US secretary of state Marco Rubio says America was not involved and that Israel believes the strikes are necessary for its self-defence
Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran and has declared an emergency as it braces for retaliation. Its military said a “pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence” had been launched – called Operation Rising Lion.
“Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran,” said a statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival” and would last for “as many days as it takes to remove the threat”.
Iranian state media reported the head of the country’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, had been killed. Mehr News said nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi was also dead, as was theoretical physicist Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid.
State media reported explosions northeast of capital Tehran early on Friday, and said buildings belonging to the armed forces were hit in the Mahalati complex north of the city. A “special state of emergency” is now in effect in Israel, according to its defence minister, who warned a “missile and drone attack… is expected in the immediate future”.
Israelis were woken in the early hours by air raid sirens and a phone alert warning there could be “severe retaliation”, said Sky’s Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall. An IDF statement said authorities are “prepared for a wide range of scenarios in defense and offense that may be needed”.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said America was not involved and Israel believed the strikes were necessary for its self defence. He said “necessary steps” had been taken to protect US forces in the region. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel,” Rubio warned.
The attack comes amid fears over Iran’s nuclear programme, with a warning this week the country is breaking its obligations for the first time in 20 years. Israel and the US have long feared Iran is plotting to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran has repeatedly denied this and insists its programme is for civilian purposes.
Netanyahu’s video statement on Friday claimed Iran had in recent years developed enough highly enriched uranium for “nine atom bombs”. “In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before – steps to weaponise this enriched uranium,” said the prime minister
Netanyahu added: “If not stopped, it could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year, it could be a few months. This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival.”
Netanyahu further warned of Iran’s broader global threat. “We will not let the world’s most dangerous regime get the world’s most dangerous weapons. And Iran plans to give those weapons, nuclear weapons, to its terrorist proxies. That would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism all too real. The increasing range of Iran’s ballistic missiles would bring that nuclear nightmare to the cities of Europe and eventually to America.”
He reminded the global community of Iran’s hostile rhetoric. “Remember, Iran calls Israel the small Satan. It calls America the great Satan. And this is why for decades, it’s led millions in the chants of Death to Israel and Death to America. Today, Israel is responding to those genocidal calls with action and with a call of our own. Long live Israel and long live America. Our action will help make the world a much safer place.”
Thanking US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu said, “I want to thank President Trump for his leadership in confronting Iran’s nuclear weapons programme. He has made clear time and again that Iran cannot have a nuclear enrichment programme. Today, it is clear that Iran is just buying for time. It refuses to agree to this basic requirement of peaceful nations. That is why we have no choice but to act. And act now.”
He then invoked history to defend Israel’s decision. “The hardest decision any leader has to make is to thwart a danger before it is fully materialised. Nearly a century ago, facing the Nazis, a generation of leaders failed to act in time. They were paralysed by the horrors of World War I. They were determined to avoid war at all costs. And they got the worst war ever. They adopted a policy of appeasement. They closed their eyes and ears to all the warning signs.”
“That failure to act resulted in World War II, the deadliest war in history. It claimed the lives of 60 million, including 6 million Jews, a third of my people. After that war, the Jewish people and the Jewish state vowed, never again. Well, never again is now.”
He defended Israel’s military actions as a lesson from history. “Today, Israel has shown that we have learned the lessons of history. When enemies vow to destroy you, believe them. When enemies build weapons of mass death, stop them. As the Bible teaches us, when someone comes to kill you, rise and act first. This is exactly what Israel has done today.”
With a call for resolve, he said, “Be strong and courageous,” and expressed confidence in Israel’s unity. “Today, our strong and courageous soldiers and people stand together to defend ourselves against those who seek our destruction. And by defending ourselves, we defend many others and we roll back a murderous tyranny.”
“Generations from now, history will record that our generation stood its ground, acted in time, and secured our common future. May God bless Israel. May God bless the forces of civilisation everywhere.”
US and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran’s escalating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday.
