According to local news agencies and social media posts, loud explosions were reported in various locations in western Iran early Sunday, although the nature of the explosions was not immediately known.

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Following many such events in recent months, officials reported that the Iranian military was conducting unannounced air defense maneuvers in the midst of escalating tensions with Israel and the United States.

According to the semi-official news outlet Fars, the governor of the town of Asadabad stated that a “terrifying sound” was heard, but the source remained unknown. “Initially, it was considered that it was the sound of thunderstorms owing to the meteorological circumstances,” the official explained.

“In some locations, the strength of the sound was such that doors and windows of houses trembled and people fled their homes,” the Rokna news website claimed on its Telegram channel.

A video released on Twitter showed what seemed to be anti-aircraft gun bursts. The clip was not immediately verified by Reuters.

Tensions between Iran and its arch-foe Israel have been rising, as Tehran has been having indirect discussions with Washington to save the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

Israeli authorities have frequently threatened military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The Islamic Republic claims to have benign nuclear goals.