JERUSALEM: Israel mentioned on Friday (Jun 13) it had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, promising to proceed army motion “to take away this menace.”
The strikes hit a number of areas in Iran, with blasts reported within the capital Tehran, in addition to at a key uranium enrichment web site. Here’s what we all know:
WHAT WAS HIT?
Israel’s army mentioned its jets carried out strikes on “dozens of army targets, together with nuclear targets in several areas of Iran”.
Blasts have been reported in Tehran, the place Iranian state tv mentioned fireplace and smoke have been seen at a key web site for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards within the metropolis’s east.
State tv additionally reported “loud explosions” in Natanz, in Iran’s central Isfahan province, the place a key nuclear web site is positioned.
The “Natanz enrichment facility has been hit a number of occasions,” state TV reported, exhibiting footage of heavy smoke billowing from the location.
Iranian state media mentioned residential buildings in Tehran have been broken and a number of other civilians killed.
An Israeli safety official mentioned the strikes had “possible eradicated” Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of employees of the Islamic republic’s armed forces, together with senior nuclear scientists.
Iranian media in the meantime mentioned Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami had been killed.
WHY NOW?
Israel sees Tehran as an existential menace and hit Iranian air defences final yr.
Its defence minister Israel Katz described the motion as a “preemptive strike”.
The USA and different Western international locations, together with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of looking for a nuclear weapon, which it has all the time denied.
Israel once more referred to as for international motion after the UN’s Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations.
There had been indications a army strike was possible, with US media reporting an imminent Israeli assault that might not be coordinated with Washington.
“I do not need to say imminent, but it surely appears prefer it’s one thing that would very properly occur,” US President Donald Trump informed reporters on Thursday when requested if an Israeli assault loomed.
A sixth spherical of talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme had been scheduled between the US and Iran on Sunday in Oman.
WHO WAS INVOLVED?
Israel depends on Washington for army and diplomatic help however carried out the strikes alone, high US diplomat Marco Rubio mentioned.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our high precedence is defending American forces within the area,” he mentioned in a press release warning Tehran in opposition to concentrating on US pursuits.
Rubio mentioned Israel had “suggested us that they consider this motion was obligatory for its self-defence,” with out providing help or criticism of the strikes.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION?
Air site visitors has been halted at Tehran’s fundamental worldwide airport, and neighbouring Iraq has closed its airspace completely.
Israel has warned Iran might retaliate at any second, declaring a state of emergency and likewise shutting its airspace.
In Washington, the White Home mentioned Trump would convene safety chiefs after the strike, which was criticised by a senior Democrat.
“Israel’s alarming determination to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that dangers igniting regional violence,” mentioned Senator Jack Reed, the highest Democrat on the US Senate Armed Companies Committee.
The strikes noticed oil costs surge as much as six per cent.
