Tel Aviv: An air strike in Tehran on Saturday struck near the offices of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, raising concerns amid escalating tensions with the United States.

State television acknowledged an explosion in the area surrounding Khamenei’s offices. It was not immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was present at the time. Khamenei has not been seen publicly in recent days as diplomatic and military pressures on Tehran have intensified.

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“This is a breaking news update,” Iranian state media reported, while local witnesses described hearing a loud blast in the city.

Earlier, Israel launched a daylight attack on Iran’s capital, sending plumes of smoke over downtown Tehran. The exact target of the strike has not been confirmed, but Israeli officials have framed it as a preemptive move amid rising security concerns in the region.

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Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the attack as being done “to remove threats.” He did not provide further details immediately.

Meanwhile, sirens sounded across Israel as the military issued “a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”

The U.S. military declined to comment immediately on the attack, even as Washington has positioned a large fleet of fighter jets and warships in the Middle East in a bid to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program.