Iran was reeling on Friday from waves of Israeli strikes that decapitated its military chain of command and targeted a key nuclear facility, as US President Donald Trump urged Iran to strike a deal curbing its nuclear programme or risk “even more brutal” attacks.Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu described the assault, which was brought about by deploying warplanes and drones smuggled into the country, as a last resort to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat. Israel said the strikes were only the start of ‘Operation Rising Lion’. The attacks also killed several top Iranian officials and six nuclear scientists and hit Iran’s long-range missile facilities and aerial defences.
As evening fell, Iranian media reported explosions on the northern and southern outskirts of Tehran and at Fordo, near the holy city of Qom, a second major nuclear site. Israel’s military said it was striking Iranian missile and drone launching sites. Air defences were activated across Tehran and explosions could be heard in Isfahan, with Israel claiming it had struck the nuke site there. Iran said in retaliation “the gates of hell will open”. On Friday night, explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded across Israel following what the country’s military spokesman said was the firing of missiles from Iran.Iran’s state news agency IRNA said hundreds of ballistic missiles had been launched, shortly after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised “harsh punishment”. There were no immediate reports of casualties.Friday’s strikes were the first time Israel successfully hit Iran’s nuke facilities, including its main enrichment facility at Natanz, which an Israeli military spokesperson said had suffered “significant damage.”