Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran was to remove the “existential threat” Iran posed and would “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands”.
“A joint campaign will allow Iranians to take their destiny into their own hands,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “The time has come for all sections of people in Iran… to take the yoke of tyranny off (the regime) and bring about a free and peace-loving Iran.”
“The murderous regime of Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons,” he said.
The attack comes after a 12-day air standoff between Israel and Iran in June, along with repeated US-Israeli warnings of further action if Tehran continues to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to eliminate threats to the State of Israel,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
Israel carried out the operation during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of dawn-to-sunset fasting. The strike also preceded the Jewish holiday of Purim, which commemorates the rescue of Jews from annihilation in ancient Persia and begins on Monday.
Iran closes airspace
Iran International reported that the office of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei’s headquarters in central Tehran, was targeted in an attack on Saturday.
Iran vows to respond
After the surprise US-Israeli strike, Iran said it was preparing to retaliate.
Iran is preparing to retaliate after the attacks, and the response will be overwhelming, an Iranian official told Reuters. Iran is preparing for “revenge” on Israel and a “strong response”, Iranian state television said.
Majid Akhavan, a spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, announced that “the entire airspace has been closed until further notice.”
According to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, explosions were heard in the north and east of Tehran, as well as in Isfahan, Karaj and Kermanshah.
