ISRAEL LAUNCHES PREEMPTIVE STRIKES ON IRAN — Israeli DM declares ‘Extreme emergency alert’ for all citizens to prepare for retaliatory attacks

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — It’s the middle of the night in the Middle East and 10 million Israelis have just woken up to emergency alerts on our phones that we are all to prepare for imminent retaliatory attacks from Iran.

Prime Minister Netanyahu:
"Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival.

This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat." pic.twitter.com/3c8oF1GCYa

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 13, 2025

The reason: the Israeli Defense Forces have just launched a preemptive attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The homes of top Iranian political and military officials were targeted in Israeli strikes against Tehran, a senior Israeli political official told Iran International, adding that the targets are not civilians” (Iran International News).

Statement from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu just before 4am Israeli time: “We have no choice but to act quickly — if we don't act now, we simply won't be here. Never again, it's now. We have internalized the lessons of history. When the enemy says he intends to destroy you, believe him.”

• Explosions heard throughout Tehran.

• “Israeli sources: We have identified that the Iranians are on the verge of achieving a nuclear breakthrough within a few days — they have the capability to produce 15 bombs. Their scientists have been working to assemble the bombs” (Jerusalem Post).

• Netanyahu: In recent months, Iran has taken actions in the field of weaponization that it has never done before.

• Netanyahu: The operation will continue as long as necessary, a decisive moment in Israel's history.

• Update at 4:05am Israel time: “Dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft recently completed the opening blow, which included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear-related sites in various areas in Iran. The public is requested to follow the instructions of the IDF Home Front Command, which will be updated as necessary, and act calmly and responsibly. The IDF and the relevant authorities are prepared for a wide range of scenarios in defense and offense that may be needed. For years, the Iranian regime has been waging a direct and indirect campaign of terror against the State of Israel, by funding and directing terrorist activities via its proxies across the Middle East, while advancing toward obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is at the head of the axis responsible for all terrorist attacks against the State of Israel since the beginning of the war. The Iranian regime has proclaimed that its objective is to destroy the State of Israel. Senior officials in the Iranian regime have publicly declared their intent to destroy Israel, and are operating to achieve this together with their proxies in the Middle East. Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and a significant threat to the wider world. The State of Israel will not allow a regime whose objective is to destroy the State of Israel to obtain weapons of mass destruction.”

• Update at 4:22am — “Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar is currently holding a marathon of calls with his counterparts around the world regarding the Cabinet's decision to remove the Iranian threat of annihilation and the IDF's subsequent action. Also, under the direction of Minister Sa'ar, the Foreign Ministry has begun to operate in an emergency format and has opened an emergency situation room to operate all of Israel's missions around the world. Israel's missions will operate diplomatically and through the media in all arenas to enable diplomatic legitimacy for the military operation.”