Israel launched blistering assaults on the guts of Iran’s nuclear and navy construction Friday, deploying warplanes and drones beforehand smuggled into the nation to assault key amenities and kill high generals and scientists — a barrage it stated was mandatory earlier than its adversary obtained any nearer to constructing an atomic weapon.
Iran retaliated late Friday by unleashing scores of ballistic missiles on Israel, the place explosions flared within the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings under.
“We is not going to permit them to flee safely from this nice crime they dedicated,” Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated in a recorded message through which he vowed revenge.
An explosion is seen throughout a missile assault in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025.
AP Photograph/Tomer Neuberg
An Related Press reporter noticed smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an obvious missile strike. A Tel Aviv space hospital stated it was treating 15 injured civilians. U.S. ground-based air protection methods within the area are serving to to shoot down Iranian missiles, stated a U.S. official who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the measures.
A minimum of 41 individuals have been injured from the continuing Iranian assaults on Israel, an Israeli emergency providers spokesperson stated in an announcement.
One individual is significantly injured, and two individuals are reasonably, the spokesperson stated.
In remarks earlier than the UN Safety Council, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani claimed that 78 individuals had been killed in Israeli assaults throughout Iran — utilizing the time period “martyred” — and that one other 320 had been injured.
Israel’s ongoing airstrikes and intelligence operation and Iran’s retaliation raised issues about all-out struggle between the international locations and propelled the area, already on edge, into even higher upheaval.
RELATED: Israel strikes dozens of targets in Iran, together with nuclear program: IDF
Israel had lengthy threatened such a strike, and successive American administrations had sought to stop it, fearing it will ignite a wider battle throughout the Center East and probably be ineffective at destroying Iran’s dispersed and hardened nuclear program.
However a confluence of developments triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault – plus the reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump – created the situations that allowed Israel to lastly observe by way of on its threats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the U.S. was knowledgeable prematurely of the assault.
Israeli Iron Dome air protection system fires to intercept missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025.
AP Photograph/Leo Correa
On Thursday, Iran had been censured by the U.N.’s atomic watchdog for not complying with obligations meant to stop it from growing a nuclear weapon.
Nations within the area condemned Israel’s assault, whereas leaders across the globe referred to as for rapid deescalation from each side.
The U.N. Safety Council scheduled an emergency assembly for Friday afternoon at Iran’s request. In a letter to the council, Iran’s Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi referred to as the killing of its officers and scientists “state terrorism” and affirmed his nation’s proper to self-defense.
Israel’s navy stated about 200 plane had been concerned within the preliminary assault on about 100 targets. Its Mossad spy company positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran forward of time, and used them to focus on Iranian air defenses and missile launchers close to Tehran, based on two safety officers who spoke on situation of anonymity.
It was not doable to independently affirm the officers’ claims.
Among the many key websites Israel attacked was Iran’s most important nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, the place black smoke might be seen rising into the air. It additionally appeared to strike a second, smaller nuclear enrichment facility in Fordo, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southest of Tehran, based on an Iranian information outlet near the federal government that reported listening to explosions close by.
Israel stated it struck a nuclear analysis facility in Isfahan, too, and stated it destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran. Iran confirmed the strike at Isfahan.
Israel navy spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated the Natanz facility was “considerably broken” and that the operation was “nonetheless at first.”
The primary wave of strikes had given Israel “important freedom of motion” in Iran’s skies, clearing the way in which for additional assaults, based on an Israeli navy official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to debate particulars of the assault with the media.
The official stated Israel is ready for an operation that would last as long as two weeks, however that there was no agency timeline.
Amongst these killed had been three of Iran’s high navy leaders: one who oversaw the complete armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami; and the top of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Iran confirmed all three deaths, important blows its governing theocracy that may complicate efforts to retaliate. Khamenei stated different high navy officers and scientists had been additionally killed.
Netanyahu stated the assault had been months within the making. In a video assertion despatched to journalists Friday, he stated he ordered plans for the assault final November, quickly after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the chief of Hezbollah in Lebanon, one in all Iran’s strongest proxies. Netanyahu stated the assault was deliberate for April however was postponed.
