Kathmandu. Israel launched a series of air strikes on Iran on Friday, attacking 100 targets, including tehran’s nuclear and military bases.
The head of the armed forces, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and top nuclear scientists were also killed in the attack. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel that it would face a “bitter and painful” fate for the attack. According to Iranian media, a senior guard commander was also killed in the attack. According to the Israeli military, Iran launched 100 drones in response to Israel, and the Israeli defense system is trying to stop them.
Us President Donald Trump said Fox News had prior information about the Israeli attack. According to the Israeli military, 200 fighter jets were involved in the attack. Trump also stressed that Tehran “cannot have a nuclear bomb”.
The United States has also made it clear that it is not involved in Israeli action and warned Tehran not to attack its employees or interests. However, Tehran said israel’s operation “cannot be carried out without the coordination and permission of the United States” and that the United States “will be responsible for the consequences”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s operation had hit the “heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program” and targeted Natanz’s nuclear facilities and nuclear scientists. He said the operation against Iran “will continue for as long as it takes”. Later in a video statement, he said the initial attacks were “extremely successful”. Iranian media reported that the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Hussein Salami and the chief of staff of the armed forces Mohammad Bagheri were killed in the Israeli operation.
Iranian state media said residential buildings were also attacked in Tehran, killing many civilians, including women and children. Tehran’s main international airport, Imam Khomeini, closed air traffic, while neighboring Iraq also closed its airspace and suspended all flights to all airports, state media said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel had declared a state of emergency and closed its airspace, expecting retaliation from Tehran. “Following Israel’s pre-planned attacks against Iran, missile and drone attacks against the State of Israel and its civilian population are expected in the near future,” Katz said.
An Israeli military official said the Israeli military believed Iran had the capability to attack Israel “at any minute”.
Agreement may be broken
Oil prices rose 12 percent and the stock market fell after the Israeli attack. The attack came after Trump warned of a “major conflict” in the region. Trump also said the US was reducing personnel in the Middle East after Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if the conflict broke out.
Trump believes a “very good” deal on Iran’s nuclear program is “very close” but said Israeli attacks on his arch-enemy could undermine the prospects for a deal. He did not disclose details of his conversation with Netanyahu on Monday, but said, “I don’t want them to go in, because I think it will spoil it.” Trump was quick to say, “It can really help, but it can also spoil it.” ”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was not involved in the attack and warned Iran not to respond to Israeli attacks by attacking U.S. bases. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target American interests or employees,” Rubio said in a statement.
Before Friday’s attack, Iran had threatened to attack US bases in the Middle East if the conflict broke out. “All of its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without any hesitation we will target them all in the host countries,” Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said this week.
With friday’s attack raising questions about whether the sixth round of talks between the US and Iran will take place in Oman on Sunday, Trump said Washington still “hopes to get back to the negotiating table”. Confirming that Natanz was one of the targets, the UN nuclear watchdog said it was “closely monitoring” the situation.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said the agency was in touch with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in touch with our inspectors in the country. ”
Israel, which relies on U.S. military and diplomatic support, sees Iran as an existential threat. Netanyahu has vowed to exercise less restraint following the unprecedented attack on Israel by Tehran-backed Hamas on October 7, 2023. After the Hamas attack, a major Israeli attack started in Gaza. This is the first direct attack by Iran and Israel since the Hamas attack.
Along with Israel, the United States and other Western countries have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly denied the allegations. On Wednesday, Israel again called for global action after the IAEA accused Iran of not complying with its obligations.
Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Islami, denounced the proposal as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence. In response, Iran said it would open a new enrichment facility in a safe place. Iran currently enriches uranium at 60 percent. It is well above the 3.67 percent limit set in the 2015 agreement and is still low, even if it is close to the 90 percent required for nuclear weapons.
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