Topline
Israel launched a “unilateral” strike against Iran on Thursday, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with Israel’s defense minister reportedly announcing a “special situation” in Israel following the military action.
Key Facts
An Israeli military official claimed to the Associated Press that Iranian nuclear sites were targeted in the strike, though he did not detail which ones.
It remains unclear as of 8:45 p.m. EDT whether any people have been killed, though explosions were reported in the capital city of Tehran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement the U.S. is not involved in the strikes and that Israel believed the strikes were “necessary for its self-defense.”
Rubio urged Iran to not target U.S. interests or personnel.
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Key Background
The attack comes a day after several U.S. embassies in the Middle East were evacuated over “heightened security risks” in the region. President Donald Trump, who has opposed immediate military action against Iran in hopes a nuclear deal could be reached, said Thursday afternoon, prior to the strike, “it looks like something could very well happen” and that the U.S. was “fairly close” on a nuclear agreement. Trump also said an attack by Israel “could blow” a potential agreement, noting there is a “chance of massive conflict.”
Further Reading
Will Israel Strike Iran? Trump Evacuates 4 Middle East Embassies As Fears Grow (Forbes)
An Israeli military official says his country targeted Iranian nuclear sites (Forbes)
