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from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/13/israel-attacksiran-what-we-know-so-far

Israel attacks Iran: What we know so far
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has warned that Israel faces a
‘bitter and painful’ fate following the attack.

FILE PHOTO: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 20, 2025. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION
EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY./File Photo
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised that Iran will deliver a 'harsh response' [Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA
via Reuters]
By Al Jazeera Staff
Published On 13 Jun 2025
13 Jun 2025
|
Updated:
8 hours ago
Israel has attacked several Iranian nuclear facilities and military
sites, and carried out assassinations of top military officials and
nuclear scientists. An initial wave of strikes was carried out on Friday morning. A second, separate attack on the city of Tabriz, northwest
Iran, was reported by local media later on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, the semi-official state media group, the Iranian
Fars news agency reported “unofficial statistics” showing that more than
70 people had been killed and more than 320 were injured in Israel’s
attacks.

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The aggression has led to fears of a wider military conflict in the
region, with Tehran promising a “harsh response”.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that Israel faces a “bitter
and painful” fate following the attack.

“By God’s will, the powerful hand of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will not let it [Israel] go unpunished,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a prerecorded message
that the strikes early on Friday were aimed at hurting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile factories.

What has Israel attacked in Iran?
Strikes have been confirmed in the following locations:

The capital, Tehran, and military sites in the surrounding area.
The city of Natanz, where explosions were reported at the main uranium enrichment facility.
The city of Tabriz, where explosions have been reported near a nuclear
research centre and two military bases.
The city of Isfahan, south of Tehran.
The city of Arak, southwest of Tehran.
The city of Kermanshah, west of Tehran, where an underground facility
storing ballistic missiles was hit near the Iraqi border.
Images posted on social media showed damaged structures, including
residential buildings, across the Iranian capital.

Later on Friday morning, the Israeli army said it had damaged the Natanz uranium enrichment site’s underground structures, including a
multistorey enrichment hall with centrifuges, electrical rooms and
additional supporting infrastructure.

It added that “vital infrastructure at the site that allows for its continuous functioning and the continued advancement of the Iranian
regime’s project to obtain nuclear weapons was attacked”.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said radioactive contamination
caused by the strike on the Natanz facility had been contained within
the site and there had been no casualties.

On Friday afternoon, the Israeli army said its fighter jets had
completed a series of strikes against Iran’s surface-to-surface missile array.

Dozens of launchers, surface-to-surface missile storage sites and other military sites were destroyed in the operation, Israel’s military said.

Al Jazeera

Who has Israel killed?
According to Iranian media, Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff
of the Iranian military, were among those killed in the Israeli attack.

State-run news outlet Nour News said Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani was “critically injured”.

According to Tasnim, the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, Major-General Gholamali Rashid, was killed.

Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, who is reporting from the Iranian capital,
Tehran, said that aside from military officials, two top nuclear
scientists, Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Tehranchi, were also killed in targeted assassinations.

Abbasi was the former chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, while Tehranchi was the head of the Islamic Azad University.


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What has been the reaction in Iran?
People in Iran woke up to terrifying scenes of destruction in their neighbourhoods.

In a statement, Khamenei said Israel “opened its dirty and bloody hand
to a crime” against Iran, revealing its evil nature more than ever by striking residential centres.

“The regime must expect severe punishment.”

Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, was quoted
by Iranian media as saying that Israel will pay a “heavy price” for its attacks.

FILE PHOTO: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief
Major General Hossein Salami, attends a ceremony to mark the third
anniversary of the killing of senior Iranian military commander General
Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. attack, in Tehran, Iran, January 3, 2023.
Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION
EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY/File Photo
IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major-General Hossein Salami was reportedly
killed in the attacks [File: Majid Asgaripour/WANA Reuters]
What has been the reaction in Israel?
Israeli military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, said Israel had reached a
“point of no return” with the attack on Friday.

Describing the early morning strikes on Iran as a “fight to preserve our existence”, Zamir said Israel launched the attacks as it could not “wait for another moment to act”.

He also said: “Anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price.”

Israeli opposition politician Yair Lapid posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, congratulating the Israeli army for its attack.

This handout photo released by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
official Sepah News Telegram channel on June 13, 2025 reportedly shows
smoke billowing from a site targeted by an Israeli strike in the Iranian capital Tehran early in the morning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said in a video statement in the early hours of June 13 that
Israel carried out strikes on Iran and the military operation against
the Islamic republic would "continue for as many days as it takes".
(Photo by SEPAH NEWS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY
CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / SEPAH NEWS " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
- DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout photo released by the IRGC’s official Sepah News Telegram channel shows smoke billowing from a site bombed by Israel in Tehran
early on June 13, 2025 [Sepah News/AFP]
How has the US responded?
Iran and the United States are currently involved in talks on Iran’s
nuclear programme, aiming to reach an agreement that would limit the
programme in return for sanctions relief for Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump said Washington
was not involved in the Israeli strikes.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see,” Trump said, adding that the US will
help defend Israel if Iran retaliates.

Trump is expected to convene a meeting of the National Security Council
on Friday morning, the White House said.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was not
involved in the operation.

“Our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio
said. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”

Opposition Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said the Israeli strikes are “clearly intended to scuttle” the Trump administration’s diplomacy with Iran.

People gather near damaged vehicles in the aftermath of Israeli strikes,
in Tehran, Iran, June 13, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News
Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A
THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
People gather near damaged vehicles in the aftermath of Israeli strikes
in Tehran early on Friday [Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
What is the danger of hitting nuclear facilities?
Attacking nuclear facilities can cause several consequences of
unpredictable scope, including radioactive leaks, explosions and
long-term contamination.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
says the UN body is closely monitoring the situation in Iran.

He said that the IAEA can confirm that the Natanz site was among the
targets hit by Israel.

“The Agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country.”

FILE - This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the Natanz
nuclear facility in Iran on May 20, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP, File)
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the Natanz nuclear
facility in Iran on May 20, 2025 [Planet Labs PBC via AP]
What has been the global reaction to the attacks?
In a statement, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called
for “maximum restraint” to avoid “descent into deeper conflict” following the Israeli strike.

“The Secretary-General condemns any military escalation in the Middle East,” his deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said.

“He is particularly concerned by Israeli attacks on nuclear
installations in Iran while talks between Iran and the United States on
the status of Iran’s nuclear programme are underway.”

Oman, which is mediating nuclear talks between the US and Iran, called Israel’s action “a dangerous, reckless escalation, representing a
flagrant violation” of the UN charter.

“Such aggressive, persistent behavior is unacceptable and further destabilizes the regional peace and security.

“The Sultanate of Oman holds Israel responsible for this escalation and
its consequences, and calls upon the international community to adopt a
firm and unequivocal stance to halt this dangerous course of action.”

Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri,
looks on during a military exercise in Isfahan, Iran, in this handout
image obtained on September 8, 2022. Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN
SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major-General Mohammad Bagheri, has
also reportedly been killed by Israel [Iranian Army/WANA via Reuters]
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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