Israel has launched a preemptive military strike against Iran, confirmed by Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz, according to The Times of Israel. Following this move, Katz declared a nationwide emergency across Israel, anticipating retaliatory strikes from Iran.
“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,” Katz stated.
He further added, “I signed a special order, according to which a special state of emergency will be imposed in the home front throughout the entire State of Israel.”
“You must obey the instructions of the Home Front Command and the authorities and remain in the protected areas,” Katz emphasized, as quoted by The Times of Israel.
Soon after the announcement, sirens were heard across various parts of Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to assess the situation, while the Israeli airstrikes reportedly continued.
As per the Times of Israel, the IDF Home Front Command clarified that the sirens were not due to an active attack but were intended to inform the population of “a new situation.” Home Front Command’s Tzvika Tessler mentioned that no strike on Israel had occurred yet.
Tessler warned that Israel might face “a significant attack from the east” in the coming hours. These could include “heavy missiles” capable of hitting any part of the country. “We will give far-reaching warnings,” he assured.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the launch of an extensive aerial campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear program. The operation, codenamed “Nation of Lions,” focuses on striking dozens of sites associated with Iran’s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure.
The IDF stated that Iran has amassed enough enriched uranium to potentially construct multiple nuclear weapons within days, branding this as an “imminent threat” that required immediate action.
The sirens that sounded across Israel earlier served as a precautionary measure by the IDF to alert civilians of a possible Iranian counterattack.