Netanyahu says Israel struck the 'heart of Iran's military nuclear program,' killing the Revolutionary Guards chief
Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday, June 12, with explosions booming across Tehran. The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel targeted both nuclear and military sites, officials leading Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. He said Israel's operation against Iran will "continue as many days as it takes."
Meanwhile, Iranian state television has confirmed the head of the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was killed in the strike. An anchor read a statement saying: "The news of assassination and martyrdom of Gen. Hossein Salami was confirmed."
After the series of blasts were heard in Tehran on Friday morning, Iran's air defense was activated at full capacity, state TV had reported. "Iran's air defense says it is at 100% operational capacity," the outlet announced, adding that the reason behind the blasts was unknown.
Iranian state media said strikes on residential buildings in the Iranian capital killed a number of civilians. "A number of people including women and children were martyred in a residential complex in Tehran."
Iran vows 'strong response'
Israel's army chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said Friday that the military's strikes on Iran may not achieve "absolute success" and warned citizens to prepare for a potential Iranian response.
"I can't promise absolute success – the Iranian regime will attempt to attack us in response, the expected toll will be different to what we are used to," Zamir said in a statement, while calling the strikes on Iran a "historic campaign unlike any other."
Shortly after, Iran's armed forces vowed a "strong response."
"The armed forces will certainly respond to this Zionist attack," said Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for the general staff of the armed forces, adding that Israel "will pay a heavy price and should await strong response from the Iranian armed forces."
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Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Israel would suffer severe consequences after launching deadly attacks on the Islamic republic on Friday, including Tehran and nuclear sites. "With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it," Khamenei said in a statement.
A 'critical juncture'
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was at a "critical juncture" in its campaign against Iran.
"This is a defining moment in the history of the State of Israel and in the history of the Jewish people," Katz said in a statement. "Iran is more determined than ever to realize its vision of destroying Israel."
"We are now at a critical juncture. If we miss it, we will have no way to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons that will endanger our very own existence," he added.
After Israel said it carried out the strikes, Iraq closed its airspace and suspended air traffic across the country on Friday, state media said. "The ministry of transport closes Iraqi airspace and suspends air traffic at all Iraqi airports," the Iraq News Agency reported.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran late Thursday not to respond to Israeli strikes by hitting American bases, saying Washington was not involved. "We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region," Rubio said in a statement. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel."
On Thursday, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency censured Iran for not working with its inspectors for the first time in 20 years. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site in the country and swap out some centrifuges for more advanced ones.
Israel, for years, has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it doesn't want, though officials there have repeatedly warned it could. The US has been preparing for something to happen, already pulling some diplomats from Iraq's capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of US troops in the wider Middle East.
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