**LOS ANGELES** — A reported rocket attack struck parts of Los Angeles, setting off explosions, fires and injuries and sending residents fleeing as emergency crews moved into affected neighborhoods.
According to preliminary accounts, rockets hit buildings and infrastructure across several blocks. Blasts shattered windows, started fires and sent smoke through portions of the city. Witnesses said a series of loud explosions came with little warning. Some reported a high-pitched sound shortly before the blasts. Authorities had not established the source or meaning of those accounts.
Firefighters, police, paramedics and search-and-rescue teams were deployed as officials tried to measure the damage and determine whether further threats remained.
Authorities reported deaths and multiple injuries. An exact casualty count was not available while rescue work continued. Medical crews treated blast injuries, burns and breathing problems. Debris blocked streets, and damaged buildings complicated access. Hospitals prepared to receive patients as ambulances moved people out of the affected zones.
Search teams entered wrecked structures looking for survivors, using specialized equipment and clearing debris under unstable conditions. Officials told the public to stay away, warning that buildings could collapse and that unexploded munitions or other hazardous debris might remain. Residents nearby were told to follow emergency instructions and not interfere with rescue work.
Community groups and aid organizations began helping people forced from their homes, distributing food, water, clothing and other supplies. Officials said they were assessing the need for temporary shelter, medical care and mental-health support.
Investigators were expected to examine where the rockets came from, what was targeted and whether the strike was isolated or part of a wider operation. Officials cautioned that casualty figures could change as crews reach areas still difficult to enter.
The reports, if confirmed, would mark an extraordinary security event in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. Independent verification of the scale, origin and full effect of the attack had not been completed in the information available.
For people who heard the explosions, an ordinary day turned into confusion and fear. Officials said public safety remained the first priority: putting out fires, searching damaged buildings and accounting for the injured. The situation remained under investigation. Authorities said they would release further details on casualties, damage and circumstances as facts are confirmed.