In its first response Friday, Iran fired greater than 100 drones at Israel. Israel stated the drones had been being intercepted exterior its airspace, and it was not instantly clear whether or not any obtained by way of.
Israel’s navy stated it referred to as up reservists and started stationing troops all through the nation because it braced for additional retaliation from Iran or Iranian proxy teams.
Trump urged Iran on Friday to succeed in a cope with the U.S. on its nuclear program, warning on his Reality Social platform that Israel’s assaults “will solely worsen.”
“Iran should make a deal, earlier than there’s nothing left, and save what was as soon as referred to as the Iranian Empire,” he wrote.
On Wednesday, the U.S. pulled some American diplomats from Iraq’s capital and provided voluntary evacuations for the households of U.S. troops within the wider Center East. On Friday, the U.S. started shifting navy sources within the area, together with ships, as Israel ready for extra retaliation, two U.S. officers stated, talking on situation of anonymity.
Officers in Washington had cautioned Israel in opposition to an assault earlier within the week, in order to not disrupt U.S. negotiations with Iran over its nuclear enrichment program. They careworn Friday that the U.S. had not been concerned within the assault, and warned in opposition to any retaliation concentrating on U.S. pursuits or personnel.
Israel calls assaults preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear program
Israeli leaders solid the assault as mandatory to go off an imminent risk that Iran would construct nuclear bombs, although it stays unclear how shut the nation is to attaining that or whether or not Iran had really been planning a strike. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian functions solely.
“It is a clear and current hazard to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu claimed as he vowed to pursue the assault for so long as essential to “take away this risk.”
Israel is extensively believed to be the one nuclear-armed state within the Center East however has by no means acknowledged having such weapons.
Over the previous 12 months, Israel has been concentrating on Iran’s air defenses, hitting a radar system for a Russian-made air protection battery in April 2024 and surface-to-air missile websites and missile manufacturing amenities in October.
On Friday, Israelis rushed to supermarkets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere to purchase bottled water and different provides. However, in any other case, streets and parks had been largely abandoned.
Iran says Israel focused residential areas
For Netanyahu, the operation distracts consideration from Israel’s ongoing and more and more devastating struggle in Gaza, which is now over 20 months outdated.
There’s a broad consensus within the Israeli public that Iran is a significant risk, and Israel’s opposition chief, Yair Lapid, a staunch critic of Netanyahu, provided his “full assist” for the mission in opposition to Iran. But when Iranian reprisals trigger heavy Israeli casualties or main disruptions to every day life, public opinion may shift rapidly.
The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah issued an announcement that provided condolences and condemned the assault, however didn’t threaten to hitch Iran in its retaliation. Hezbollah’s newest struggle with Israel – which killed a lot of the group’s senior management – ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November.
Khamenei, the Iranian Supreme Chief, stated in an announcement that Israel “opened its depraved and blood-stained hand to against the law in our beloved nation, revealing its malicious nature greater than ever by placing residential facilities.”
Netanyahu expressed hope the assaults would set off the downfall of Iran’s theocracy, saying his message to the Iranian individuals was that the combat was not with them, however with the “brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years.”
Rigidity had been rising for weeks forward of assaults
Israel has lengthy been decided to stop Iran from growing nuclear weapons, a priority laid naked on Thursday when the Worldwide Atomic Power Company for the primary time in 20 years censured Iran over its refusal to work with its inspectors. Iran instantly introduced it will set up a 3rd enrichment website and set up extra superior centrifuges.
Even so, there are a number of assessments on what number of nuclear weapons Iran may conceivably construct, ought to it select to take action. Iran would wish months to assemble, check and discipline any weapon, which it to date has stated it has no want to do. U.S. intelligence companies additionally assess Iran doesn’t have a weapons program right now.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Israel took “unilateral motion in opposition to Iran” and that it believed the strikes had been mandatory for its self-defense.
The Worldwide Atomic Power Company stated it was carefully monitoring radiation ranges.
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Federman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Related Press writers Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat and Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran; Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp, Matthew Lee and Eric Tucker in Washington; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut; Edith Lederer on the United Nations and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.
ABC Information contributed to this report.
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