Israeli Prime Minister: “We’ve Struck at the Heart of Iran’s Nuclear Program”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the country’s ongoing air campaign is targeting the core of Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and will continue “as long as necessary.”
“We are striking at the heart of Iran’s nuclear program — targeting the main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, nuclear weapons experts, and the core of their ballistic missile infrastructure,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released Tuesday.
The statement comes as the Israeli military carries out Operation Rising Lion, a preemptive air campaign against Iran, alongside a nationwide state of emergency declaration.
Large explosions were reported at the Natanz nuclear facility in Isfahan Province, with thick black smoke rising from the site. The full extent of the damage remains unclear. Netanyahu said the operation would “continue for several days, until the threat is eliminated,” calling the mission “a fight for Israel’s survival” and “a historic turning point.” He also described the strikes as acts of self-defense, not just for Israel but for Arab nations also suffering from “Iran’s campaign of chaos and bloodshed.”
An unnamed Israeli defense official claimed that the strikes may have killed top Iranian military and nuclear figures, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s Chief of Staff, though no evidence has been presented.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that Bagheri is alive and currently at a military command center. However, Iranian media confirmed that IRGC Commander Hossein Salami was killed in a separate strike on the Revolutionary Guard’s headquarters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel had informed Washington of the operation beforehand, calling it “a necessary act of self-defense.” He refrained from either endorsing or condemning the strikes but warned Tehran not to retaliate by attacking U.S. military bases, stressing that the United States is not involved in the Israeli operation.
In contrast, Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the move, calling it “a reckless escalation that risks sparking broader regional violence.” He warned that the Israeli strikes could endanger both the region and U.S. personnel.
Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The Natanz enrichment site is one of its most critical facilities.
Analysts note that Iran has made significant progress in uranium enrichment over the past decade. The country is now enriching uranium to 60% purity — far beyond the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). According to estimates from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran possesses nearly 275 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, approaching the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material.
Tehran maintains that its enrichment efforts are in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and reiterates that its nuclear ambitions remain peaceful. However, Iran’s current enrichment levels are the highest of any non-nuclear weapon state.
(Sources: AFP, Reuters)
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