Israel attacked , in strikes that targeted the country鈥檚 nuclear program and raised the potential for a larger war between the two bitter adversaries.
An Israeli military official said that the r and military sites, without identifying them. The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation.
Air-raid sirens preventatively rang out in Israel.
The attack comes as tensions have reached new heights over Tehran鈥檚 rapidly advancing nuclear program. The Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years on Thursday censured Iran over it not working with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site in the country and swap out some centrifuges for more advanced ones.
Israel for years has warned it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, something Tehran insists it doesn鈥檛 want 鈥� though officials there have repeatedly warned it could.
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Here's the latest:
UN chief Guterres condemns 鈥榤ilitary escalation鈥�
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the 鈥渕ilitary escalation鈥� by Israel in the Middle East.
In a statement through his spokesperson, Guterres said that he was 鈥渃oncerned鈥� by Israel's action 鈥渨hile talks between Iran and the United States on the status of Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme are underway.鈥�
鈥淭he Secretary-General asks both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford,鈥� Farhan Haq, the U.N. spokesperson, said in statement late Thursday.
IAEA confirms Israeli strike hit nuclear facility
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Friday that an Israeli strike hit Iran鈥檚 uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.
In a statement on the social platform X, the IAEA鈥檚 head Rafael Mariano Grossi was quoted as saying: 鈥淭he IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. ... The Agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country.鈥�
Strikes come days before Iran, US were to hold talks in Oman
Israel鈥檚 strikes come days before a sixth round of talks were planned between Iran and the US over Tehran鈥檚 rapidly advancing nuclear program this Sunday in Oman.
U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 new administration has been seeking a deal that would halt Iran鈥檚 nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
It wasn鈥檛 immediately clear how the strikes would affect plans for the talks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel acted unilaterally in striking Iran, but Friday morning, Iranian state television aired footage of people chanting 鈥淒eath to Israel鈥� and 鈥淒eath to America.鈥�
Strikes pushed Israeli Air Force to its limits
The strike on Iran pushed the Israeli military to its limits, using its aging air-to-air refuelers to get its fighter jets close enough to attack.
It wasn鈥檛 immediately clear if Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace or just fired so-called 鈥渟tandoff missiles鈥� over another country. Israel has previously attacked Iran from over the border in Iraq.
People in Iraq heard fighter jets overhead at the time of the attack.
People in Iran鈥檚 capital again hear explosions across the city
People in Iran鈥檚 capital, Tehran, heard another round of explosions Friday morning after an initial Israeli attack.
It wasn鈥檛 immediately clear if it was air defense systems going off or another attack.
Iranian state TV confirms head of paramilitary Revolutionary Guard killed
Iranian state television has confirmed the head of country鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was killed in an Israeli strike.
An anchor read a statement saying: 鈥淭he news of assassination and martyrdom of Gen. Hossein Salami was confirmed.鈥�
The anchor did not elaborate.
The Guard is a major power center within Iran鈥檚 theocracy, with vast business interests and oversees the nation鈥檚 ballistic missile arsenal.
Israel's UN ambassador urges world body to stand by Israel
Israel鈥檚 Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, says Israel launched Operation 鈥淩ising Lion鈥� against Iran鈥檚 nuclear and missile infrastructure with the aim of eliminating an existential and immediate threat to the citizens of Israel and the entire world.
The Iranian regime is blatantly violating international agreements, advancing towards nuclear weapons, and operating a regional terror network, he said.
Speaking to the UN Secretary-General and members of the Security Council, Danon said: 鈥淭his is a moment to make moral decisions. Stand by Israel - or you will be partners in a dangerous silence.鈥�
Benchmark Brent crude prices spike over 8%
Benchmark Brent crude oil prices have spiked by more than 8% over the Israel's strikes on Iran, which have targeted the country鈥檚 nuclear program and raised the potential for an all-war war.
Iran will offer 鈥榙ecisive鈥� response to Israel's attack
Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency is quoting an anonymous official saying Iran will offer a 鈥渄ecisive鈥� response to Israel鈥檚 attack.
The report did not elaborate. However, Iranian state television put a black band over the corner of its broadcast, suggesting the attack had been significant enough to spark public mourning.
Black smoke seen over Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility
Black smoke rose Friday over Iran鈥檚 main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz though it wasn鈥檛 clear how bad the damage was.
Iranian state television briefly showed the live picture with a reporter.
Natanz is partially above ground, partially below ground, with multiple halls of centrifuges spinning uranium gas for its nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Israel targeted the site in Friday鈥檚 attack. Natanz previously has been targeted by the Stuxnet cyberattack and multiple sabotage campaigns likely carried out by Israel.
