The joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran was "certainly a pre-planned" act of bad faith, marking the second time the two countries have struck Iran during active negotiations, an Iranian political journalist told CGTN on Saturday.

Israel launched a "preemptive" strike against Iran on Saturday morning and the United States confirmed later that its forces were carrying out a "massive and ongoing" attack on Iran.

The latest escalation mirrors that of last June, when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran during Washington-Tehran negotiations, triggering the "12-day war" that saw the United States bomb Iran's critical nuclear facilities.

During an interview with CGTN hours after the renewed attacks, Mehdi Latifi, editor-in-chief of Ana News Agency in Tehran, condemned such attacks as "pre-planned," adding that they did "nothing but create widespread distrust."

Due to the current circumstances, people were staying indoors and public sentiment was almost entirely against the U.S. and Israel, Latifi said.

He added that limited strikes have occurred in some areas across various cities in Iran, noting that official statements said no high-ranking officials had been harmed so far.

Meanwhile, there were rumors of cyberattacks, but these have not been confirmed so far, Latifi said.

There were no protests or demonstrations, and the situation was "largely under control" with the cooperation of the Iranian public, he added.

The journalist noted that Iran has targeted most American bases in the Middle East and neighboring countries.

Following the major strikes, the region was on high alert, with Qatar intercepting missiles, Bahrain and UAE reporting explosions, multiple countries closing their airspace, and Iran warning that all U.S. and Israeli interests in the region were now legitimate targets.

Latifi noted that the situation will "certainly intensify" in the coming days and nights, especially as the attacks become more widespread.

"However, given the scope of the conflict, I do not think we will witness a prolonged and severe war," he said.