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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's overnight strike on Iran in maps and images
Israel has hit Iran with its biggest wave of air strikes in years, targeting the country's nuclear programme, and is promising to continue its attacks. Senior military figures and nuclear scientists were killed in the overnight strikes and there are unconfirmed reports that civilians, including children, were also among the victims. In response, Iran launched about 100 drones towards Israel, most of which were intercepted, according to the Israeli military. Israel said it had launched a another wave of strikes on Friday evening, with reports of more explosions in Iran, but the scale of that attack and the damage caused is not yet clear. Video analysed by the BBC shows multiple strikes overnight in the capital Tehran as well near three reported military sites and Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz. Israel's military said it had struck "dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran". It later released a map of the sites it said it had hit which included nuclear facilities, missile facilities and radar defences, as well as scientists and military commanders. Explosions were first reported in Tehran at about 03:30 local time (01:00 BST), with Iranian state TV saying residential areas were among those hit. Blasts were heard in the north-east of the capital and explosions reported at the airport, according to analysis by the US-based Institute for the Study of War. The BBC has confirmed one of the locations as the site where Iranian media reported that former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Fereydoon Abbasi and nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed. Iran has confirmed that at least six of its nuclear scientists were killed. Iranian state media showed footage of fires burning in buildings and plumes of smoke rising from the city's skyline. Key Iranian commanders have also been killed, including the chief of staff of the armed forces, and the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Among the other sites hit is Iran's main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, in the centre of the country. Iranian state TV said it was struck several times, with pictures showing black smoke billowing from the site. Israel's military said the strikes had caused significant damage. The facility, about 225km (140 miles) south of Tehran, has enrichment plants above and below ground. Uranium can be used to produce fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, research reactors or weapons depending on the level of enrichment. The Institute for Science and International Security said satellite images show damage and destruction to several buildings around the complex, including the pilot fuel enrichment plant, which holds centrifuges and research facilities, as well as the on site electrical substation that provides power to the facility. The global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said it was informed by Iranian authorities that there has been no increase in radiation levels at the Natanz plant. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. It has several facilities around Iran, at least some of which have been targeted in the Israeli strikes. But many countries - as well as the IAEA - are not convinced Iran's programme is for civilian purposes alone. It has nuclear facilities spread across much of the country. The strikes come as US talks over Iran's nuclear programme, which began in April, appear to have stalled in recent days. The next round of talks was scheduled for Sunday. US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to "make a deal" on its nuclear programme, "before there is nothing left". Other world leaders have called for restraint on both sides. IAEA head Rafael Grossi said nuclear facilities "must never be attacked" and such strikes have "serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security". In a statement to board members, he called "on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation", saying "any military action that jeopardises the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond".
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
I'm a nuclear scientist. This is the significance of Israel's airstrikes
Israel has embarked on a perilous path to dismantling Iran's nuclear programme, and has launched direct aerial attacks on one of the key uranium enrichment sites located in Natanz. These facilities are built just a few meters underground, and are thus vulnerable to missile attacks and aerial bombardments. A number of prominent nuclear scientists were also killed in the attacks, including a former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation. The attacks constitute a major warning to the Islamic Republic to curb its nuclear activities. Iran, over the past six decades, has acquired a highly advanced and encompassing nuclear programme, including Uranium Enrichment Plants, the Heavy Water Plant, and Heavy-Water research reactors. The dual use nature of nuclear technology is well established, and Israel's concerns about nuclear proliferation have provided them the impetus to attack Iran's critical infrastructure – including nuclear facilities. It is most likely that Israel, as part of the 'Operation Rising Lion', will attack other nuclear sites in the subsequent phase of its aerial military campaign. It may target the highly advanced facilities at Esfahan Nuclear Technology Centre and also the Esfahan Nuclear Research Centre, in particular the Uranium Conversion Facility, where uranium concentrate is converted to uranium hexafluoride gas, as feed for centrifuges to enrich uranium. The Heavy Water Plant at Arak could also be a potential target for attack, as the key components of the plant are tall columns built in the open. In the event of an all-out strike, the research reactor in Tehran could be targeted, as it is vulnerable to drone, missile, and aerial strikes. The Fordow Uranium Enrichment Facility, built some 60 meters inside a mountain, is designed not to be vulnerable to attacks by drones, rockets, missiles, or the U.S. Bunker Busting bombs. However, its external (offsite) electricity supply, cooling water supply, and air supply systems are highly vulnerable. Uranium