The Israeli military has begun bombing Iran, an attack that could provoke a major, catastrophic war in the region involving the US.
Unconfirmed reports on social media say at least 15 airstrikes have hit the Iranian capital of Tehran, and videos show plumes of smoke rising from the city. Photos also show damaged residential buildings.
The IDF said that it has launched “dozens” of airstrikes on Iran in an attack it claims is targeting the country’s civilian nuclear program. It has dubbed the operation the “Nation of Lions.”
The Israeli military is also warning that Iran could launch a major counterattack against Israeli territory and said that its operation against Iran could last several days.
“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,” said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that Israel has taken “unliateral action” against Iran and claimed the US wasn’t involved. Media reports have said that Iran planned to attack without US backing, but CBS News reported that the Trump administration was weighing options regarding how to support Israeli military action.
The bombing began hours after President Trump said that an Israeli attack on Iran could happen soon, although he claimed that he still wanted to pursue a nuclear deal with Tehran despite his repeated demand that Iran must eliminate its nuclear enrichment program, which is a non-starter for Tehran.
Previous reports said that Israel was considering bombing Iran to sabotage the diplomacy between the US and Iran. The attacks come as there is no evidence that Tehran is working toward a nuclear weapon, which is the consensus of the US intelligence community.