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Israel and the US have attacked Iran in a joint army strike, with explosions heard and filmed in Tehran. Iranian media can also be reporting extra widespread assaults throughout the nation.
Right here’s what we all know to date.
Why have Israel and the US attacked Iran?
The army motion has been launched amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly suggesting in current weeks that an assault was an possibility until Iran agreed to his calls for to rein it in.
A day earlier than the strikes, he mentioned he was “not glad” with the progress of talks with Iran’s leaders, as he insisted the regime “can not have nuclear weapons”.
Trump, posting on his Reality Social platform after explosions had been reported in Iran, mentioned the target of the strikes was to “defend the American folks by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very onerous, horrible folks”.
“Its menacing actions instantly endanger the US, our troops, our bases abroad and our allies all through the world,” he mentioned.
Trump urged Iranians to “take over your authorities”, telling them: “The hour of your freedom is at hand.”
What did the strikes goal?
Iranian media reported that strikes had been occurring nationwide, from the capital Tehran to cities together with Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah.
One obvious strike occurred close to the workplaces of Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reuters reported that he was not in Tehran on the time, and had been transferred to a safe location.
The army marketing campaign is predicted to give attention to Iranian army websites. Trump mentioned US forces would goal Iran’s nuclear websites, its missile business, its navy and its terrorist proxies.
Has Iran retaliated?
Iran’s Supreme Nationwide Safety Council has confirmed its armed forces have commenced what it says is a “decisive response to those hostile acts”.
In a press release, it advised Iranians to hunt refuge in areas not being focused, saying the federal government had made prior preparations to make sure the provision of primary requirements.
CNN says Iran’s state-affiliated media can also be reporting that 4 US bases within the Center East had been focused as a response to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran,
Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base within the United Arab Emirates, and the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain had been focused by Iranian missile assaults, Fars information company mentioned, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Loud booms had been additionally heard in components of Abu Dhabi, in response to 5 witnesses, together with two Reuters correspondents.
Is the US going to struggle with Iran?
Trump described the strikes as a “main fight operation”.
Within the US, the ability to formally declare struggle rests solely with Congress, which had not authorised the motion.
“No president was keen to do what I’m keen to tonight,” Trump mentioned.
A US official advised The New York Instances the marketing campaign may final a number of days, representing a much more forceful effort than America’s bombing of Iranian nuclear services in June final yr.
Trump acknowledged that the US “could have casualties” on account of the operation. He mentioned Basic Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, had warned him that American troops may very well be killed or injured in a struggle with Iran.
Israel’s army detected ballistic missiles launched from Iran in response to the assault. American bases and embassies within the area had been additionally on excessive alert, amid expectations that Tehran and its community of proxy paramilitary forces would strike at US pursuits.
What’s Iran’s nuclear weapons functionality?
Iran doesn’t but have a nuclear weapon, however as analysts from the Council on International Relations wrote earlier this month, the regime has “a protracted historical past of participating in secret nuclear weapons analysis in violation of its worldwide commitments”.
In Might final yr, the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company reported that Iran’s cache of near-weapons grade enriched uranium had elevated by 50 per cent in three months. The US and Israel launched strikes focusing on Iran’s key nuclear services shortly after that.
Why have there been protests in Iran just lately?
In late December, protests erupted throughout Iran which had been initially sparked by financial grievances, with the nation’s plunging forex inflicting skyrocketing inflation.
The protests unfold quickly and morphed right into a widespread anti-government push, however the motion resulted in January after the regime lower off web entry and authorised violence towards these taking to the streets. Human rights activists feared the dying toll would prime 10,000.
What has been the worldwide response?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the many first overseas leaders to weigh in on America’s assault on Iran.
He mentioned Australia “stands with the courageous folks of Iran of their battle towards oppression”.
“We help the US appearing to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to stop Iran persevering with to threaten worldwide peace and safety,” Albanese added.
“It has lengthy been recognised that Iran’s nuclear program is a menace to international peace and safety. The worldwide neighborhood has been clear that the Iranian regime can by no means be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.“
With AP, Reuters
Learn extra on the US-Israel-Iran battle:
Tom Minear – Tom is the state subject editor of The Age.