Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said he would advise residents of Tehran to leave, as the Israeli army issued an “urgent warning” to residents of a large district in the city to evacuate the area.

During a visit to an Israeli airbase, Netanyahu said: “We are on the way to achieving our two goals: the elimination of the nuclear threat and the elimination of the missile threat.”

“If we control the airspace over Tehran, we will hit these targets – targets of the regime.”

He accused Iran of attacking civilians in Israel, and added: “We say to the citizens of Tehran: ‘Get out of the area!’ – and we will take action.”

On Monday, eyewitnesses reported hearing explosions in the west of the metropolis.

According to media reports, there were also airstrikes in the east of the city.

The Israeli army called on the residents of a 30-square-kilometre district in the city to “urgently” leave the area.

The densely populated area includes embassies, shopping centres, and some of the most exclusive residential areas. It is home to about 300,000 people.

The Israeli military has many times issued similarly controversial calls for residents to flee during the war in Gaza.