Israel has struck Iran, Defense Minister Israel Katz said. According to him, the attack was a preemptive operation aimed at eliminating threats to the State of Israel. He warned that retaliatory strikes are possible in the near term, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency across the country.
Israel’s Channel 12, citing a source, claims the operation is being carried out jointly with the United States. Three senior Israeli security officials told The New York Times that the first wave of strikes was aimed at killing “as many leaders as possible.” According to them, success required at least a partial element of surprise, as attempts to eliminate senior Iranian officials had to be made at the very outset—otherwise Iran would immediately have tightened security around its leadership.