Majid Akhavan, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Organization, confirmed the temporary shutdown in remarks to the state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). "The country’s airspace has been closed for six hours,” Akhavan said in a statement carried by IRNA, citing security concerns after explosions were heard in Tehran earlier Saturday. Authorities did not immediately provide details on the source or scale of the blasts.

Separately, the IRGC’s public relations directorate issued a formal statement announcing the start of what it described as "intensive and extensive” missile and drone operations targeting Israel. The statement, published by IRNA, said the strikes were launched in response to what it characterized as "joint Zionist-American aggression” against Iran. No independent confirmation of the claimed operations was immediately available, and Israeli officials had not publicly responded at the time of publication.

Regional aviation tracking data showed flights diverting from Iranian airspace shortly after the closure was announced, underscoring the potential impact on international routes linking Europe and Asia. Aviation analysts note that temporary airspace closures are standard procedure during active security incidents, but prolonged disruptions can significantly affect commercial carriers and cargo traffic.

The rapid sequence of events marks a sharp escalation in already heightened regional tensions. Iran and Israel have engaged in indirect confrontations for years, often through proxy actors and covert operations. However, direct claims of missile and drone attacks raise concerns of broader military confrontation.