TENSIONS in the Middle East have ramped up dramatically after Israel launched a series of attacks on Iranian soil.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s government attacked Iran’s capital Tehran early on Friday in strikes which raised the potential for an all-out war.
It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq, with multiple sites around the country hit. Israel said it had targeted the country’s nuclear programme.
The leader of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed, Iranian state television reported. Another top Guard official, as well as two nuclear scientists, were also thought to have been killed.
The chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television.
Israeli leaders said the attack was necessary to head off what they described as an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs and they warned of a reprisal which could target civilians in Israel.
In Washington, the Trump administration, which earlier cautioned Israel against an attack amid continuing negotiations, said it had not been involved in the attack and warned Iran against retaliations against US interests or personnel.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the “horrendously dangerous situation in Iran must stop”, adding: “The international community must bring Israel to account and halt this latest escalation of conflict in the Middle East.”
He said: “The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. Escalation serves no-one in the region.
“Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said stability in the Middle East was “vital” for global security.
“Further escalation is a serious threat to peace & stability in the region and in no-one’s interest,” he said in a post on social media.
“This is a dangerous moment & I urge all parties to show restraint.”
The assault came amid warnings from Israel that it would not permit Tehran to build a nuclear weapon, although it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that.
According to the Nuclear Ban Monitor, Israel controls around 90 nuclear warheads, all of which are ready for use.
Netanyahu said in an address on YouTube that the attacks will continue “for as many days at it takes to remove this threat”.
“It could be a year. It could be within a few months,” he said as he vowed to pursue the attack for as long as necessary. “This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” he said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed an Israeli strike hit Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and said it was closely monitoring radiation levels.
The board of governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency censured Iran on Thursday for the first time in 20 years over its refusal to work 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.
The attacks on Iran come as Israel continues its illegal annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, where it is credibly accused of committing genocide.
