Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced that Israel has carried out airstrikes against Iran, targeting dozens of Iranian nuclear programs and other military targets. According to American and Israeli media, loud explosions were heard in various areas, including the capital Tehran. British media reported, citing Iranian state television, that two senior nuclear scientists, who have been identified, were martyred in Israeli airstrikes. According to the report, one of the martyrs was Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi, the former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), the organization responsible for Iran’s nuclear facilities. The other scientist who was martyred was Mohammad Mehdi Tehrani, who held the position of president of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran.
After the Israeli airstrikes on Iran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued an important statement, saying that the United States was not involved in these attacks and its top priority is the protection of US forces in the region.
He added that “tonight Israel took unilateral action against Iran, the United States is not involved in these attacks. Our top priority is the protection of US forces deployed in the Middle East.” According to media reports, the Israeli Air Force has attacked the residential area of high political and military officials in Iran. The Israeli Defense Minister declared a state of emergency in the country, saying that a possible retaliation from Iran is expected, so a security alert has been issued. Citizens in Jerusalem woke up to the sound of sirens, immediately after which alert messages about danger came on mobile phones. According to American TV media reports, President Trump has called an emergency cabinet meeting in view of the situation.
Foreign media, citing Iranian state television, reported that the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran was targeted in airstrikes carried out by Israel. According to foreign media, Iranian Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri was martyred in the Israeli attack and Commander Hossein Salami was also martyred, while Israeli officials claimed that several senior nuclear scientists were also killed in the attack.
