Middle East: Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities … Iran promises to deliver a ‘harsh response’ 

Middle East: Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities

… Iran promises to deliver a ‘harsh response’

By Admin

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised that Iran will deliver a ‘harsh response’

Ali Khamenei has warned that Israel faces a ‘bitter and painful’ fate following the attack.

By Al Jazeera Staff

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.

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

“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.

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”.

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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.

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.

As to the reaction in Iran, aside

people in Iran woking up to terrifying scenes of destruction in their neighbourhoods;

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.

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.”

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.

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

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 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”

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.

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.”

Source: Al Jazeera ( the Explainer)