Israel and US launch strikes on Iran; Tehran retaliates
​TEHRAN/JERUSALEM – Israel and the United States have launched a series of preemptive airstrikes against targets across Iran, sending plumes of smoke over several major cities in the Islamic Republic.
​Reports from TBN Israel and various international outlets indicate that the United States has officially joined the fray. The strikes have reportedly hit high-level targets, including facilities linked to the offices of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
​Iran’s response and air defence:
​Iran has responded to the assault, as previously warned, by firing a barrage of missiles at Israel and targeting U.S. military bases throughout the region. While many of the missiles aimed at Israel were successfully intercepted by the country’s multi-tier air defense systems, explosions were reported as far away as Kuwait and Iraq, likely resulting from the intense regional military activity.
​Path to hostilities:
​This escalation follows months of mounting tension. President Donald Trump, following a massive street revolt against the Iranian regime in January, which the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRCG) brutallly suppressed with thousands unalived and wounded, had issued a stern ultimatum: the U.S. would take direct military action if Iran continued its nuclear enrichment programme or proceeded with the execution of arrested protesters.
​To back these threats, the Trump administration moved a massive armada of military assets into the Middle East over the last fortnight, even as Iran also started training drills indicating it was not scared of the US.
Despite the buildup, Washington and Tehran had engaged in a period of intense rhetorical sparring, with both sides drawing “lines in the sand” that have now been crossed.
​President Trump’s justification:
​Just hours before the strikes began, the U.S. State Department ordered all American citizens to evacuate Israel. In a televised address, President Trump justified the “major military operation,” citing 47 years of the Iranian regime’s “Death to America” rhetoric and its history of sponsoring terrorism against American civilians and servicemen.
​”If this murderous regime is allowed to attain nuclear capability, the danger to the world would be unimaginable,” Trump stated.
​The President vowed to “obliterate” Tehran’s nuclear project, framing the action as a necessity for the future security of the United States and its allies. He also issued a direct appeal to the Iranian people, urging them to “take back their country.”
​Regional fallout and current status:
​The conflict has threatened disruption of global stability:
​Maritime Threats: The Houthi rebels in Yemen, an Iranian proxy, have threatened to resume attacks on international shipping lanes, echoing the maritime crisis of two years ago.
​Airspace closures:
Both Israel and Iran have officially closed their airspaces to all civilian traffic, as international aviation operators cancel flights around the area of conflict.
​Internal Iran status:
In Tehran, heavy roadblocks have been established around the Supreme Leader’s residence. While some reports suggest Ayatollah Khamenei has moved to a secure location outside the capital, these claims remain unconfirmed.
​Israel on alert:
Israel has entered a state of “special alert,” with residents across the country moving into reinforced bomb shelters as the exchange of fire continues, as sirens wail across the Jewish State.
Appeal for de-escalation
Meanwhile, the African Union has called on all the parties to de-escalate the situation and give room for dialogue, a call that might be too little too late.