Israel launches ‘pre-emptive' strikes against Iran
Israel has launched military strikes against Iran, beginning an operation that is reportedly expected to last for 'several days' and may prompt an Iranian retaliation.
Reports emerged late on Friday morning, Australian time, of explosions being heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
'Loud explosions being heard in different locations,' Iran's state television reported, with scant further details.
It was then confirmed, by Israel's Defence Minister, that the nation had launched a 'pre-emptive strike' against the Iranians. He told Israelis to stay near bomb shelters.
'Following the State of Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,' Minister Israel Katz warned his population.
Emmanuel Fabian, The Times of Israel's military correspondent, reported that the Israeli Defence Forces had launched 'an aerial campaign against Iran's nuclear program'.
'Dozens of targets across Iran related to the nuclear program and other military facilities are being struck by the Israeli Air Force,' he said, noting that the operation is called 'Strength of a Lion'.
'The IDF says Iran has enough enriched uranium to build several bombs within days, and it needs to act against this 'imminent threat'.
'Sirens that sounded across Israel a short while ago were a pre-emptive warning issued by the IDF, ahead of a possible reaction by Iran.'
Mr Fabian said the operation 'against Iran's nuclear program and long range missile capabilities' would last 'several days'.
'At the end of the operation, there will be no nuclear threat,' IDF officials said.
'We are in the window of strategic opportunities. We have reached the point of no return, and there is no choice but to act now.'
They said Israel was coordinating with the United States.
Read on for the latest developments.
Originally published as Israel launches 'pre-emptive' strikes against Iran
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
35 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Iran and Israel trade fresh missile strikes amid rising tensions in Middle East, as Donald Trump calls for end to conflict
Iran and Israel have traded a fresh round of rocket fire, as United States President Donald Trump declares the deadly conflict "should end". Tensions have been growing between Tehran and Jerusalem after Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday, which it claimed killed senior military officials and scientists. Iran in turn fired 100 drones towards Israel in the hours following the attack, after vowing a "harsh and decisive" response in retaliation to the strikes. The conflict has continued to escalate over the weekend, with both Israel and Iran exchanging a new wave of missiles on late Saturday night, local time. Iran has claimed Israeli strikes have pounded its major Shahran oil depot located north-west of Tehran, with reports of a fire breaking out soon after the attack on the facility. Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force confirmed it is "attacking military targets in Tehran, in parallel with the activity of intercepting missiles launched from Iran". Israeli Defence Force International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani also said the military is attempting to block Iranian strikes. "While the IDF is operating to intercept missiles launched from Iran, the IAF is currently striking military targets in Tehran," he wrote on X on Saturday night. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz took to social media to declare "Tehran is burning" not long after news broke of the attack on the oil facility. The conflict has sparked concern for various world leaders, including President Trump who confirmed he discussed the Israel-Iran war during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The call lasted approximately one hour. He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war (with Ukraine) should also end," the President wrote on Truth Social. The Kremlin has confirmed the call took place between the two leaders, in which President Trump claims Putin wished him a happy 79th birthday. Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation. President Trump's comments mark the first time he has explicitly called for an end to hostilities between Washington's ally Israel and its Middle East rival Iran since it began late last week. Reuters reports that several projectiles could be seen in the night sky over Jerusalem late on Saturday, while sirens could be heard in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Iran said 78 people were killed on the first day of Israel's campaign, and scores more on the second, including 60 when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran. Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Israel's ambulance service said a woman in her 20s was killed and 13 other people injured when a missile struck a two-story house in northern Israel. - with Reuters
West Australian
43 minutes ago
- West Australian
Israel and Iran crisis: Tehran ‘burns' as Netanyahu vows to step up missile strikes
Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other, stoking fears of a wider conflict after Israel expanded its campaign against its main rival with a strike on the world's biggest gas field. Tehran called off nuclear talks that Washington had said were the only way to halt Israel's bombing, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were nothing compared with what Iran would see in the coming days. Israel's military said on Saturday more missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel, and it was working to intercept them. It also said it was attacking military targets in Tehran. Iranian state television said Iran had launched missiles and drones at Israel. Several projectiles were visible in the night sky over Jerusalem late on Saturday. Air raid sirens did not sound in the city, but were heard in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Israel's ambulance service said 14 people were injured, including one critically, at a two-storey house in northern Israel following an Iranian missile strike. Israeli media reported that one person had been killed in the strike. Israel's gas field strike came a day after it wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command in a surprise attack. Netanyahu said Israel's strikes had set back Iran's nuclear program possibly by years and rejected international calls for restraint. 'We will hit every site and every target of the Ayatollahs' regime, and what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days,' he said in a video message. In Tehran, Iranian authorities said around 60 people, including 29 children, were killed in an attack on a housing complex, with more strikes reported across the country. Israel said it had attacked more than 150 targets. Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Air raid sirens sent Israelis into shelters as waves of missiles streaked across the sky and interceptors rose to meet them. US President Donald Trump has lauded Israel's strikes and warned Iran of much worse to come. He said it was not too late to halt the Israeli campaign, but only if Tehran quickly accepted a sharp downgrading of its nuclear program at talks with Washington that were due to be held on Sunday. But host Oman confirmed on Saturday that the next round of talks had been scrapped. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said holding talks was unjustifiable while Israel's 'barbarous' attacks were ongoing. In the first apparent attack to hit Iran's energy infrastructure, Iranian media reported a fire after Israel bombed the South Pars gas field in southern Bushehr province. With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, and urging Iran's people to rise up against their Islamic clerical rulers, fears have grown of a regional conflagration dragging in outside powers. 'If (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn,' Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Tehran warned Israel's allies that their military bases in the region would come under fire too if they helped shoot down Iranian missiles. However, 20 months of war in Gaza and a conflict in Lebanon last year have decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, reducing its options for retaliation. Iran's overnight fusillade included hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones, an Israeli official said. Three people were killed and dozens wounded, the ambulance service said. In Iran, Israel's two days of strikes destroyed residential apartment buildings, killing families and neighbours as apparent collateral damage in strikes targeting scientists and senior officials in their beds. Iran said 78 people had been killed on the first day and scores more on the second day, including 60 when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran, where 29 of the dead were children. Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence, and said the bombardment was designed to avert the last steps to production of a nuclear weapon.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
‘Tehran is burning': Israel vows to step up strikes
Israel and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other, stoking fears of a wider conflict after Israel expanded its campaign against its main rival with a strike on the world's biggest gas field. Tehran called off nuclear talks that Washington had said were the only way to halt Israel's bombing, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were nothing compared with what Iran would see in the coming days. Israel's military said on Saturday more missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel, and it was working to intercept them. It also said it was attacking military targets in Tehran. Iranian state television said Iran had launched missiles and drones at Israel. Several projectiles were visible in the night sky over Jerusalem late on Saturday. Air raid sirens did not sound in the city, but were heard in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. Israel's ambulance service said 14 people were injured, including one critically, at a two-storey house in northern Israel following an Iranian missile strike. Israeli media reported that one person had been killed in the strike. Israel's gas field strike came a day after it wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command in a surprise attack. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Netanyahu said Israel's strikes had set back Iran's nuclear program possibly by years and rejected international calls for restraint. 'We will hit every site and every target of the Ayatollahs' regime, and what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days,' he said in a video message. In Tehran, Iranian authorities said around 60 people, including 29 children, were killed in an attack on a housing complex, with more strikes reported across the country. Israel said it had attacked more than 150 targets. Iran had launched its own retaliatory missile volley on Friday night, killing at least three people in Israel. Air raid sirens sent Israelis into shelters as waves of missiles streaked across the sky and interceptors rose to meet them. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. US President Donald Trump has lauded Israel's strikes and warned Iran of much worse to come. He said it was not too late to halt the Israeli campaign, but only if Tehran quickly accepted a sharp downgrading of its nuclear program at talks with Washington that were due to be held on Sunday. But host Oman confirmed on Saturday that the next round of talks had been scrapped. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said holding talks was unjustifiable while Israel's 'barbarous' attacks were ongoing. In the first apparent attack to hit Iran's energy infrastructure, Iranian media reported a fire after Israel bombed the South Pars gas field in southern Bushehr province. Iran launched a retaliatory missile volley, killing at least three people in Israel. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, and urging Iran's people to rise up against their Islamic clerical rulers, fears have grown of a regional conflagration dragging in outside powers. 'If (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn,' Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Tehran warned Israel's allies that their military bases in the region would come under fire too if they helped shoot down Iranian missiles. However, 20 months of war in Gaza and a conflict in Lebanon last year have decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, reducing its options for retaliation. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Iran's overnight fusillade included hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones, an Israeli official said. Three people were killed and dozens wounded, the ambulance service said. In Iran, Israel's two days of strikes destroyed residential apartment buildings, killing families and neighbours as apparent collateral damage in strikes targeting scientists and senior officials in their beds. Iran said 78 people had been killed on the first day and scores more on the second day, including 60 when a missile brought down a 14-storey apartment block in Tehran, where 29 of the dead were children. Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence, and said the bombardment was designed to avert the last steps to production of a nuclear weapon.
