Israel launches 'pre-emptive strike' on Iran
Israel launched a 'pre-emptive strike' on Iran in the early hours of Friday, according to the Israeli Defence Minister.
Israel Katz said that following the strike, 'a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future'. He said schools would be closed in the country on Friday
Explosions were heard north-east of Iran's capital Tehran, state-run Nour News reported. It added that the reasons for the explosions were not immediately clear.
Videos and photos posted on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from several locations.
The US denied involvement in the strike on Iran.
"Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. "President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners."
He also warned Tehran not to take action against the US.
"Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel," Mr Rubio said.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said in a post on X before reports of the strike: 'At our Embassy in Jerusalem and closely following the situation. We will remain here all night. 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!''
Israel has repeatedly warned it could attack Iranian nuclear plants, particularly if US-Iran talks on a deal to put limits on Tehran's nuclear programme were to collapse.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a potential attack by Israel 'looks like it's something that could very well happen'.
Tehran on Wednesday had threatened to hit US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, and if it were attacked over its nuclear programme.
Further fuelling tension, Iran on Thursday said it has built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment plant, after the UN's atomic watchdog agency censured Tehran for failing to comply with non-proliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
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Middle East Eye
21 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
How US leaders, lawmakers and civil society reacted to Israel's strikes on Iran
Israel attacked Iran early Friday morning, striking, among other sites, nuclear facilities across the country and killing high-ranking Iranian generals. Later on Friday, Iran launched a barrage of missiles targeting Israel, with several making impact in Tel Aviv. The wave of missiles continued at the time of writing. Israel's surprise attack killed at least 78 people, including Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel struck residential areas, and civilians were among the dead, according to Iranian media. Israel's brazen attack has drawn condemnation from several countries around the world. In the US, however, the response has been mixed. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Several lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, expressed support for the attacks, while others, including sections of civil society, have raised concerns over how the developments could usher in more instability in the region, already heaving under a catastrophic Israeli war in Gaza. Over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel's war on Gaza, which several countries, as well as many international rights groups and experts, now qualify as an act of genocide. Here is a wrap of how American politicians, lawmakers and segments of civil society have reacted to Israel's attacks on Iran. Politicians and lawmakers Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied American involvement in the attack and warned Iran against targeting US forces in the region. Despite Rubio's comments that the US was not involved in the attack, President Donald Trump appeared to issue statements that suggested the White House was fully on board with Israel's actions on Iran. "There has already been great death and destruction, but 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,' Trump said Friday. Likewise, Republican Party officials appeared united in support of Israel's attacks. Israel's attacks on Iran amount to crime of aggression, legal scholars say Read More » Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Republican, applauded the attacks and posted on social media that 'Israel IS right—and has a right—to defend itself'. Senator Lindsey Graham also praised the strikes, writing on social media, 'hats off to Israel for one of the most impressive military strikes and covert operations in Israeli history'. Democrats appeared more divided between pro-Israel hardliners and progressives. Representative John Fetterman from Pennsylvania applauded the attack, posting 'Beepers v2.0 I love it. 🇮🇱' He was referencing the surprise attack Israel carried out against Hezbollah last September, in which exploding pagers killed dozens and maimed thousands, including children. Representative Ritchie Torres from New York, known to be a vehement supporter of Israel, also praised the attack, writing, 'Israel is not the aggressor. It is defending itself against an existential threat that long predates the present preemptive strike.' Torres also noted Iran's support for Hamas as a justification for the Israeli strikes. Other Democrats, such as Chris Murphy and Ilhan Omar, condemned Israel's strikes against Iran. Democrat Jack Reed, a leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, decried Israel's assault as 'a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence'. Advocacy groups Several advocacy groups in the US have spoken out strongly against the attacks. