Israel attacks Iran, killing several Iranian officials, civilian objects also targeted

(Patria) - Israel carried out a large-scale air raid last night on the Iranian nuclear complex in Natanz, Iran's central uranium enrichment facility. The attack is part of a military operation called "Operation Rising Lion", whose goal, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is to "neutralize the existential threat" posed by Iran's nuclear program.

According to Iranian state media, in the Israeli operation "Operation Rising Lion", which aimed to prevent the advancement of Iran's nuclear program, several high-ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists were killed.

The deaths of the following individuals have been confirmed so far:

- Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
- Gholamali Rashid, Commander of the Khatam-al Anbiya General Headquarters
- Fereydoun Abbasi, nuclear scientist and former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran
- Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, nuclear physicist linked to Iran's nuclear weapons development program
- Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran

Also, according to Iranian sources, Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was seriously injured.

Israel's Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, stated shortly before the attack on Iran began that it was a "decisive moment in the history of the State of Israel and in the history of the Jewish people".

"Upon taking office, I defined preventing Iran's nuclear program as an absolute priority," Katz said, claiming that "Iran is more determined than ever in its intention to achieve its vision of destroying Israel".

He added that Israel is at a "critical point" and warned: "If we miss it, we will no longer have a way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons that would threaten our existence."

He concluded that Israel has been acting against Iranian allies in the region for the past year and a half, but is now "dealing with the head of the snake."

Israel targeted several locations in Tehran, and videos show residential buildings. Among the casualties are children.