Israeli strike kills Iranian General Hossein Salami and top nuclear scientists
RGC commander-in-chief Major General Hossein Salami speaks during a
memorial service for slain Hezbollah leader Hasssan Nasrallah and his
successor Hashem Safieddine at Tehran’s Grand Mosque in Iran’s capital
Tehran on February 23, 2025.
Israel has announced that General Hossein Salami, the
commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),
has been killed during its Thursday attack.
“Major General Hossein Salami, head of the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps, was martyred in the Israeli regime’s attack on the IRGC
headquarters,” the local Tasnim news agency reports.
Additionally, Israel believes that Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of
Iran’s military, other members of the military and top nuclear
scientists were killed during Israel’s initial attacks on Iran.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has called the strikes “a defining moment” in Israel’s history.
“We are at a key point where, if we miss it, we will have no way to
prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons that will threaten our
existence,” Katz stated.
In preparation for a retaliatory strike, Israel is calling up tens of thousands of soldiers in order to ready itself.
“We have begun this operation because the time has come, we are at
the point of no return. We cannot afford to wait for another time to
operate, we have no other choice,” the statement said.
“Recent and past events of history have taught us that when the enemy
is attempting to destroy us, we must not turn a blind eye. We need to
fight for our existence, freedom was given to those willing to fight for
it.”
7:03 PM: After launching what Israel is labeling
“preemptive strikes” on Iran, the Jewish State has gone into a state of
emergency, bracing for retaliation.
Following strikes in Tehran, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement in a televised address.
“Moments ago, Israel launched operation Rising Lion, a targeted
military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very
survival,” Netanyahu announced.
“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove
this threat. For decade the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly, openly,
called for Israel’s destruction.”
“This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu added.
“We struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program,” he
added. “We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz. We
targeted Iran’s nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also
struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missiles program.”
Prime
Minister Netanyahu announces Operation Rising Lion—a massive
preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile sites. Israel
says it hit Natanz, took out nuclear… pic.twitter.com/x74OdWPGwr
In the strikes, Israel targeted Iranian nuclear facilities,
military assets and key figures in the Iranian military. Israeli
military officials say Iran is advancing a secret program to build
nuclear weapons.
Israel is now expecting a significant retaliatory response from Iran.
They are bracing for it to be larger in scale than previous Iranian
attacks. In order to prepare, Israel has banned school sessions, social
gatherings, and “non-essential work” as it braces for that retaliation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the United
States is not involved and did not assist in the strikes that occurred
on Thursday evening — Pacific Time (PT).
“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 in a statement.
“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 stated.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) quickly defended Israel’s strikes against Iran.
“Israel is acting to defend themselves and tonight we should stand
unequivocally with the state of Israel,” he told Fox New’s Sean Hannity.
“Israel has an incredible military. They are surrounded by nations
that would drive them into the sea and exterminate them,” the Texas
lawmaker continued “We don’t know how this is going to end up but a
nuclear Iran would be a profound threat to Israel and a profound threat
to America.”
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
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