Israel attacks Iran

Global

At 3 a.m. in Israel, civil defense issued an emergency alert. Air raid sirens sounded and residents were notified via phone, urging them to seek shelter after dozens of Israeli fighter jets attacked Iranian military targets and nuclear facilities.

Defense Minister Israel Katz and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared a national emergency due to what they called a preemptive strike on Iran and the potential for an Iranian retaliation. As a result, schools will remain closed. The army urged citizens to stay close to secure rooms and shelters.

The Israeli military, Chief of General Staff, and Prime Minister all justified the attack by claiming that Iran was very close to developing nuclear weapons.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an English-language video message, stated that within a few months, Iran could possess not only enough enriched uranium but also the ability to build an actual nuclear weapon. He added that Iran was preparing to manufacture thousands of ballistic missiles that, even without nuclear warheads, could claim millions of lives in Israel.

“But imagine what would happen if any of these carried a nuclear payload,” he warned.

The IDF Chief of General Staff described the strike as a decisive battle against a threat to Israel’s very existence, and called for national unity.

“We launched the attack because we reached the point of no return. We couldn’t afford to wait any longer. We had no choice!” said Herzi Halevi.

He added that Iran will retaliate, and the strikes may differ from previous patterns, but the military is doing everything it can to provide maximum protection for the home front.

“There’s been an unprecedented mobilization across all branches and commands of the military in response to a real and imminent threat,” the chief of staff added.

The Israeli military stated it is preparing for a prolonged war with Iran and its regional proxies, possibly lasting days or weeks. The army expects heavy missile barrages from Iran-aligned militias in Yemen and Lebanon, as well as operations launched from Syria.

Both Israel and Iran have closed their airspace to civilian flights due to the military actions.

According to Iranian state media, the airstrikes caused damage not only to military and nuclear targets but also to residential areas, with confirmed fatalities. Among the dead is Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to an official IRGC statement. The main IRGC headquarters in Tehran was also hit. Iranian television reported that the area around the Natanz nuclear facility was struck, though there are no signs of nuclear leakage so far. An Israeli security source told Ynet that Israeli airstrikes also targeted the residences of senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

“There is a growing chance that the opening strike eliminated Iran’s top military leadership, including the chief of staff and leading nuclear scientists,” the source claimed.

The Israeli military reported full coordination with the United States and said cooperation is strong. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Israel acted unilaterally in the strike and that the United States was not involved in the early morning attacks.

The U.S. emphasized that its top priority is protecting its forces and interests in the region and warned Iran not to target American citizens or assets.

Iran holds both Israel and the United States responsible for the military action and has threatened retaliation.

“The attack was carried out with American assistance, and both countries will pay a heavy price,” said Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi on state television. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promised a “bitter and painful fate” for Israel, and the IRGC vowed revenge.

According to White House sources, U.S. President Donald Trump is following the developments from the White House alongside top officials, and the U.S. National Security Council will meet on Friday.

American media reported Thursday that Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, recently told Republican senators that if Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran may respond with a massive missile launch to overwhelm Israel’s air defenses, potentially causing significant loss of life.

The Israeli operation against Iran was named after a verse from the Old Testament: in Hebrew, “Like a Lion Among the People,” and in English, Rising Lion.

The biblical quote is from the Book of Numbers, and according to the Károli Bible translation, it reads: “Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift himself up as a young lion.”

According to the IDF, the “Rising Lion” symbolizes the strength, courage, and vigilance of the people as they go into battle against their enemies.

(MTI)

Photo: Illustration

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