Israel launched the opening salvo in a massive military campaign against Iran and its nuclear program late Thursday evening, bombing dozens of military targets that included the homes of senior Iranian political and military officials, as well as two major nuclear sites.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the operation is designed to derail Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
"We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program," he said. "We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program. We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz. We targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile program."
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the start of an "aerial campaign against Iran’s nuclear program" that is expected to last for several days and is codenamed "Rising Lion." Other targets include Tehran’s long-range missile capabilities, which can easily reach Israel and penetrate its air defenses.
"This operation is a preemptive, precise, combined offensive based on high quality intelligence to strike Iran’s nuclear program and other military targets," the IDF said during a Thursday evening briefing. "The State of Israel will not allow a regime whose objective is to destroy the State of Israel to obtain weapons of mass destruction."
Israel is targeting Tehran’s "nuclear plants," as well as its "military headquarters" across the country, military commanders, and long-range missile sites, the IDF said.
"This is a precise operation to remove existential threats to the State of Israel, to strike Iran’s nuclear program and the regime’s long range missile capabilities," according to the IDF. "The strikes we are conducting are dozens of strikes targeting military targets and targets related to the nuclear program in different areas of Iran."
"We are in the window of strategic opportunities. We have reached the point of no return, and there is no choice but to act now," the IDF and other military officials said, noting that it is coordinating operations with the United States. "At the end of the operation, there will be no nuclear threat."
Israel maintains the preemptive strike is necessary to stop Iran from producing a nuclear weapon with its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. The Jewish state assesses that Iran can build "several bombs within days" and described the situation as an "imminent threat."
Shortly after the airstrikes began, warning sirens blared across Israel, signaling preparations for a retaliatory salvo by Tehran, which is armed with advanced ballistic missiles, drones, and other weaponry capable of causing severe destruction to the Jewish state.
Israeli defense minister Israel Katz declared a "special state of emergency" across the country after the air campaign began.
"Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," Katz said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly made clear in a statement that "Israel took unilateral action against Iran," adding that America was "not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region."
"Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense," Rubio said. "President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel."
Iran did not immediately confirm or respond to the attack and its state-controlled media only reported that explosions had been heard in Tehran as of Thursday evening.
The Trump administration informed Israel earlier on Thursday that it would not participate directly in a preemptive strike on Iran, choosing instead to continue diplomatic negotiations to rein in the country’s nuclear program, according to Axios. Israel, the outlet said, would be engaging in a "solo mission," though America would provide support to the Jewish state should Tehran retaliate.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu "raised the possibility" of an Israeli strike on Iran during a Monday phone call with Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported. Just days after that reported call, the State Department began evacuating some diplomats and military families from vulnerable outposts in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. American officials told the Journal that intelligence suggests Israel has been preparing for the attack in recent days.
This is a developing story and will be updated.