Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Iran tonight, targeting nuclear facilities and military infrastructure, including the Natanz nuclear site. Attacks also hit military bases and neighborhoods housing senior commanders, with eyewitnesses reporting massive explosions and flames across Tehran.
According to several reports, the Natanz enrichment facility was severely damaged and possibly destroyed, with Israeli munitions penetrating into underground areas.
Israeli defense sources indicated that Iran’s military chiefs and top nuclear scientists were killed in the initial strikes. Iran’s state media acknowledged the death of IRGC commander Hossein Salami and Armed Forces Chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri.
The opening assault neutralized key Iranian officials within minutes. Mossad special teams on Iranian soil targeted air defense and missile sites with drones and high-precision missiles smuggled into Iran in large quantities.
Israel’s Home Front abruptly shifted to wartime operations during the night; authorities closed Israel’s airspace until further notice, halting all flights to and from Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.
The airport was later fully evacuated, with Israeli airlines suspending all operations worldwide. Israel removed all airplanes from Ben Gurion within hours, sending them out of the country to safeguard aviation assets.
The IDF initially instructed Israelis to stay near bomb shelters and prepare for extended stays due to potential ongoing attacks from Iran. These steps reflected Israel’s heightened state of alert, driven by intelligence estimates anticipating Iran’s potential response with up to thousands of ballistic missiles and drones, and possibly heavy barrages from Lebanon and Yemen.
Instructions were later relaxed, reflecting Iran’s failure to immediately carry out severe retaliation. However, Israel still expected significant attacks on its home front.
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