OAN Staff Sophia Flores
7:03 PM – Thursday, June 12, 2025

After launching what Israel is labeling “preemptive strikes” on Iran, the Jewish State has gone into a state of emergency, bracing for retaliation.

Following strikes in Tehran, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement in a televised address.

“Moments ago, Israel launched operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu announced.

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat. For decade the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly, openly, called for Israel’s destruction.”

“This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu added.

“We struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program,” he added. “We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz. We targeted Iran’s nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missiles program.”

In the strikes, Israel targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, military assets and key figures in the Iranian military. Israeli military officials say Iran is advancing a secret program to build nuclear weapons.

Israel is now expecting a significant retaliatory response from Iran. They are bracing for it to be larger in scale than previous Iranian attacks. In order to prepare, Israel has banned school sessions, social gatherings, and “non-essential work” as it braces for that retaliation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the United States is not involved and did not assist in the strikes that occurred on Thursday evening — Pacific Time (PT).

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” he said in a statement.

“Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. 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,” Rubio stated.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) quickly defended Israel’s strikes against Iran.

“Israel is acting to defend themselves and tonight we should stand unequivocally with the state of Israel,” he told Fox New’s Sean Hannity.

“Israel has an incredible military. They are surrounded by nations that would drive them into the sea and exterminate them,” the Texas lawmaker continued “We don’t know how this is going to end up but a nuclear Iran would be a profound threat to Israel and a profound threat to America.”

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

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