Israel has launched preemptive strikes against Iran and a state of emergency has been declared in the Jewish State. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a televised address that the operation will ‘continue for as long as necessary to eliminate this threat.’

Defense Minister Israel Katz said they were preparing for a response by the Iranians after the strike. 

‘Following Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, an expected missile and drone assault on Israel and its civilian population is anticipated shortly,’ Katz mentioned in a statement.

Iranian state media outlet IRNA reported repeated explosions could be heard in Tehran.

Israel’s defense minister has announced a ‘special situation’ in his country and said schools would stay shut on Friday. 

Emmanuel Fabian, the military correspondent for Times of Israel, wrote on X: ‘The IDF confirms it has initiated an aerial operation against Iran’s nuclear program. The Israeli Air Force is targeting dozens of sites across Iran linked to the nuclear program and other military installations, it reports.’

‘The operation is dubbed ‘Strength of a Lion.’ The IDF says Iran has enough enriched uranium to build several bombs within days, and it needs to act against this ‘imminent threat.’ 

The IDF has launched preemptive strikes against Iran and a state of emergency has been declared in Israel , according to the country’s Defense Minister Israel Katz

Footage posted on social media has captured smoke billowing into the sky

‘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 said in a statement

Sirens were heard across Israel as a warning to be on the lookout for any possible response from Tehran.  

The strikes come after it was yesterday revealed that Israel was planning an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites within days after a UN watchdog said Tehran has breached its non-proliferation obligations.

Sources in the US revealed the possibility of an imminent attack, which a senior source in the Israeli prime minister’s office did not confirm or deny.

But they did tell the Mail: ‘President Trump said it best, ‘Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon…’ We agree. This is a global threat.’

The US announced it would evacuate personnel from the region amid concerns they could be targeted by Iran in reprisals.

But a United States official told CNN that there was no US involvement or assistance in the strikes carried out by Israel in Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed in a statement that American forces are not involved and warned Iran against coming after the United States.  

‘Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,’ he said. 

‘Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,’ Rubio added. 

Israel’s National Security Cabinet had met throughout the night leading up to the attack in Iran, according to an Israeli official.

Israel has closed its airspace until further notice, according to the country’s ministry of transportation.

The New York Times reported an Iranian source saying Tehran has an immediate counter-attack plan in place if Israel strikes.

The response is set to be of a similar scope to the attack it launched in October last year, when Iran fired more than 200 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at Israel to overload air-defence systems, sending the entire population into bomb shelters.

Most missiles were shot down or intercepted, causing limited damage.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.

Iran failed to provide the watchdog with credible explanations as to how uranium was detected at undeclared sites, despite the agency having investigated the matter for years.

Nineteen of the 35 countries on the board of the IAEA voted for the motion to declare the breach.

The motion was submitted by the ‘Quad’ of nations – the US, UK, France and Germany – who said ‘states will be held to account if they do not live up to their obligations’

Israel conducted strikes against Iran in April last year following an Iranian drone and missile attack 

Israel intercepts Iranian projectiles above Jerusalem on October 1, 2024 

Iran says the decision was ‘political’ and said they would respond by setting up a new uranium enrichment facility.

It follows a report from the IAEA last week which criticised Iran’s ‘general lack of co-operation’ and said it had enough enriched uranium to potentially make ten nuclear bombs.

US and Iranian officials will hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran’s accelerating uranium enrichment programme in Oman on Sunday.

But Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday’s resolution ‘proves that Israel was right all along’.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump said he feared Tehran would not agree to stop enriching uranium, a key American demand.

‘They seem to be delaying. I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them,’ he said.

Netanyahu has long been a strident critic of Iran and has accused Tehran of secretly attempting to acquire nuclear weapons, something they deny.

‘One way or the other, Iran will not have nuclear weapons,’ he said in April.

Former prime minister Ehud Barak and former chief of the Mossad national intelligence agency Tamir Pardo claimed Netanyahu sought to bomb Iran in 2010 and 2011, but he was opposed by senior Israeli officials.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.