Israel began a preemptive strike against Iran on Friday, as per The Times of Israel.
Declaring the launch of Operation Rising Lion aimed at foiling Iran's nuclear ambitions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Friday that his country has struck at the heart of the Islamic regime's nuclear programme, including its main enrichment facility in Natanz.
"Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat," Netanyahu said in a video message in the early hours of Friday.
"For decades, the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly, openly, called for Israel's destruction. They have backed up their genocidal rhetoric with a programme to develop nuclear weapons. In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly-enriched uranium for nine atom bombs. Nine," the Israeli prime minister claimed.
"In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before. Steps to weaponise this enriched uranium. And if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year, it could be within a few months, less than a year. This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival," he claimed.
Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz declared an emergency situation across the country due to Israel's action in Iran.
"Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," The Times of Israel quoted Katz as saying.
Katz said that he signed 'a special order, according to which a special state of emergency will be imposed in the home front throughout the entire State of Israel'.
"You must obey the instructions of the Home Front Command and the authorities and remain in the protected areas," Katz added, as per The Times of Israel.
Sirens wailed across Israel as the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet, as Israel began the airstrikes.
As per the Times of Israel, the IDF Home Front Command clarified that the sirens that wailed across Israel a few minutes ago were intended to convey to Israelis that the country is entering 'a new situation', the Home Front Command's Tzvika Tessler clarified.
There has been no attack launched at Israel at this time, he says.
Tessler said that, in the coming few hours, Israel could experience 'a significant attack from the east'.
These could be 'heavy missiles' that could reach anywhere in the country.
"We will give far-reaching warnings," he said.
The IDF confirmed that it launched an aerial campaign against Iran's nuclear program, as per the Times of Israel.
Dozens of targets across Iran related to the nuclear programme and other military facilities are being struck by the Israeli Air Force, it says.
The IDF said that Iran has enough enriched uranium to build several bombs within days, and it needs to act against this 'imminent threat'.
Sirens that sounded across Israel a short while ago were a preemptive warning issued by the IDF, ahead of a possible reaction by Iran. -- ANI
IMAGE: People gather near damaged vehicles in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, on June 13, 2025. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
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