Israeli attack on Iran. A resolved, though enthusiastic US reaction
The Prime Minister of Israel Binjamin Netanyahu said that the raids that took place on Friday morning in the Middle East were aimed in the objects “in the heart of the Iranian nuclear defense program”including in the main plant of uranium enrichment. Netanyahu added that Israel also hit the homes of Iranian nuclear scientists. The Israeli leader added that the operation “will continue for as many days as it is necessary to remove this threat.”
The Israeli defense minister Jisrael Kac introduced an extraordinary state in the country waiting for Iranian retaliation.
The Iranian state media announced that Israeli attacks killed General Hosey Salami, commander of the Corps of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, and General Mohammad Bagheri, another leading Iranian military commander. According to Iranian state media, two Iranian nuclear scientists were also killed in attacks.
Trump is afraid of an open conflict with Iran
The impacts occurred Although President Donald Trump called Israel to abstain and enabling the United States to continue talking to Tehran aimed at limiting his nuclear program. The next round was to take place this Sunday in Oman. Trump has long been afraid of getting into conflict with the Islamist regime in Tehran. His relations from Netanyahu became tense partly due to the challenge associated with Iran.
However, although American officials quickly announced that Washington did not play any role in the attack, They did not exclude help to Israel in defense in the event of Tehran attack.
“Israel took unilateral actions against Iran,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We are not involved in attacks on Iran, and our main priority is to protect American forces in the region. Israel informed us that he considers this action necessary for self -defense.”
He also warned: “Iran should not aim at American interests or staff.” The statement was unusual because it did not contain typical United States with all my heart defending Israel's rights to take action and reminding the world about the “iron” attachment of America to Israel.
Israel believes that Iran is extremely weak
Israel's decision to conduct an attack results from his long -term skepticism towards the Iranian regime – can you trust that Tehran will ever keep an agreement that limits his nuclear ambitions. The Israeli government has long perceived Iran as an existential threatnot only because of Tehran's threats to him and support anti -Israeli militias.
However, the decision to take action was now also probably resulted in from the belief that Iran is extremely weak After a number of recent attacks under Israel's leadership on militia sponsored by Iran, and in some cases on the territory of Iran. Among the militias there are Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been warning since the fighters killed about 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Hezbollah fighters carry the coffins of four people who died as a result of the explosions of pagers. Beirut, September 18, 2024
However, it is not likely that today's impacts completely destroy the Iranian nuclear infrastructure, which A significant part is buried deep underground. Iran has long maintained that his nuclear program is to serve peaceful purposes, not the construction of a bomb. Nevertheless, Israeli leaders emphasized that they had no other choice but to remove the threat.
“Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime An existential threat to the state of Israel and the whole world” – said Israel's defense forces.” The State of Israel has no choice but to fulfill the obligation to act in defense of its citizens and will do it wherever it is required, as we did in the past. “
The high -ranking Israeli officials – including Ron Dermer, a close advisor of Netanyahu, and the head of Mossad David Barnea – were to meet with Steve Witkoff, a Trump envoy to the Middle East, before Sunday nuclear conversations between the US and Iran in Oman. It is not clear whether in this situation nuclear conversations or Witkoff's meeting with the highest Israeli officials will take place.
Republicans on the Capitol have already published posts with support for attacks. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the White House, wrote on X: “The game continues. Pray for Israel.”
The Iranian Minister of Defense threatened on Wednesday that The United States will also bear the consequencesif conversations regarding the Tehran nuclear program are broken and a greater conflict in the Middle East will break out.
Before the attack, the United States took steps tominimizing potential damage to American installations in the Middle East. Diplomats and their families were downloaded from American diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Erbil, and Pentagon allowed the voluntary leaving American bases in the region.
