On the night of June 13, Israel attacked the center of Iranʼs nuclear, missile, and military infrastructure. There is information about the death of the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.
This is reported by CNN.
The targets of the attack included the main enrichment facility at Natanz, Iranian nuclear scientists and the ballistic missile program. An Israeli source told CNN that several waves of strikes on Iran are planned: "This is not a one-day attack".
"Israel has launched Operation Awakened Lion, a targeted military campaign to roll back the Iranian threat to our very survival. The operation will last as long as necessary to eliminate this threat," Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation.
Iranʼs Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei confirmed the killing of several Iranian commanders and scientists. Iranian state media reported that General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and one of the countryʼs most powerful men, was among the dead. Ali Khamenei warned that Israel would "pay a heavy price" for the attack.
A series of explosions were heard in Tehran, and photos and videos published by state media showed damaged buildings and fires. There is also information that Iran has closed its airspace.
Israel has declared a state of emergency, closed its airspace, schools, banned mass gatherings and non-essential work. The country is preparing for a significant response from Iran, CNN sources say. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers are being mobilized.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the country was not involved in the attacks, but Israel told Washington it "considers the action necessary in self-defense".
"Israel took unilateral action against Iran tonight. We are not participating in strikes on Iran, our priority is to protect American forces in the region," the official said.
Experts noted that the Israeli operation will likely put an end to Tehranʼs negotiations with the United States.
- The Natanz complex, 250 km south of the capital, is Iranʼs largest uranium enrichment facility and the center of its advanced nuclear program. Analysts say it is where centrifuges for enriching uranium, a key technology for converting it into nuclear fuel, are developed and assembled.
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