Israel has carried out strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, the IDF has said, with blasts heard in Tehran, the BBC reports.
The strikes were part of Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, adding Iran was a threat to “Israel’s very survival.”
Israel has declared a state of emergency, saying the country expected counter-attacks “in the immediate future.”
Iranian state TV said residential areas in Tehran were hit and civilians were among those killed – including children – though this could not be independently verified
Iranian state media also reported that Revolutionary Guard chief Hossein Salami was killed in a strike.
Iran has accused the US of supporting Israel’s attack, which US strongly denies. US President Trump told Fox News he was aware of the strikes beforehand but emphasised that the US played no part.
International reaction has begun pouring in, with Australia saying it was “alarmed” by the escalation and the UN calling for both sides to show “maximum restraint.”
‘Operation Rising Lion’, which Israel said was meant to thwart Iran’s nuclear programme, has reportedly killed several senior Iranian military figures and nuclear scientists.
Here are the people who are confirmed to have been killed, according to Iranian state media:
- Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards
- Gholamali Rashid, the commander of Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters
- Fereydoon Abbasi, nuclear scientist and former head Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization
- Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, another nuclear scientist involved in Iran’s nuclear weapons programme
- Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s armed forces
Ali Shamkhani, senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been seriously injured, according to Iranian reports.
