ISTANBUL

The Israeli army announced early Wednesday that it has launched a new wave of airstrikes targeting the Iranian capital Tehran.

"The Air Force has now begun a wave of strikes in the Tehran area,” it said in a statement on X.

Loud explosions were reported across the city following the strikes.

Israeli fighter jets also attacked oil refineries in Tehran.

Earlier, the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for a large section of Tehran, threatening imminent attacks on the area.

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since then.

Iran said at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 wounded in the Israeli assault.