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) was quick to condemn the Israeli attacks. 'This strike was unprovoked and illegal under international law. It has needlessly put many innocent people in mortal danger,' NIAC wrote in a statement on Friday morning. Similarly, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) criticised the strikes and urged the Trump administration to halt military aid to Israel. Israel's attack on Iran: How the world reacted Read More » In a statement issued on Friday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said that Israel's targeted assassination campaign against Iranian military leaders, prominent scientists, and academics "once again displays its unrestrained campaigns of psychological terror, further destabilizing regional security and undermining global peace pleas". "Israel, who has the largest nuclear arsenal in the region and who refuses to become party to non-proliferation treaties, is a rogue state determined to drag the United States into a constant state of war," the ADC said. The ADC also said that Americans were against military action against Iran. It cited a May 2025 poll conducted by the University of Maryland that found that 69 percent of Americans, including two-thirds of Republicans, preferred a negotiated agreement to military action against Iran's nuclear programme. Several Jewish organisations - both pro-Zionist and anti-occupation - issued statements of support and condemnation. Morriah Kaplan, from IfNotNow, said that the Israeli military's "reckless attack on Iran needlessly puts the region on the brink of all-out war". "The lives of Iranians, Israelis, Palestinians, and people throughout the region who do not want war are at grave risk. "Instead of warmongering, the Trump administration and the international community must do everything in its power to deescalate and to stop providing the weapons Israel is using as they threaten a broader regional war," Kapalan added. Meanwhile, the pro-Israel Anti-Defamation League (ADL) supported the attacks, saying they were conducted in self-defence and were necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking the development of nuclear weapons. The Palestinian Youth Movement wrote that 'tonight's airstrikes demonstrate clearly that Zionism and Imperialism's war is one not against Palestine alone, but a war against the entire region'.
Middle East Eye
22 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Whether with a green light or grudging acceptance, Trump enters war with Iran
After Israel pummelled Iran in an unprecedented attack and the Islamic Republic launched a barrage of missiles targeting Tel Aviv, US President Donald Trump has portrayed himself as above the fray. 'I gave them 60 days and they didn't meet it,' Trump told The New York Post on Friday. 'Today's 61, you know. Today's day 61.' Trump was referencing Israeli media reports from March 2025 that said he had sent Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a letter laying out a two-month window to agree to a new nuclear deal, or face an attack. The US and Iran held their first round of nuclear talks on 12 April. For two months, Trump used the threat of Israeli strikes as a form of leverage against Iran, as his administration tried to impose an agreement on it that would strip it of all ability to enrich uranium. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters On Friday, Trump answered the question that had been gnawing at diplomats, analysts and even intelligence officials: whether the president of the United States would give the green light to an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear programme. 'Israel struck for many reasons - fear Iran's program might soon enter a zone of immunity; [a] risk ready Israeli prime minister for whom striking Iran was a lifelong mission. But the key was Trump's willingness to green light the attacks - or at least not to say no,' Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East negotiator, wrote on X. CIA briefed on unilateral Israeli attack plans It's clear Trump knew about Israel's plans for some time. Middle East Eye revealed earlier this month that the CIA was briefed in April and May on Israeli plans to unilaterally attack Iran's nuclear sites. Israel's Target Systems Analysis and battle plan for cyberattacks combined with precision strikes without any direct US involvement 'impressed' the administration. But Trump's behaviour in recent months gave observers, and potentially the Iranians, the impression that he would continue to resist Netanyahu's very public lobbying to go along with strikes. Israel's attacks on Iran amount to crime of aggression, legal scholars say Read More » Trump surprised Netanyahu in April when he announced at a White House meeting that he would begin direct talks with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme. In early May, he brushed aside his hawkish national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and then snubbed Netanyahu on a visit to the Middle East. For good measure, Trump even cut a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis in Yemen that left out Israel. On the eve of the Israeli attack, Trump said he did not believe it was 'imminent' but was 'something that could very well happen'. His own Middle East envoy and top negotiator, Steve Witkoff, was set to meet his Iranian counterparts on Sunday in Oman for a sixth round of nuclear talks. The Iranians say they will not attend the talks, but Trump continues to call for a negotiated deal, under the scimitar of Israeli fire. Israel's 'trump card' He warned on Friday of 'even more brutal' attacks to follow and threatened Tehran to 'make a deal…before there is nothing left'. Experts say that despite Trump's call for more negotiations, Netanyahu has effectively torpedoed the diplomatic route. 