A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck northern Iran on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), coinciding with ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting key military sites across the country.
The quake, which Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported as measuring 5.2, occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and was centered approximately 37 kilometers southwest of Semnan, a city located about 145 miles east of the capital, Tehran. While the tremors were felt in Tehran, authorities reported no significant damage.
The epicenter’s proximity to Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province has raised concerns, although there were no immediate reports of impacts on the site.
At the same time as the earthquake, Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted several locations in Iran’s southwest. According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, missiles struck an air defense installation in Behmai Province, known as the Magar site.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating they had destroyed three surface-to-surface missile launchers that were allegedly poised to fire at Israel. In addition, the IDF reported eliminating a group of Iranian soldiers, including an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, who were reportedly en route to execute a missile launch.
“A Remotely Piloted Aircraft identified a group of Iranian soldiers, including an IRGC base commander in western Iran responsible for 15 missile launchers. The cell was eliminated,” the IDF said in a statement.
The events mark a dramatic escalation in regional tensions, with military conflict and natural disaster striking Iran simultaneously.
