Northern Iran was reportedly shaken by a 5.1-magnitude earthquake on Friday — and it happened just as Israeli military operations were hitting hard across the region.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, around 37km southwest of Semnan. But Iran’s own Tasnim News Agency claimed the tremor measured slightly higher at 5.2 magnitude.
The tremor was reportedly felt as far as Tehran, though thankfully, no major structural damage has been confirmed yet.
Too Close for Comfort: Nuclear Facility Nearby
Now here’s where it gets even more tense — the epicenter of the quake wasn’t far from Fordow, Iran’s major nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province.
Although there’s been no confirmed damage to the plant, omo! The idea of a quake hitting so close to a nuclear site, at a time like this? It definitely raised eyebrows.
At the Same Time: Israeli Airstrikes Hit Iranian Missile Sites
While the ground was shaking, the skies were also buzzing. Israeli airstrikes allegedly struck Magar, an Iranian air defense site in Behmai Province around the same time.
According to Israeli news outlet ynetnews.com, the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) confirmed it had destroyed three surface-to-surface missile launchers aimed at Israel as part of an ongoing operation to neutralize threats.
But that’s not all.
In a statement posted on social media, the IDF also claimed it eliminated a group of Iranian soldiers, including a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was allegedly overseeing 15 missile launchers in western Iran.
“A Remotely Piloted Aircraft identified the group en route to launch a strike. The cell was eliminated,” the IDF stated.
Multiple Shocks: Coincidence or Cause for Concern?
The timing of the earthquake and military strikes happening almost simultaneously has sparked serious reactions online, with many observers questioning whether the two events could be related — or just an intense coincidence during already boiling tensions.
As of now, Iranian authorities have not linked the earthquake to any military activity.
Final Word
With tensions between Iran and Israel reaching new highs, and a natural disaster shaking the ground near a key nuclear site, the region remains on high alert.
