Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem

At around 08:15 local time (06:15 GMT), sirens blared across Israel, warning the public of the threat of a possible missile attack. The Israeli attack came amid diplomatic efforts between U.S. and Iranian officials toward a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program and avert war, with negotiations expected to continue next week.

Iran has made concessions in the talks, but US President Donald Trump, who previously threatened to attack Iran to pressure leaders to accept the deal, said yesterday he was “not thrilled” with the way the talks were proceeding.

President Trump has ordered the largest U.S. troop buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, but has offered little explanation as to why military action is needed now. Meanwhile, Iran has announced that it will respond to the attack with force.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the “first strike” was “to eliminate the threat to the State of Israel.” Last June, Israel launched an attack on Iran, sparking the 12-day war. The United States eventually entered the conflict with Israel and targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently warned of the alleged threat posed to his country by Iranian ballistic missiles and expressed opposition to an agreement that focuses solely on Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran has refused to discuss limits on its ballistic missile program or cut support to regional proxies such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq and Yemen’s Houthis, calling the demands a violation of its sovereignty.