Iran was struck by a 5.1-magnitude earthquake on Friday as tensions with Israel escalated due to ongoing airstrikes across the country.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck 37 kilometres southwest of Semnan, a city located about 145 miles east of the capital, Tehran. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres and was felt in parts of Tehran, though no damage has been reported so far.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported a slightly stronger reading of 5.2 magnitude. The tremor came dangerously close to Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province, raising fresh concerns over the security of sensitive installations.
The quake happened around the same time Israel reportedly launched another round of missile strikes targeting military sites in Iran’s southwest. Israeli news outlet *ynetnews* reported that one of the strikes hit an air defense site in Behmai province.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they destroyed three surface-to-surface missile launchers that were allegedly being prepared for a strike on Israel. The IDF also reported eliminating a group of Iranian soldiers, including a base commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was en route to launch more missiles.
While the earthquake caused no damage, the combination of natural tremors and military strikes has increased anxiety in the region. This comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, which have been locked in a dangerous back-and-forth involving missile attacks and targeted operations in recent months.
