Germany ‘closely coordinating’ with European allies after Israeli attack

The German government on Saturday announced that it had been informed in advance by Washington about the start of the military action in Iran and is "closely coordinating" with its European allies.

The situation is being "closely monitored and is being coordinated closely with European partners. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also consulted with the ministers responsible for security-related issues and will hold further talks in the course of the day," it said.

The German government is also convening its crisis management team. The meeting is scheduled for 12 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) at the Foreign Ministry, according to an unnamed ministry spokesperson.

The Foreign Ministry is in close and constant contact with the embassies in Iran and Israel, as well as other representations in the region.

Earlier, as explosions rocked Tehran and Israel announced "preemptive" strikes against Iran, US President Donald Trump also confirmed launching "major combat operations" in Iran

"A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime," Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social account.

"Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world," he added.