Tehran, other Iranian cities hit by Israeli strikes

TEHRAN, June 13 — The Israeli regime has carried out strikes in and near the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as other cities in Iran.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the strikes took place overnight on Friday, as unconfirmed images and footage began to appear on social media showing Tehran’s skyline, with plumes of smoke seen rising in several locations.

Images showed damaged residential buildings in various parts of the capital. 

Eyewitnesses and state TV reporters said they saw bodies of women and children among the victims.

The Times of Israel cited Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Israel Katz as saying that the regime was conducting strikes on Iran. Katz simultaneously declared a state of emergency across Israel.

In recent days, as reports emerged in the United States (US) and Israeli media about imminent strikes against Iran, Iranian officials warned that any aggression against Iranian territory would have devastating consequences.

The US had earlier begun evacuating its non-essential embassy staff and their families from the region, as US intelligence indicated that Israel was planning to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

In a statement later on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel had taken “unilateral” action against Iran and that the US had not been involved.

Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami, was assassinated in one of the Israeli strikes.

Several explosions also took place at Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant in Bushehr.

— Bernama