Saturday also saw Yemen's Houthi group joining the conflict, further complicating the evolving situation in the Middle East.

Waves of airstrikes hit Tehran as Iran strikes back at U.S., Israeli targets

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday briefed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Pakistan's ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at creating a conducive environment for peace talks amid escalating regional hostilities, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

During a telephone conversation lasting over an hour, the two leaders held extensive discussions on the evolving situation in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to restore peace, according to the office.

Sharif informed the Iranian president about Pakistan's diplomatic outreach to engage the United States, Gulf countries and other Islamic nations to facilitate dialogue.

According to the statement, Sharif highlighted the "strong endorsement for Pakistan's peace initiative" and expressed hope that collective efforts could help identify a viable path toward ending hostilities.

The prime minister also reiterated Pakistan's strong condemnation of continued Israeli attacks on Iran, including recent strikes on civilian infrastructure, and offered condolences on the loss of lives.

Pezeshkian, while appreciating Pakistan's diplomatic efforts, shared Iran's perspective on the ongoing hostilities and underscored the importance of building trust to facilitate talks and mediation, said the statement.

Pakistani PM briefs Iranian president on push for peace talks