TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel launched a sweeping military operation against Iranian nuclear and military targets Friday, claiming to have struck critical infrastructure and potentially killing high-ranking Iranian military officials, including the Revolutionary Guard’s chief.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announcing the operation codenamed “Rising Lion,” declared the strikes would continue “for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” The operation targeted uranium enrichment facilities in Natanz and reportedly struck residential areas in Tehran.
Iranian state media reported multiple casualties, including civilian deaths, with children among the victims. The attacks prompted immediate regional response, with Tehran’s main international airport halting air traffic and neighboring Iraq suspending all flights.
Israel has defended the operation as a preemptive self-defense measure, asserting it targeted Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of potential Iranian retaliation, placing the country on high alert.
The strikes have drawn mixed international reactions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned Iran against targeting American interests, while Senator Jack Reed criticized the operation as a “reckless escalation.”
The timing is particularly sensitive, with a sixth round of nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran scheduled for Sunday in Oman, now likely derailed by the military confrontation.
As tensions escalate, the international community watches anxiously, with the potential for broader regional conflict hanging in the balance. (Agencies)
