Middle East

Appearing first on Fox News’s Special Report, Leiter declared that Israel was “fighting for its life” and had decided to “cut off the head of the snake” rather than merely parry Iran’s proxies.

Iranian media said the country’s air-defense batteries were activated repeatedly during the night in an effort to intercept Israeli aircraft.

Because the missiles were part of a US $7.4 billion arms package approved by Congress in February, the transfer required no new notification. 

Esmaeil Baghaei said Israel "succeeded in influencing" the diplomatic process and the Israeli attack would not have happened without Washington's permission.

Two projectiles reportedly struck the airport.

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said Iran had been "preparing for war" and Israel's strikes were "an act of national preservation."

Many Arab outlets dismissed Israel’s posture of operational independence in the strikes on Iran, with Al Jazeera Arabic describing Israel as the West’s ‘crazy friend'

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council on Friday that Israel had destroyed Iran's Natanz nuclear site.

A strike on a live nuclear reactor could unleash radioactive leakage capable of endangering civilian populations hundreds of kilometers away, depending on the severity of the breach.

The IDF was also reportedly targeting Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, after previously dismantling the Natanz site.