Israel has carried out strikes on Iran, stoking fears of an all-out war between the two Middle East nations just one day after Iran said it planned to expand its nuclear program.
Local media reported blasts ringing out across the country’s capital of Tehran on Friday morning (local time) while Israel confirmed its defence forces had launched a “preemptive, precise, combined offensive” to strike Iran’s nuclear program.
“Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and to the wider world.”
An Israeli military official claimed Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days, per ABC News.
A state of emergency has been declared in Israel.
“Following the pre-emptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV [drone] attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
In an address on YouTube, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country launched “a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival”.
The attacks will continue “for as many days at it takes to remove this threat”, he added.
While reports are still coming in regarding where the strikes hit in Iran and what military facilities were targeted, Netanyahu said in his address that Israel had successfully “struck at the heart” of Iran’s nuclear weaponisation program by targeting “their main enrichment facility”.
He said Iranian nuclear scientists were targeted, as were sites related to its ballistic missile program.
Barak Ravid from US publication Axios reported the Iranian military general staff, including the Iranian Chief of Staff and senior nuclear scientists, were all targeted in the strikes.
Iranian state media are reporting that there have been multiple fatalities across the country, including children.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States was not involved in the Israeli attack and that Iran should not target US interests or personnel in response.
“Tonight, 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,” Rubio said in a statement, per the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel,” he said.
Flights have been halted from Iran’s main airport, Imam Khomeini International Airport outside of Tehran.
Addressing the media on Friday morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is “alarmed” by escalating tensions following reports of explosions.
“This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile. We call on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that would further exacerbate tensions,” she said, per The Guardian.
“We all understand the need, the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program, it represents a threat to international peace and security and we urge the parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy.”
She did not disclose whether action had been taken to evacuate officials in Iran.
Australians in the region have been advised to monitor the government’s Smartraveller website for the latest advice.
Lead image: Twitter
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