Iran’s key losses in Israeli strikes: Nuclear sites, missile factories hit; top scientists, commander, civilians dead

Escalating tensions between Israel and Iran took a dramatic turn on Friday, 13 June, when Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting several key sites, including nuclear facilities, missile factories and military commanders.

• Blasts were reported at the country's main uranium enrichment facility and in the nation's capital, Tehran.
• Besides killing the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, prominent nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, the strikes caused widespread civilian fatalities.

• Local TV reports suggested that residential buildings in Tehran were hit, killing women and children, AFP reported.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the operation struck the “core of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme”, including the Natanz atomic facility.
• The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in a post on X stated, “Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.”

• The Israeli military spokesman said that over 100 targets were struck in Iran overnight.
• Israel not only set ablaze the Revolutionary Guard's headquarters in Iran but also targeted Iran's ballistic missile arsenal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We have delivered a successful opening strike,” after the airstrikes. Years of shadow war between Israel and Iran finally came to an end after the two attacked each other directly last year.

Iran launches counterattack

In a counterattack, Iran launched nearly 100 drones to target sites in Israel in the past hour, Reuters reported, citing the Israeli military's statement.

The Israeli army claimed that intelligence reports indicate Iran approaching 'point of no return' on its nuclear programme, AFP reported. Years of shadow war between Israel and Iran finally came to an end after the two attacked each other directly last year, and the tensions have been deepening further ever since.

• The Israeli military spokesman said that over 100 targets were struck in Iran overnight.
• Israel not only set ablaze the Revolutionary Guard's headquarters in Iran but also targeted Iran's ballistic missile arsenal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We have delivered a successful opening strike,” after the airstrikes. Years of shadow war between Israel and Iran finally came to an end after the two attacked each other directly last year.

Iran launches counterattack

In a counterattack, Iran launched nearly 100 drones to target sites in Israel in the past hour, Reuters reported, citing the Israeli military's statement.

The Israeli army claimed that intelligence reports indicate Iran approaching 'point of no return' on its nuclear programme, AFP reported. Years of shadow war between Israel and Iran finally came to an end after the two attacked each other directly last year, and the tensions have been deepening further ever since.

Reacting to the recent Israeli strikes, the US said, “Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

“Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State, said in a post on X.