Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed by an Israeli strike, according to Iranian state media.
Other top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists are believed to have been killed as well.
Earlier on Wednesday, an Iranian outlet shared a video of Salami stating that Iran’s “next confrontation with the Israelis will be far more crushing, devastating, and destructive.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement announcing Israel’s new operation against Iran dubbed “Rising Lion.”
In the video Netanyahu explains why Israel believed it was an act of self defense to attack Iranian nuclear sites on Thursday night.
“The Jewish State refuses to be a victim of the nuclear Holocaust perpetrated by the Iranian regime,” Netanyahu said.
He said Israel’s strikes targeted nuclear enrichment sites, weaponization sites, nuclear scientists, and sites related to Iran’s ballistic missile program.
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Israel Defense Force spokesperson BG Effie Defrin also released a video statement explaining the state of affairs.
“Over the past few months, intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Defrin said, going on to explain the targeting of nuclear sites in order to prevent the Islamic nation from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“We have no choice. We are operating against an imminent and existential threat,” Defrin added.
The Israeli Air Force began its strike on Iran on late Thursday evening.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a “special situation” throughout Israel for the next 48 hours due to a “high probability” that a retaliatory attack would occur.
Earlier on Thursday, President Donald Trump said that an Israeli attack was something “that could very well happen,” but said he preferred a diplomatic approach to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon
“Whether it’s going in or not going in, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I’d prefer the more friendly path.”
