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Tehran: Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation for recent Israeli strikes on Tehran, according to Israel’s military.
Israel’s chief army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Deffrin, confirmed the drone assault. He stated that all Israeli defense systems were actively working to intercept the threats.
The conflict has disrupted air travel across the Middle East. Jordan’s civil aviation authority announced the immediate closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure amid rising regional tensions.
Other neighboring countries are expected to monitor the situation closely.
Earlier, Israel launched major airstrikes against Iran. The attacks come amid mounting concerns over Tehran’s nuclear program and its perceived threat to Israeli national security.
The attack resulted in the death of the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Salami.
Salami, who headed one of Iran’s most influential security forces, was a prominent figure known for his aggressive stance against the US and Israel.
In a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had initiated a “targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”
“This operation will take as long as is needed to complete the task of fending off the threat of annihilation against us,” Netanyahu declared, underscoring the gravity of the move.
The offensive was further confirmed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who described it as a “preemptive strike” aimed at neutralizing imminent threats. In response to the heightened risk, Katz also announced a special state of emergency across Israel to ensure national preparedness and civilian safety.
On the other hand, Iranian state media reported that loud explosions were heard in several parts of the capital, Tehran, during the early morning hours on Friday.
IRIB, Iran’s state broadcaster, noted that the source of the blasts had not yet been officially identified, though speculation is mounting that the Israeli strikes may have targeted military infrastructure or nuclear-related facilities.
On Monday, Iran’s top security body warned that its armed forces would immediately target Israel’s “secret nuclear facilities” if the Islamic Republic comes under military attack, following claims it has obtained “sensitive Israeli intelligence.”
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) issued the statement days after Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib said Iran had acquired a “significant cache” of Israeli documents through intelligence operations.
According to the council, months of intelligence gathering had enabled Iran’s armed forces to identify high-value Israeli targets for potential retaliatory strikes, should Israel initiate military action against Iranian interests.
Israel is believed by many to possess nuclear weapons, though it has never officially confirmed or denied this, maintaining a longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity.
With inputs from IANS
The article and headline has been updated with the latest information
This post was last modified on June 13, 2025 2:34 pm