Iran’s capital was jolted awake before dawn as powerful explosions rocked Mehrabad International Airport, with US and Israeli forces accused of launching one of the most daring strikes of the war inside Tehran’s city limits, defence sources say.

Residents in western Tehran reported a roar of low‑flying jets, followed by a string of deep blasts around the historic airport complex. Phone videos show orange fireballs punching into the night near the perimeter, then thick smoke rising over neighbourhoods that sit just beyond the runways. Windows shattered across nearby apartment blocks as shockwaves ripped through the area.

Iranian state media admits “enemy strikes” on what it calls “air‑force and IRGC support facilities” at Mehrabad, including military hangars, fuel farms and logistics yards that share the site with civilian operations. Unverified footage shows burning aircraft shelters and scorched service vehicles, while officials insist main pᴀssenger terminals and at least one runway remain “operational after emergency repairs.”

US and Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, describe the raid as a precision attack on a dual‑use hub they say has been critical to moving drones, missile components and senior commanders across Iran and into regional battlefields. Early reports from Tehran’s hospitals point to dozens of casualties among air‑force personnel, airport workers and civilians caught in surrounding streets.

Tehran is calling the strike a “flagrant attack on the heart of our capital” and has vowed direct retaliation on Israeli cities and US bases. For millions watching images of a burning airport inside Tehran itself, the message is stark: the war is no longer confined to distant deserts and border bases — it has now landed squarely on Iran’s own runways.