Israel Conducts Significant Assault on Iran, Targeting Nuclear Facilities and Eliminating High-Ranking Leaders.
On Friday, the Israeli military conducted a significant attack on Iran, escalating their longstanding conflict and prompting immediate retaliation from Tehran. This operation, involving over 200 fighter jets, targeted Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility and several sites related to its ballistic missile program, as stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The strikes resulted in the deaths of high-ranking Iranian military officials and scientists.
In swift response, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised retaliation. Iran launched more than 100 drones towards Israel shortly after the strikes, as reported by Israeli Brigadier General Effie Defrin. Despite longstanding claims from Iran that it does not seek nuclear weapons, the attack raised tensions considerably in the region.
The United States, which had been urging Israel to refrain from such actions, stated that it was not involved and did not assist in the attack. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran had acknowledged strikes on its Natanz nuclear facility but noted that no changes in radiation levels were detected. Other nuclear sites, including Fordow, Isfahan, and Bushehr, were reportedly not affected.
Among the casualties were Mohammadhossein Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, and Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The attack’s consequences prompted apprehension among U.S. officials concerning potential Iranian retaliation against American interests in the region, leading to heightened security measures at U.S. embassies. As tensions rose, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of bearing responsibility for the attack, suggesting it could not have occurred without U.S. coordination.
The situation marked a significant development in the ongoing conflict, as Israel expressed its determination to protect itself amid fears of an imminent nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Iran.