The Israeli Air Force attacked nuclear and military facilities in Iran, killing a number of high-ranking Iranian generals and scientists. Iran retaliated with UAVs, and a state of emergency was declared in Israel.
Brigadier General Effi Defrain, a spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), said that Israel used 200 aircraft to strike Iran, dropping more than 330 munitions and hitting more than 100 targets.
‘The aircraft dropped more than 330 munitions during the strikes,’ the Times of Israel newspaper quoted the military official as saying.
According to the newspaper, on the night of 13 June this year, the Israel Defence Forces launched a large-scale operation called ‘Ascending Lion’ against Iran, during which the Israeli Air Force struck military targets and facilities related to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim confirmed that Major General Mohammad Hossein Bakeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, was killed in the Israeli air strike. Habibollah Sayyari has been appointed acting Chief of Staff.
According to Tasnim, Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of the Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces’ Khatam al-Anbia, and Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were also killed in the air strikes. Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has been appointed acting commander-in-chief of the IRGC.
Israel has eliminated nuclear scientist and former head of the Atomic Energy Organisation Fereydoun Abbasi, theoretical physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, head of the Tehran branch of Azad Islamic University, and head of the nuclear engineering department at Shahid Beheshti University, Abdolhamid Minouchehr, according to Tasnim.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the Israeli Air Force struck the uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, the heavy water plant in Arak, the Khondab reactor, and several dozen military bases providing security for these and other facilities.
According to Iranian sources, facilities in the Lavizan, Mahallati and Chitgare areas were hit.
In anticipation of a retaliatory strike from Iran, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced a state of emergency.
‘Following Israel’s pre-emptive strike on Iran, a missile and drone attack on Israel and its civilian population is expected in the near future,’ Katz said.
Reuters reported that Iran’s response could take place within hours and could include the launch of hundreds of ballistic missiles.
‘Two Israeli officials: Israel is preparing for an Iranian response in the coming hours,’ Reuters writes.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already threatened Israel with ‘severe punishment.’
Commenting on the strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump told Fox News reporters that he had been informed of them in advance and that ‘there are no surprises.’ He also expressed hope that Iran would return to the negotiating table.
‘Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we hope to return to the negotiating table. We’ll see. There are several people in their leadership who will not return,’ the American leader said.
Trump noted that in the event of retaliatory strikes by Iran, the US would defend itself and Israel.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Iran intends to reject the US proposal to resolve the situation surrounding Tehran’s nuclear programme.
