“Israel” launches attack on “Iran”, killing IRGC leader, world fears full-scale war

“Israel” launches strike on “Iran” targeting nuclear program, missile bases and top scientists, killing IRGC leader, world fears full-scale war, while the US insists it will not participate

On June 12, 2025, at 8:11 AM, CNBC reported that Israel launched a massive airstrike on Iran early Friday morning local time, targeting locations identified as being connected to Iran's nuclear program. Iranian state media reported that Major General Hossein Salami, the top commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in the attack.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz immediately declared a state of emergency after the attack began, warning the public that "Iran may fire missiles and send drones to attack Israel and its civilians soon."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the nation, "This operation will continue as long as this threat persists."

All flights in and out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport have been canceled, while Iranian state media reported that several people were killed in Tehran. NBC news agency, citing sources close to the incident, reported that Israel also launched an assassination operation against senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, and that the attacks are still ongoing.

In addition to Tehran, Iran's IRINN news channel reported that airstrikes had hit the city of Natanz, home to a major nuclear facility, the city of Qandab, which has a heavy water reactor, and the city of Khoramabad, which has a missile base, were also damaged.

Global oil prices surged more than 10% Thursday night amid concerns of a regional war, while U.S. stock markets reacted in the opposite direction, with Dow Futures plummeting more than 600 points. The U.S. was not involved in the military operation, but President Donald Trump was briefed in advance of the attack.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, “We were not involved in an attack on Iran, and the most important thing is to protect U.S. forces in this region… Israel informed us that they believe this operation was necessary for their self-defense.”

After the US State Department issued multiple security alerts in recent days, the US Embassy in Jerusalem has ordered its staff and families to shelter in place until further notice.

In Washington, the president's National Security Council held an emergency meeting in the White House Situation Room Thursday night to monitor the situation, NBC News reported.

Earlier in the week, Trump approved the withdrawal of some US personnel from the Middle East, saying the region could become a dangerous place. On Wednesday, Trump accused Iran of stalling talks with US delegations.

“I feel less confident now than I did a few months ago that we could reach an agreement to avoid what happened today,” Trump told the New York Post.

Tehran has accused the US of “not being serious about negotiations” and “not respecting Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.”

Reference: cnbc.com

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