Iran has vowed a “crushing” response following airstrikes by the United States and Israel on several Iranian cities, including Kermanshah, Lorestan, Tabriz, Isfahan, and Karaj.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, stated that the strikes were pre-emptive, targeting threats to Israel. The attacks come after a 12-day air conflict between the two nations in June and repeated warnings from the US and Israel over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
An Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that Tehran is preparing for counterattacks. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly not in Tehran during the strikes and has been moved to a secure location. Ebrahim Azizi, Head of Iran’s National Security Commission, warned that the US and Israel have embarked on a path “no longer under their control.”
US President Donald Trump described the strikes as a defensive measure to protect American interests, stating that the operations aim to eliminate imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime to the United States, its military personnel, and allies abroad.
