PNS n dubai
Israel attacked Iran early Friday in strikes that took out top military officers and hit nuclear and missile sites, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
Simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program boiled over and Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of “severe punishment”.
Countries in the region condemned Israel’s attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides. Israel’s military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Two security officials said the country’s Mossad spy agency was also able to position explosive drones inside Iran ahead of time and then activate them to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran.
They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran as well as strike systems on vehicles, which were activated as the attack began to hit Iranian air defences.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the highly secretive missions and it was not possible to independently confirm their claims.
There was no official comment.
The Israeli attack hit several sites, including Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. Later in the morning, Israel said it had also destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.
Among those killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders, one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, and another who ran the Guard’s ballistic missile programme, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Iran confirmed all three deaths, which were a significant blow to Tehran’s governing theocracy and will complicate efforts to retaliate against Israel.
Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed.
In its first response, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel, with both Iraq and Jordan confirming they had flown over their airspace. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside its airspace, and it was not immediately clear whether any got through.
In his first public comment about the attacks, US President Donald Trump again urged Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear programme, warning on his Truth Social platform that Israel’s attacks “will only get worse”.
Without saying whether he was privy to specific Israeli plans, Trump said “there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end”.
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire,” he wrote. “No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Washington had cautioned Israel against an attack during continued negotiations over Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. It stressed the US had not been involved and warned against any retaliation targeting US interests or personnel.
It seemed likely the US suspected an attack could be in the offing, however, with Washington on Wednesday pulling some American diplomats from Iraq’s capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of US troops in the wider Middle East.
Israel calls attacks preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme.
