Strong explosions heard in Iran's capital

A number of strong explosions were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran in the early hours of Saturday, state-run IRIB TV reported.

According to the IRIB TV, the source of the blasts has not yet been identified and seemed to have originated in the suburbs of Tehran.

A reporter of the China Media Group (CMG) captured exclusive footage of Tehran's air defense system intercepting targets on the spot, and a China Global Television Network (CGTN) stringer also captured the moment of interception of missiles on the rooftop of his apartment.

According to Iran's Fars News Agency, preliminary investigations showed that military bases in western and southwestern Tehran had been attacked by Israel.

The TV quoted security sources as saying that some of the explosions pertained to the activities of the air defense systems deployed near the capital. The sources added that investigations had been launched to identify the source of the explosions, according to the report.

Iran's Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) on Saturday announced the suspension of all flights in the country until further notice.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the explosions were heard west of Tehran, yet the situation was normal in the capital. And there were reports of U.S. and Israeli fighter jets operating in the airspace of Iraq, Jordan and Syria.

Fox News reported on Friday that the White House was notified of the Israeli strike on Iran shortly before it was launched. Another unnamed U.S. official told the media on the same day that the United States was not involved in Israel's military action against Iran.

Israel confirmed that it had launched "precise strikes on military targets in Iran" early on Saturday morning local time. The Israel Defense Forces said the strikes were in response to "months of continuous attacks" from Iran.

On Oct. 1, Iran fired approximately 180 missiles at Israeli targets. Tehran said the strikes were retaliation for the assassinations of several leaders of the regional resistance groups, among other things. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had made a "grave mistake" and vowed retaliation.

Strong explosions heard in Iran's capital

Strong explosions heard in Iran's capital

An excerpt of a China Media Group (CMG) documentary tells how three copper coins from the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong have become a powerful witness to the Red Army observing in a strict code of discipline and cherishing people.

Ninety years ago, the Red Army troops set out from Yudu in east China's Jiangxi Province to begin the epic Long March. They passed through 14 provinces and regions across the country over the years.

The Central Red Army spent their first Spring Festival during the Long March in Shixiangzi Yi ethnic town, Xuyong County of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Before the troops left the town after a short period of stay in the houses of local residents, Xiao Youen, a house owner, received three copper coins from an officer, who persisted in doing so for bothering him.

It was only after the War of Liberation that Xiao learned the officer was Chairman Mao Zedong, and the three copper coins were not found by Xiao's descendants until 2014.

"The three copper coins were hidden in the wall in fear of robbery by thieves. Then no one knew who exactly left the coins. After liberation, every household hung Chairman Mao's picture, and it was known that the three copper coins were left by the chairman," said Xiao Weiqin, a descendant.

From October 1934 to October 1936, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army troops left their bases and marched through raging rivers, frigid mountains and arid grassland to break the siege of the Kuomintang forces and continued to fight the Japanese invaders.

The ten-episode documentary scheduled to be aired on the CMG military channel from Oct. 17 to 26 is in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the starting of the Chinese Red Army's Long March.

The CMG documentary follows the route of the Long March, with the crew dedicating three months to revisiting the 14 provinces and regions.

With aerial photography as a key component of the production, this is the first time that a drone has been used to record the entire journey.

Local resident retails story of three copper coins from late Chinese leader Mao Zedong: documentary