Israel and Iran order citizens living near nuclear facilities to evacuate
In an escalatory move, Iran and Israel ordered citizens living nuclear facilities to immediately evacuate.
The Israeli army issued an urgent warning to Iranian citizens, calling on them to evacuate areas near nuclear and weapons facilities across Iran immediately.
Tehran responded with another warning to anyone 'present' in weapons factories or near oil refineries, nuclear facilities, and research institutes in the occupied territories, stressing further 'operations against Israel with greater ferocity.'
Strikes continue
Tehran continued targeting Israeli facilities with missiles, destroying several multi-story buildings in central Israel, Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam, leaving 35 dead and more than 200 injured.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran's response was aimed at self-defense.
Araghchi added in a press conference on Sunday that 'Iran's response came by targeting the Haifa oil refinery,' noting that 'expanding the conflict with Iran is a major strategic mistake aimed at igniting war in the region.'
He emphasized that his country has carefully monitored US support for Israel in launching its attack.
'From our perspective, the US is a partner in the attacks and must bear responsibility for them,' he explained, noting that, 'Tehran is confident in the integrity of its nuclear program and is prepared to demonstrate this confidence to the world, as it did in 2015.'
The White House issued a statement, saying, 'What is happening today cannot be prevented, but we have the ability to reach a successful peaceful resolution to this conflict if Iran is willing,' reiterating its call for Tehran to abandon its nuclear program.
Experts emphasized that the US is playing a complex balancing act, seeking to ensure Israel's superiority.
The advisor to the Nasser Academy for Military Sciences, Major General Mohamed Qashqoush, said that Washington seeks to ensure Israel's superiority while maintaining a balance that prevents any party from dominating 100 percent of the situation.
An expert on Iranian affairs, Mohamed Abadi, stated that Iran is following a strategy of proportional response to Israeli attacks, targeting facilities similar to those that are subject to attack. And an expert on Israeli affairs, Ahmed Anwar, described Iran's targeting of Israeli missile launchers and air defense platforms as highly precise and a challenge to the readiness of this system.
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