Iran earthquake strikes near nuclear site amid rumours of Republican Guard 'testing'

Iran was struck by a 5.1-magnitude earthquake dangerously near the country's Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province, reports from the U.S. Geological Survey indicate.

The tremor occurred at a depth of 10km (approximately 6.2 miles) and was timed at around 9:19 p. m. local time.

The shockwaves were also felt in Tehran, causing concern among residents.

Semnan, pinpointed as the quake's epicentre, is situated roughly 145 miles east of Tehran. While the tremors were mild and no casualties have been reported, the event has raised eyebrows.

An Iranian blogger's public Telegram channel carried a message suggesting that the tremor could be the result of "testing" by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), although this claim remains unverified, reports the Mirror US.

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Whilst Iranian outlets have not commented on these alleged tests, they did confirm the occurrence of the quake, with some citing a magnitude of 5.2 or even 5.5 on the Richter scale, slightly higher than the USGS figure.

Despite the sensation of the quake in Tehran, Iranian media have so far not reported any damage. It is, however, crucial to remember that Iran sits across several tectonic fault lines.

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A strike coincided with an Israeli missile attack in the country's southwest, as reported by various media sources.

The strikes targeted an Iranian air defense site known as Magar in the Behmai province in the southwest of the country, with ynetnews.com, an Israeli outlet, covering the incident.

Details on the attacks are still thin on the ground, but they may correspond with the same assaults that neutralised three surface-to-surface missile launchers which the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) alleged were ready to unleash a volley of missiles towards Israel.

The IDF claimed their forces "dismantled" the launchers, announcing it in a video-laden tweet on their official English X page.

Moreover, the IDF asserted the eradication of a "cell" containing Iranian commanders and troops, in the same online post.

"Additionally, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft identified a group of Iranian soldiers, including an IRGC base commander in western Iran responsible for 15 missile launchers, en route to carry out a launch.

The cell was eliminated," stated the IDF on Twitter.