has been enriched to 83.7 per cent at Fordow, which is comparable to the 80 per cent enriched uranium contained in the Hiroshima atomic bomb. It is unlikely that the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would come under attack, as such plants are designed and constructed to withstand aerial attacks. However, external power supplies and cooling water systems are regarded as soft targets, and highly vulnerable to drone and missile strikes. Extensive damage to the plant could lead to a Fukushima-like accident, and release of significant quantities of radioactivity into the marine environment of the Persian Gulf. This could lead to the extensive contamination of the ecological systems and disruption of shipping operations. It could also affect oil and gas production and the supply of water to some of the Arab States in the Persian Gulf. Moreover, Russian personnel may be present at the plant, and any harm to them would constitute a major escalation of the conflict which Israel, under the circumstances, would not wish to provoke. Should Israel decide to launch further direct attacks, it is likely that it would also target critical infrastructure adjacent to nuclear facilities, including fossil-fuelled power stations, electricity grids, and cooling water supplies. Destruction of critical infrastructure could lead to extensive damage to nuclear facilities and their normal operations. Iran, in the event of an all-out attack on its nuclear facilities, could take retaliatory action by striking Israel's nuclear research centres. Iran's recent aerial attack on Israel has demonstrated its military capabilities and its ability to escalate the conflict. Iran could heighten the hostilities yet further by attacking Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates: these countries have normalised diplomatic relations with Israel and host US military bases. The US could thus become directly involved in the conflict. It is imperative that concerted diplomatic efforts are instituted to prevent further escalation of the conflict, and to restore peace, security and stability in this highly turbulent region. Diplomacy and dialogue must prevail. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Trump urges Iran to make deal after Israel blasts nuclear and military targets
Israel launched large-scale strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it had attacked nuclear facilities and missile factories and killed a swathe of military commanders in what could be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran building an atomic weapon. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Iran had brought the attack on itself by resisting U.S. demands in talks to restrict its nuclear programme, and urged it to make a deal, 'with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal'. Washington said it had no part in the operation, however. Iran promised a harsh response to a barrage that killed the heads of both its armed forces and the powerful Revolutionary Guards, and Israel said it was trying to intercept about 100 drones launched towards Israeli territory in retaliation. But around 0800 GMT, Israeli media said an order to citizens to remain near protected areas had been lifted, suggesting that most or all of the drones had been neutralised. The price of crude LCOc1 leapt around 9% on fears of wider retaliatory attacks across a major oil-producing region. O/R An Israeli security source said Mossad commandos had been operating deep inside the Islamic Republic before the attack and the Israeli spy agency and military had mounted a series of covert operations against Iran's strategic missile array. Israel also established an attack-drone base near Tehran, the source added. The military said it had carried out a large-scale strike against Iran's air defences, destroying 'dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers'. Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions, including some at the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said Natanz had sustained damage but no casualties had been reported. Iran said several top commanders and six nuclear scientists had been killed, including the armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami. Two sources in the region said at least 20 senior commanders were dead, including the head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace force. An Israeli military official said the strikes had achieved a great deal but assessments were continuing and Israel was prepared to keep the operation going for days. Among the targets were ballistic missiles pointed towards Israel, they added. 'We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message. Just before 6 a.m. Washington time, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. 'I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal,' he said. '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…' ISRAEL'S ENEMIES IN LEBANON AND GAZA WEAKENED At one time, Israel might have expected a wave of retaliation from Iranian-backed militias around the region. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement that Israel had 'unleashed its wicked and bloody' hand in a crime against Iran and that it would receive 'a bitter fate for itself'. But since the war in Gaza erupted in October 2023, Israel has severely weakened Iran's allies, notably by assassinating the top leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah and attacking the Houthis who control much of Yemen. Some 200 Israeli fighter jets took part in the strikes, hitting more than 100 targets in Iran, military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Iran's Fars news agency reported a strike near the northwestern city of Tabriz. The International Atomic Energy Agency said there was no increase in radiation levels at the Natanz nuclear site, citing information provided by Iranian authorities. Airlines quit the airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq and Jordan after the Israeli strikes, Flightradar24 data showed, with carriers diverting or cancelling flights. Israeli airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia said they were moving their planes out of Israel and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport was shut. Dubai-based Emirates cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran as Iran closed its airspace. The global crude oil benchmark Brent blend LCOc1 was up almost 9% at $75.37 at 1000 GMT. O/R The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said oil refining and storage facilities had not been damaged and continued to operate. Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and 'prepared across all borders'. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi joined global calls for de-escalation and accused Israel of violating international law. 'At an extremely critical time when the U.S. was negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran that would save the whole region and the world, a new vicious escalation,' he said on X. U.S. officials have repeatedly said any new deal – to replace a 2015 accord between Tehran and six world powers from which Trump withdrew – must include a commitment to scrap uranium enrichment, a prerequisite for developing nuclear bombs. NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN DUE ON SUNDAY The Islamic Republic insists it wants nuclear energy only for civilian purposes. But the IAEA's Board of Governors on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years. Iran is a signatory to the global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel is not, and is believed to have the Middle East's sole nuclear arsenal. Iran said in a statement that Israel's 'cowardly' attack showed why Iran had to insist on enrichment, nuclear technology and missile power. Iranian citizens reacted to the strikes with anger and fear. Some opponents of the ruling clerics expressed hope that Israel's attack might lead to their downfall, though one Tehran resident who was not a supporter of clerical rule said Iran must retaliate. 'We can't afford not to respond. Either we surrender and they take our missiles, or we fire them. There's no other option — and if we don't, we'll end up surrendering them anyway.' The Israeli military said it had been forced to act by new intelligence information showing that Iran was 'approaching the point of no return' in the development of a nuclear weapon. But a source familiar with U.S. intelligence reports said there had been no recent change in the U.S. assessment that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and that Khamenei had not authorised a resumption of the nuclear weapons programme that was shut in 2003. Trump was convening the National Security Council on Friday morning, the White House said. He had said on Thursday that an Israeli strike on Iran 'could very well happen' but reiterated his hopes for a peaceful resolution. Iran's armed forces spokesperson accused Washington of providing support for the operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. had not been involved in the strikes and Israel had acted unilaterally in self-defence. U.S. and Iranian officials are scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran's escalating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump urges Iran to ‘make a deal' as Tehran vows response to Israel attacks
President Donald Trump has urged Iran to agree to US demands to restrict its nuclear programme as Tehran promised a strong response to Israeli air strikes targeting its nuclear sites and military facilities, killing at least two senior military commanders and several nuclear scientists. Writing on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump warned that the 'next already planned attacks' on Iran would be 'even more brutal' and urged Iranian officials to 'make a deal before there is nothing left'. 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left… JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,' he said. In another post on his social media platform, the US president later said that Iran may have a second chance after claiming he gave Tehran 60 days to make a deal two months ago. 'I told them what to do, but they just couldn't get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!' Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier said that the United States had no part in the Israeli attacks and urged Iran not to target American interests or personnel in the region in retaliation, but Tehran said Washington would be 'responsible for consequences'. Iran promised a harsh response against Israel, and the Israeli military said early on Friday that it was trying to intercept about 100 drones launched towards Israeli territory in retaliation. Iranian state media has reported that Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, were both killed in the attacks. Nuclear scientists Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi were also killed. Some 200 Israeli warplanes took part in overnight air strikes on Iran, hitting more than 100 targets in the country, according to Israeli army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel struck at the 'heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme', taking aim at the main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz. The attacks would 'continue as many days as it takes', he said. Iranian media reported explosions, including some at the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said Natanz had sustained damage but no casualties had been reported. On Friday afternoon, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported a new Israeli attack in the city of Tabriz, northwest of Iran. Iran's Fars news agency reported that at least 78 people were killed and more than 320 others were injured in the attacks, citing 'unofficial statistics'.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel that it 'must expect severe punishment' after the assault. The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Tehran has a 'legal and legitimate' right to respond. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Israel would 'regret' its attacks. 'The Iranian nation and the country's officials will not remain silent in the face of this crime, and the legitimate and powerful response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will make the enemy regret its foolish act,' Pezeshkian said in a video statement broadcast on state television. Israel's military said on Friday it was intercepting Iranian drones. The country's public broadcaster and Channel 12 reported that Israel also intercepted drones over Saudi Arabia. At about 08:00 GMT, Israeli media reported that an earlier order requiring citizens to remain near protected areas had been lifted. In the Iranian city of Qom, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Jamkaran Mosque to demand a 'severe punishment' for Israel in response to the strikes. Mohammad Eslami, a research fellow at Tehran University, said Iranian leaders are preparing an imminent strike on Israel targeting military and nuclear facilities. 'The Iranian military were thinking about this scenario for many years and also in recent days, we have heard lots of statements by the Defence Ministry of Iran that they are ready for any strike by the Israelis,' he told Al Jazeera from Tehran. 'Most Iranian political parties support defending the country because all Iranians [know] the history of Iraq attacking Iran. This is not about political points of view,' he and Iranian officials are due to attend a sixth round of talks over Iran's nuclear programme in Oman on Sunday. The two sides have been negotiating over Iran's enrichment of uranium, with Trump stating recently that 'zero' enrichment should be allowed in Iran. He has also said repeatedly that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Tehran has consistently said that its nuclear programme is only for civilian purposes. Iran said in a statement that Israel's 'cowardly' attack showed why Iran had to insist on enrichment, nuclear technology and missile power. The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel's deadliest blow yet: Top Iranian generals and nuclear scientists killed; Here's who died and who's replacing them
Who was killed? Live Events Major General Gholamali Rashid, head of the Khatam al Anbia base. Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader, who was critically injured. Several high-ranking IRGC air defence and drone unit officers. Six nuclear scientists dead Abdolhamid Manouchehr Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari Amirhossein Feghi Motalibizadeh Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation and ex-MP Khamenei responds with new military leadership Iran retaliates, closes airspace (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Israel launched a sweeping military operation against Iran early Friday, killing key figures in Tehran's military and nuclear establishments in what has become the most significant strike against Iran since the 1980s. The campaign, dubbed Operation Rising Lion , saw Israeli warplanes hit multiple high-value targets across Iran, including underground nuclear enrichment facilities and command Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, 'Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.'According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), around 200 fighter jets were deployed. Intelligence sources also told the Associated Press that Israeli spy agency Mossad had smuggled drones and precision weapons into Iranian territory ahead of the strikes. The damage, Iranian officials admitted, was the most prominent figures killed was General Hossein Salami , commander-in-chief of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Salami, who had been appointed in 2019 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly at the IRGC headquarters in Tehran when it was Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's top military official and chief of staff of the armed forces, was also confirmed dead. Bagheri, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, had held his post since claimed it had also killed General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Aerospace Force. Hajizadeh had long been accused by Israel of orchestrating drone and missile attacks against its territory. In a statement quoted by the Times of Israel, the IDF said, 'Hajizadeh publicly pledged allegiance to the idea of destroying Israel on multiple occasions in recent years and played a central role in formulating the plan to destroy Israel.'CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reported that the command structures of both the IRGC and Iran's military branches were hit hard. According to regional sources cited by Reuters, at least 20 senior commanders were list also includes:The Israeli strikes were also aimed at weakening Iran's nuclear programme. Six senior nuclear scientists were killed:Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation acknowledged that the Natanz enrichment site suffered damage but insisted there was no radiation leak. The UN nuclear watchdog, IAEA, confirmed that another key site, Fordo, remained unaffected. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urged both parties to exercise 'maximum restraint' and said he was willing to travel to Tehran for after the strikes, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named General Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff of the armed forces and appointed Mohammad Pakpour as head of the Revolutionary Guard. Khamenei warned, 'Jerusalem will face severe punishment.'He added, 'Israel opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centres.'Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the 'legitimate and powerful response' would make Israel regret its 'foolish act.'In immediate response, Iran launched more than 100 drones towards Jerusalem. The IDF confirmed that air defence systems intercepted several of them. Meanwhile, Israel declared a state of emergency, with sirens sounding across major were grounded and airspace closed over Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan. International carriers cancelled services, citing safety concerns. Internet restrictions were imposed in parts of Iran, with the Communications Ministry stating the move was temporary and would be lifted 'once normalcy returns.'India urged both nations to avoid further escalation. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi maintained 'close and friendly' ties with both countries and advised Indian nationals in the region to remain leaders from the US, UK, China, Japan, and Australia called for restraint. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified, 'The United States was not involved in Israel's unilateral military action.'Oil markets reacted sharply. US benchmark crude jumped by $4.97 to $72.91 a barrel, while Brent crude rose by $4.78 to $74.15. Richard Joswick of S&P Global said prices could rise further, depending on how the conflict unfolds.
