Israel Strikes Iran's Nuclear and Missile Facilities: A Direct Hit

Israel said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders on Friday at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz , while Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

Iranian state television reported that Hossein Salami, the chief of the elite Revolutionary Guards corps, had been killed and the unit’s headquarters in Tehran had been hit. Several children had been killed in a strike on a residential area in the capital, it said.

“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message.

“Moments ago Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”

Israel targeted Iranian scientists working on a nuclear bomb, its ballistic missile program and its Natanz uranium enrichment facility, in an operation that would continue for days, he said.

An Israeli military official said Israel was striking “dozens” of nuclear and military targets including the facility at Natanz in central Iran. The official said Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.

Alongside extensive air strikes, Israel’s Mossad spy agency led a series of covert sabotage operations inside Iran, Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli official. These operations were aimed at damaging Iran’s strategic missile sites and its air defence capabilities.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defence units stood at high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.

“Following the pre-emptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

U.S. NOT INVOLVED

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel acted unilaterally because it believes the operation was necessary for self-defence.

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement.

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” he added.

U.S. President Donald Trump was convening a meeting of the National Security Council on Friday morning, the White House said.

Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and “prepared across all borders”.

“We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” he said.

Crude oil prices jumped as the strike on Iran hammered global stocks and drove investors into safe-haven assets.

U.S. and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran’s escalating uranium enrichment program in Oman on Sunday, according to officials from both countries and their Omani mediators. But the talks have appeared to be deadlocked.

Trump said on Thursday an Israeli strike on Iran “could very well happen” but reiterated his hopes for a peaceful resolution.

U.S. intelligence had indicated that Israel was making preparations for a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, and U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity that Israel could attack in the coming days.

The U.S. military is planning for the full range of contingencies in the Middle East, including the possibility that it might have to help evacuate American civilians, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Here are some reactions from top officials and governments around the world:

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG

“Australia is alarmed by the escalation between Israel and Iran. This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile. We call on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that will further exacerbate tensions.

“We all understand the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program represents a threat to international peace and security, and we urge the parties to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy.”

NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON

“It’s a really unwelcome development in the Middle East. The risk of miscalculation is high. That region does not need any more military action, and risk associated with that.”

JAPAN’S CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY YOSHIMASA HAYASHI

“Japan continues to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to prevent the further deterioration of the situation, while implementing every possible measure to ensure the protection of Japanese citizens.”

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