Israel has carried out a powerful attack on Tehran's Mehrabad airport. Explosions were heard in the capital Tehran after the Israeli attack before dawn on Saturday morning.

Iranian media reported that Mehrabad airport was on fire during the same period.

Photos of the airport on fire have now spread on social media. The airport, which has been in operation since 1938, is located in the center of Tehran.

This state-owned airport is the busiest airport in the country, according to Iranian media.

International flights to Mehrabad were cut after the construction of Iman Khamenei International Airport near Tehran in 2004. However, a large number of domestic flights operate from here across the country. 

Photos of smoke rising from Mehran were made public on social media shortly after Israel announced an increase in airstrikes on Iran. Details of the damage caused by the attack have not been made public. 

More than 80 air force fighter jets attacked Iran on Friday night, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The IDF said it struck several military sites, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps' military university.  An underground ballistic missile center was also attacked, the IDF said. 

The IDF said it had also shot down several missiles and drones fired from Iran into its territory.

The US has said it has struck more than 3,000 targets in the week since the attack on Iran. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had claimed that Iran's navy had been destroyed and its air force was very weak. He had claimed that Iran had no choice but to surrender. 

In response, Iranian President Masoud Peshmerga said Tehran would never surrender. He also apologized to its neighbors.

'I would like to apologize for the damage our attack has caused to neighboring countries. It is not our intention to attack neighboring countries. We are in favor of regional cooperation and peace. We have also told the army not to attack neighboring countries unless we are attacked.'