NEW DELHI, June 13: In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, the Israeli military launched multiple waves of airstrikes across Iran early Friday, targeting key nuclear facilities and military sites. The unprecedented operation, dubbed “Nation of Lions”, has resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian military officials and prominent nuclear scientists, according to Iranian state media.
The strikes, confirmed by Israeli authorities, hit at least eight locations across Iran, including Tehran, the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, and a nuclear research center in Tabriz. The attacks involved hundreds of coordinated airstrikes, Israeli officials reported.
In a prerecorded message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the operation was launched to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and halt the advancement of its ballistic missile program. “This operation will take as long as is needed to complete the task of fending off the threat of annihilation against us,” he stated.
Israel’s Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, said Iran’s nuclear program had reached a “point of no return,” and emphasized that Israel “could not wait another moment to act.”
Among those killed, according to Iranian reports, are Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces; and renowned nuclear scientists Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi.
In response, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stern warning: “Israel must prepare for a bitter and painful fate.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the strikes and blamed the United States for enabling the assault. “These attacks could not have happened without US coordination and authorization,” a ministry statement read, vowing a “legal and legitimate” response.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the attacks as “preemptive” and warned that a retaliatory missile or drone assault from Iran was imminent. “Israel is ready,” Katz stated.
In anticipation, Israel has enacted emergency civil defense measures, including the closure of its airspace, suspension of nonessential activities, and activation of public warning systems. Sirens have been reported across the country as citizens were urged to stay indoors.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took “unilateral action against Iran” and that Israel advised the US that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defence.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any aggression from the US would provoke attacks on American military bases across the region.