Netanyahu, other officials decided Monday operation would start today
An Israeli security official says that Netanyahu and other top officials decided on Monday that the operation would start today. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
By Josef Federman
Australia and New Zealand condemn strikes
Australia and New Zealand鈥檚 governments condemned the Israeli strikes on Friday.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was 鈥渁larmed by the escalation鈥� between Israel and Iran, which she said risked further destabilizing an already volatile region.
New Zealand鈥檚 Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the strikes were 鈥渁 huge concern鈥� for his government and 鈥減otentially catastrophic鈥� for the Middle East. 鈥淭he risk of miscalculation is high,鈥� he said.
The two countries were among five that on two far-right Israeli government ministers Wednesday, accusing them of 鈥渋nciting extremist violence鈥� against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Iranian state TV says head of Revolutionary Guard is feared dead
Iranian state television says the head of Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, is feared dead after an Israeli attack.
It added that one other top Guard official, as well as two nuclear scientists, were also feared dead. The report offered few other details.
Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centers within the country鈥檚 theocracy. It also controls Iran鈥檚 arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Headquarters of Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is ablaze
An Israeli attack on Iran has set the headquarters of Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze, state television reported Friday.
A reporter on air said he was unable to get closer due to the intensity of the fire in Iran鈥檚 capital, Tehran.
Multiple sites in the capital had been hit in the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said targeted both sites of and officials leading Iran鈥檚 nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal.
Netanyahu says Israel struck nuclear and missile sites
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel targeted Iran鈥檚 main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country鈥檚 ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials.
He said Iran was working on a new plan to destroy Israel after its old plan, its circle of proxies, failed. He called it an intolerable threat that must be stopped.
US Sen. Reed calls Israel鈥檚 strike 鈥榓 reckless escalation鈥�
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the Israeli strike 鈥渁 reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence.鈥�
鈥淭hese strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces,鈥� he said. Reed added: 鈥淚 urge both nations to show immediate restraint, and I call on President Trump and our international partners to press for diplomatic de-escalation before this crisis spirals further out of control.鈥�
Dozens of commercial flights over Iran as attack begins
Dozens of commercial airliners were in Iranian airspace as the strikes took place, according to flight tracking websites.
More than an hour after the Israeli attack, some were still making their way out of Iranian airspace, but some abruptly altered course to more quickly exit the area.
Many nations' jets already did not overfly Iran because of regional tensions.
Scope of attack remains unclear
The extent of Israel's strikes remained unclear early Friday.
Explosions could be heard across Tehran, Iran鈥檚 capital city. There were some images circulating of damaged residential buildings.
Iranian state television also was being careful in how they described the assault, suggesting that some areas outside of Tehran that had also been hit.
Netanyahu says strikes respond to threat to Israel鈥檚 survival
Israel鈥檚 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an address on YouTube that the country launched 鈥渁 targeted military operation roll back the Iranian threat to Israel鈥檚 very survival.鈥�
He added that the attacks will continue 鈥渇or as many days at it takes to remove this threat.鈥�
Israel closes its airspace
Israel closed its airspace in anticipation of Iranian retaliation.
Israel鈥檚 Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks were expected.
鈥淚n the wake of the state of Israel鈥檚 preventive attack against Iran, missile and drone attacks against Israel and its civilian population are expected immediately,鈥� he said in a statement.
The statement added that Katz 鈥渟igned a special order declaring an emergency situation in the home front.鈥�
鈥淚t is essential to listen to instructions from the home front command and authorities to stay in protected areas,鈥� it said
Rubio says Israel took 'unilateral action'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took 鈥渦nilateral action against Iran鈥� and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense, while warning Iran not to target U.S. forces in retaliation.
In a statement, he said: 鈥淭onight, 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. 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.鈥�
Israeli official says Air Force is targeting nuclear and military sites
An Israeli military official says that his country targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them.
The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation.
The Israeli official said Iran poses three threats to state of Israel: First, he alleged that the Iranian government is advancing a 鈥渟ecret program鈥� to develop nuclear weapons. The U.S. intelligence community assesses that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Second, the Israeli official said, Iran has thousands of ballistic missiles. Finally, he said Iran has been distributing weapons and arms to proxy groups across the region like Hezbollah and Hamas.
鈥� Josef Federman
Trump on White House lawn as explosions begin
As the explosions in Tehran started, President Donald Trump was on the lawn of the White House mingling with members of Congress. It was unclear if he had been informed but the president continued shaking hands and posing for pictures for several minutes.
Earlier in the day, Trump said an Israeli attack over Iran鈥檚 nuclear program was not imminent 鈥渂ut it looks like it鈥檚 something that could very well happen.鈥�
The U.S. has been preparing for something to happen, pulling some diplomats from Iraq鈥檚 capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East.
The White House did not have an immediate comment Thursday night.
The Associated Press
