Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran on Friday. The primary targets are Iran’s nuclear program and military sites. At least three of Iran’s top military officers were killed.
The strikes come amid tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
Iran is retaliating. Brigadier General Effie Defrin is the chief Israeli army spokesman. He said Friday morning, “In the last few hours, Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel.” He claims, “All the defense systems are acting to intercept the threats.”
Israeli leaders say the action was necessary. They argue they must head off the threat of Iran building nuclear bombs. It remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that goal, but Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu called Iran’s nuclear plans “a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival.” Other Western intelligence agencies warned that Iran could be within days of having functioning nuclear warheads.
Israeli security officials say their country’s Mossad spy agency smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of Friday’s strikes. These were used to target Iran’s defenses from within.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face “severe punishment” over its action.
Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It confirms that Israel’s strikes killed a number of top military officials and nuclear scientists.
Iran’s UN Mission asked for an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the Israeli strikes.
The Israeli military says its jets hit a site where Revolutionary Guard officials had “assembled in an underground command center.” It asserts their meeting was “to prepare for an attack on the state of Israel.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is one of the main power centers within the country. It also controls Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles. It used these to attack Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Iran confirms Israel’s strikes killed General Amir Ali Hajizadeh. He was the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s missile program. The country has already replaced two top military commanders who were killed.
Black smoke rose Friday over Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization acknowledged in a statement that parts of the site were damaged. It says no nuclear radiation or chemical contamination has occurred.
Israel’s strikes come days before a sixth round of talks were planned between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program.
As of Friday, special envoy Steve Witkoff still planned to go to Oman for talks. Officials say it’s not clear whether the Iranians will participate.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration seeks a deal that would halt Iran’s nuclear program. Iran would be granted sanctions relief in exchange. The President warns that without a deal, Israel’s attacks “will only get worse.” The United States also sent Iran a message that it should not target any U.S. personnel or interests in its response to Israel.
Ursula von der Leyen is the European Commission President. She urged on social media that all parties de-escalate. “A diplomatic resolution is now more urgent than ever, for the sake of the region’s stability and global security.”
Pray that world leaders will labor to establish peace in Israel and Iran.
