Alongside airstrikes on nuclear facilities and military sites across Iran, Israel has placed Tehran under attack, resulting in civilian casualties.
The Israeli attacks were first reported around 3:00 a.m. local time on Friday in the capital, Tehran, followed by a series of explosions in several other provinces across the country.
Videos circulating on social media show widespread destruction in residential areas of Tehran and other regions, the result of what has been described as indiscriminate Israeli aggression.
The fighter jets carried out five waves of attacks, featuring hundreds of strikes in total.
Israel has bombed targets in at least eight locations across Iran, including the capital Tehran, Iran’s main uranium enrichment site in Natanz, and a nuclear research centre in Tabriz.
Tehran Under Attack
In addition to nuclear and military sites, Israeli forces struck several civilian areas, causing widespread damage and civilian casualties, particularly in the Saadat Abad neighborhood of Tehran.
Local news reports confirm that women and children were among the victims of the Israeli airstrikes in Saadat Abad, a predominantly civilian district of Tehran.
A correspondent at the scene witnessed the bodies of women and children among the casualties and reported that rescue operations to recover the victims are ongoing.
Extensive damage was inflicted on residential neighborhoods, with the Professors’ Complex (Majma’e Ostadan Sarv) in Saadat Abad identified as one of the main targets of the Israeli attack early Friday morning.
High-Ranking Iranian Officials Among the Dead
Iranian state media outlets have reported several casualties as a result of the strikes, with civilians and senior Iranian officials among the dead.
Among those confirmed killed are Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, and nuclear scientists Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi.
Israel Admits Responsibility for the Attacks
The Israeli regime confirmed responsibility for the attacks, claiming to have targeted sites in Natanz, Khorramabad, Khondab, and several other locations.
In a prerecorded video message posted early Friday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were aimed at hitting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile factories.
The Israeli military confirmed to The Times of Israel newspaper it had “launched an aerial campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme” in an operation dubbed “Operation Rising Lion”.
The Israeli military’s chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, said Iran’s nuclear programme had reached a “point of no return”, and Israel could not “wait for another moment to act” in the “fight to preserve our existence”.
Iran Vows Strong Response
In a statement, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed “several commanders and scientists were martyred”, as he told Israel to prepare for a “bitter and painful fate”.
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces, said that Israel will pay a heavy price and should expect strong action from the Iranian armed forces.
Iran has placed itself on 100 percent military readiness and Israel will receive a strong slap, he stated.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran has a “legal and legitimate” right to respond, as it vowed to involve the US as Israel’s attacks could not have taken place without its “coordination and authorisation”.
Global Political Tensions Escalate
Political tensions in the region have reached new heights following these attacks, raising concerns over the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the devastating impact on innocent lives.
The international community is watching closely as the situation continues to unfold, with fears of further escalation.