The Israeli Air Force carried out an airstrike on Iran on June 13. Concerns are mounting that a war could break out in the Middle East over Iran's nuclear program.
The U.S. online media outlet Axios reported on the 12th (local time), citing two sources, that the Israeli Air Force had launched an airstrike on Iran.
On the 13th (local time), smoke is rising after an explosion in the Tehran area, the capital of Iran, caused by an Israeli airstrike. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Iranian local media, including Nour News and IRNA, reported that a loud explosion was heard on the morning of the 13th in the northeastern part of Tehran, the capital.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that a special state of emergency was being declared nationwide due to Israel's preemptive strike against Iran. He said, "Missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and civilians are expected in the near future."
The spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces stated that, starting from the morning of the 13th, only essential activities would be permitted within Israel. Educational activities, gatherings, and commuting to workplaces are prohibited except for essential businesses.
Israel had been preparing for several weeks for an operation to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, but previously stated that it would wait to see the outcome of President Trump's nuclear talks. The sixth round of U.S.-Iran talks is scheduled for the 15th; however, it is currently uncertain whether negotiations will continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House on the 12th that, regarding the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran, "I don't want to say it's imminent, but it seems like something that is highly likely to happen." Before the news of Israel's airstrike on Iran was reported, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that he was at the embassy in Jerusalem and would stay there throughout the night, adding, "Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
According to one source, the United States privately informed some allies on this day that Israel's airstrike on Iran was imminent and that the U.S. was not involved in the operation.
However, Axios pointed out that even though the U.S. did not participate in this airstrike, there is a possibility that it could be drawn into Iranian retaliation. Iran had previously stated that if there were attacks on its nuclear program, it would target U.S. assets in the region. The outlet added, "The U.S. has previously helped defend Israel from Iranian attacks, and if this attack triggers a cycle of retaliation, it is highly likely to do so again in the future."
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