'Trump's talk of a return to a nuclear deal is likely to be untenable now' - David Schenker, Washington Institute for Near East Policy 'Trump's talk of a return to a nuclear deal is likely to be untenable now,' David Schenker, a former senior official in Trump's first administration and expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told MEE. While Trump has left little doubt that he knew about the strikes, he has been more circumspect on whether they were his preferred outcome. The US is Israel's closest ally and top military backer, but US officials familiar with Israel's plans say the US had little leverage to prevent an Israeli attack, short of the type of full-scale public censure that no US president has ever issued against Israel, like halting all arms sales. 'If Israel faces what it deems an existential crisis, it could, in theory, threaten to use tactical nuclear weapons against Iran,' a former senior Trump administration official told MEE. Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons, but has never publicly acknowledged it. 'Israel can't be compared to Ukraine,' the official added, referring to the other US ally Trump has tried to rein in at war with Russia. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons after the fall of the Soviet Union. Besides weaponry, one of the US's greatest forms of leverage with its partners is its mastery of intelligence collection, particularly through satellites and intercepting and analysing communications. But Israel has spent decades penetrating the Islamic Republic of Iran and is not dependent on US intelligence there, experts say. 'Look what we saw in Lebanon. Israel has had two primary target sets over the last two decades. One was Hezbollah and the other was Iran,' Schenker told MEE, emphasising how Israel eliminated Hezbollah's senior leadership in 2024 and left the group in disarray. Does Trump trust Israel? Although Trump has tried to frame the Israeli attack as complementing his hard-nosed diplomacy, one Gulf official told MEE they believed the White House was deeply wary of its ally. 'The administration does not view Israel as trustworthy,' the official said. Prem Kumar, who was a senior director for the Middle East and North Africa under the Obama administration, told MEE that Netanyahu had 'sidelined' Trump. What is stopping Israel from bombing Iran's nuclear sites? Read More » 'My sense is that Trump is not pleased with how this ended up. He is trying to use the idea of resuscitating the talks to save face. The idea that the Iranians would resume negotiations is ludicrous. Trump looks weak,' added Kumar, now a Middle East expert at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group advisory. Regardless of whether Trump gave Israel a green light or tacit approval to attack Iran, experts say that he is now tethered to Israel's military campaign. Asked by Reuters on Friday whether he would support the US's closest Middle East ally, he replied: 'We've been very close to Israel," he said. "We're their number one ally by far." "We'll see what happens," he added. The US came to Israel's defence in April and October 2024 when Iran and Israel exchanged direct fire. Tehran choreographed its attack heavily in April and somewhat in October, experts said. The best Trump can hope for is that Israel replicates its success with its takedown of Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2024. The worst outcome is that he brings the US into the very type of Middle East "forever war" he was elected not to.
The National
40 minutes ago
- The National
Iran launches retaliatory strikes against Israel as supreme leader promises vengeance
Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel on Friday night, after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to avenge Israel's military assault. Smoke was seen rising over Tel Aviv after a series of missiles were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defence system. Israel's ambulance service said it is treating one moderately injured person and four lightly injured people in the Tel Aviv area. There were also numerous interceptions over Jerusalem. 'Don't think that they [Israel] hit and it's over. No. They started the work and started the war. We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed,' Mr Khamenei said. Israel's military said the attack included 'dozens" of missiles launched at the country. There were also numerous interceptions over Jerusalem. Israel's fire service said it is dealing with 'several major incidents' mainly in the Tel Aviv area as a result of Iranian missile fire. Firemen are 'working in a high-rise building to evacuate trapped people and extinguish the fire and at two additional destruction scenes', the service said in a statement. The announcement of the 'start of Iranian missile attacks' on state TV came shortly after a televised speech by Mr Khamenei in which he promised that 'the Islamic Republic will prevail over the Zionist regime'. 'A big error, a mistake, and the consequences of it will make it miserable, God willing,' Mr Khamenei said of Israel's earlier strikes. 'Our armed forces are ready, and the country's officials and all members of the public are behind the armed forces.'
