Israel starts air strikes against Iranian commanders and atomic stations

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Israel launched dozens of air strikes against Iran, which aimed at his nuclear program, which aimed at military facilities, and killed his two best commanders in a devastating large attack that brought the Middle East to a new war.

Pictures on Iranian state television said the Natanz site in central IranOne of the two main nuclear systems in the country was hit around 4.15 a.m. and showed a thick black smoke from the area.

After massive explosions shook Tehran at around 3.30 a.m. on Friday at around 3.30 a.m., state television also showed Rauch, which was rising from the headquarters of the revolutionary guards, the most powerful military power of the regime.

The Iranian state news agency said that several high -ranking military values, including Major General Hossein Salami, the head of the Elite Revolation Guard, were killed.

State Major Mohammad Bagheri, Major General of the Armed Forces, was also killed, reported state television. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, a prominent physics professor, and Fereydoon Abbasi, a former head of the Iranian nuclear organization, were also killed, the state news agency said.

Brent Crude, the international oil benchmark, rose up to 12.5 percent before it was withdrawn to 5 percent after the strikes at almost 73 USD per barrel in London. The global stocks fell by 1.4 percent with S&P 500 futures.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel “was beaten in the heart of the Iranian nuclear recreation program” and said that it was on Natanz, the “leading nuclear scientist” of the republic and its ballistic rocket plants.

An Israeli military officer said dozens of strikes started. Another official said the attacks could take up to two weeks.

In an indication that it wanted to present the air, the Israel defense staff said that they had carried out a large-scale strike against the air defense of Iran and destroyed dozens of radars and surface air rackwoman.

The IDF added that Iran had launched about 100 drones towards Israel for which Israel had worked on. Iran did not confirm that he had started retaliation.

The United States said it was not involved in the attack that came before you Sixth round of negotiations On Sunday between the Trump government and Iran to solve the atomic crisis.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington was “pretty good at a pretty good agreement” and added that he did not want Israel to attack Iran because it could “blow” the chances of a deal.

But Netanyahu, which the United States committed to the support of military measures against Iran, said in a video declaration that Tehran bought time and alluded to us and the Israeli, and the Israeli demands that Iran hire its nuclear recovery program.

“That’s why we have no choice but to act and act now,” said Netanyahu.

The highest leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Israel should “expect serious punishment”.

“The Zionist regime has created a bitter and painful fate for itself through this crime – one thing is certainly confronted,” he said. “With the permission of God, the mighty hands of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not let them do their unpunished.”

The strikes condemned a quick conviction from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Turkey. Saudi Arabia said the attack violated international laws.

The Iranian officials also said they had the United States responsible for the attack. At the beginning of this week, Tehran confirmed the warnings that the Republic could also target American bases in the region if it was attacked.

In a statement that Washington “was not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority was the protection of the American armed forces in the region”.

“Israel advised us to believe that this action was necessary for their self -defense,” added Rubio. “Let me be clear: Iran should not address any interests or staff.”

The strike follows a month -long distance from the Iranian nuclear program, as Tehran for several years enriching uranium near the weapon quality.

Both Israel and the United States swore to prevent the republic from developing nuclear weapons. Tehran insists that his program is used for peaceful civil purposes, but has the ability to produce sufficiently fleece material in less than two weeks, which is required for a nuclear weapon.

Rafael GrossiPresent General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency said that the UN Nuclear Watchdog “carefully monitored the profound situation in Iran after Natanz.

He said the agency was in contact with the Iranian authorities in relation to radiation levels.

The board of the UN Atomic Watchdog on Thursday explained Iran who had violated His non -distribution obligations in such criticism in two decades.

The strike cap cape almost two years of conflicts in the Middle East, which began with the war between Israel and Hamas, which was triggered by the militant group’s attack on October 7, 2023.

Additional reporting by Jamie Smyth and Steff Chávez in New York