Israel Strikes Iran, Targets Nuclear Sites and Top Military Leaders

Israel launched extensive airstrikes across Iran on Friday, targeting key elements of its nuclear program and military infrastructure. According to the Associated Press, the attacks killed at least three of Iran’s top military commanders and have sharply escalated the risk of full-scale war between the two longtime regional rivals.

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The strikes come against the backdrop of growing tensions over Iran’s expanding nuclear activities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the strikes hit Iran’s principal enrichment facility at Natanz and targeted several of the country’s leading nuclear scientists. Iran's ballistic missile arsenal was also struck, Netanyahu confirmed.

Among the high-ranking military officials killed were Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who oversaw Iran's entire armed forces; Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Revolutionary Guard; and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program. 

The Associated Press reported that these deaths represent one of the most severe blows to Iran's military leadership in decades, rivaling the losses seen during its war with Iraq in the 1980s.

The situation remains volatile as regional and international actors closely monitor further developments.