Srinagar, June 13: Israel carried out a large-scale military strike on Iran’s nuclear programme early Friday morning, targeting key facilities and top Iranian officials in what Israeli leaders described as a “preemptive” move to avert an existential threat. The attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “an immediate operational necessity,” marks the most significant assault on Iran since its war with Iraq in the 1980s, and has raised fears of a broader conflict engulfing the region.
The New York Times reported that Israel’s targets included the main enrichment facility at Natanz, ballistic missile sites, and residences and headquarters of senior Iranian officials and nuclear scientists. General Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was among those reported killed by Iranian state media, a development that could further escalate hostilities. Israeli officials emphasized that the goal was to cripple Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, not to instigate regime change.
The Associated Press noted that the attack prompted both Israel and Iran to close their airspace, while explosions rocked Tehran and other cities. Israel’s defence ministry declared a national state of emergency, urging citizens to prepare for possible Iranian missile and drone retaliation. The US government, which had previously cautioned Israel against military action while diplomatic negotiations continued, stated that it was not involved in the strikes. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Israel had acted unilaterally and reiterated warnings to Iran not to target American interests or personnel.
Washington Post coverage highlighted that the United States had withdrawn diplomats from Iraq and authorised the voluntary departure of military families from the Middle East amid concerns about Iranian retaliation. President Trump, who had previously urged Netanyahu to delay action in hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, appeared to have been informed in advance but maintained that the US’s priority was protecting its forces in the region.
According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) characterised the operation as a preemptive strike, justified by intelligence assessments that Iran’s nuclear weapons programme had reached a critical stage. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated that the situation had “reached the point of no return,” and that immediate action was required to “remove the strategic threat and ensure our future.” Netanyahu, in a national address, warned that Iran’s uranium enrichment and weaponisation efforts had accelerated, with enough material now for nine nuclear weapons, a figure that Israeli security officials believe may even be an underestimation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had recently censured Iran for refusing to cooperate with inspectors, and Iran responded by announcing plans to establish a third enrichment site and upgrade its centrifuges. While estimates vary on how quickly Iran could build a nuclear weapon, Israeli and US officials agree that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and expanding missile arsenal pose a grave threat. Netanyahu invoked the memory of the Holocaust in his address, stating, “We can’t leave these threats for the next generation. If we don’t act now, there won’t be a next generation”.
As both nations brace for further escalation, Israeli leaders have warned the public of “complex and challenging days” to come, with the possibility of widespread Iranian missile strikes. The Israeli government has declared that operations will continue “for as many days as it takes” to neutralise the perceived existential danger from Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
