Israel Launches Airstrikes on Iran, Warns ‘Operation Will Last Days

Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes in the early hours of Friday, June 13, which targeted dozens of sites allegedly related to Iran’s nuclear program across the country, including in the capital Tehran.

Shortly after the aggression was launched, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video, announcing that the strikes are part of “Operation Rising Lion”, which aims at “rolling back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” Netanyahu added.

Although top officials from the United States have declared that the US is “not involved in strikes against Iran”, news that surfaced in the last 48 hours as well as statements by US President Donald Trump, suggest that Washington was aware how imminent Israel’s strikes were.

On Wednesday, June 11, the US State Department and military announced that they ordered the evacuation of all personnel, who are not deemed essential to operations in the West Asia region, alongside their dependents, over speculations of upcoming regional unrest.

Non-essential staff in the US Embassy in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, were ordered to depart their duty station. Meanwhile, non-essential personnel and their family members in Bahrain and Kuwait were given the option of leaving the countries, at the expense of the US government, which also said it would provide them with the needed assistance.

Israel determined to destroy nuclear program

The evacuation orders came after officials in the United States and Europe revealed – earlier during the week – that Israel was considering launching attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities within days, even without being backed by the US.

Israel’s “fears” that Iran would soon develop a nuclear weapon increased, after Tehran repeatedly insisted that it will not concede its right to enrich uranium domestically, as a condition to reach a nuclear deal with the United States.

However, US President Donald Trump considered Iran’s demand to continue enriching uranium on its soil “unacceptable”.

“They don’t want to give up what they have to give up. You know what that is: They seek enrichment,” Trump told reporters at the White House Monday, June 9.

The US and Iran engaged in five rounds of nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman so far. Yet, Iran’s uranium enrichment is said to be the key point of contention that led to a stalemate in the talks.

Nevertheless, the Omani Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, announced on Thursday, that a sixth round of negotiations will take place next Sunday, June 15 in Oman’s capital Muscat.

Although the nuclear talks between the two countries were still underway, Israel insisted on carrying out unprovoked attacks against Iran on Friday.

Top Iranian officials and civilians were assassinated in the aggression

The Tasnim News Agency, which is associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that the commander of the IRGC, Major General Hossein Salami, was assassinated in one of the Israeli airstrikes against Tehran on Friday.

Initial reports also indicated that two prominent Iranian nuclear scientists Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi were killed in the attacks. The airstrikes also resulted in civilian deaths as Israeli fighter jets struck a number of residential buildings in the Iranian capital.

Meanwhile, flights have been suspended at the Imam Khomeini International Airport of Tehran.

Iran vows retaliation

One day before Israel began its operation, Iran vowed to attack US military bases in the region, and Israeli nuclear sites, in case Tel Aviv followed through with its threats.

“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us, all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned on Wednesday.

In addition, Iran released sensitive documents recently obtained by its intelligence, on Thursday, exposing an alleged collaboration between the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, and Israeli officials to discredit its nuclear program.

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch