Israeli Airstrikes On Tehran Will Continue 'For Days', Netanyahu Warns As Iran Counterattacks

Israeli Airstrikes On Tehran Will Continue 'For Days', Netanyahu Warns As Iran Counterattacks

TYLER DURDEN

Update (2115ET): Al Jazeera and regional media have reported at least six large explosions were observed in the Iranian capital of Tehran, as Israel confirms it has launched 'Operation Rising Lion' - which importantly Netanyahu in a televised address said "will continue for as many days" until the Iranian 'nuclear threat' is removed, and "as long as necessary".

There are unconfirmed reports that Iranian jets have been scrambled and that the Islamic Republic's inevitable retaliation has begun. Iran possesses an immense ballistic missile arsenal, many which can be launched from underground silos and deep below ground 'missile cities'. Developing:

Reports of Iranian air force jets taking off...

Update 8:35pm: AP cites an Israeli official who says that the targets are Iran Nuclear and Military sites; Meanwhile Iran has suspended all flights into its international airport, while Israel has closed all airspace. 

• Netanyahu: 'Operation Rising Lion' Launched
• Ongoing rockets/missiles near or on Baghdad International Airport , sources in the airport confirmed to me hearing ongoing explosions
• NYT quoting an Iranian official: Three residential buildings demolished in the Shahrak Shahid Mahallati neighborhood in Tehran, where senior military leaders reside
• ISRAEL OFFICIAL CONFIRMS ATTACK TARGETED IRAN NUCLEAR SITES: AP
• IRAN SUSPENDS FLIGHTS AT TEHRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: TASNIM

The Israeli defense forces add that dozens of IAF jets complete the first stage of Iran strikes. 

Israeli PM Netanyahu says comments that Israel is attacking Iran's nuclear program, is seeking to remove the ballistic missile threat and that strikes will last until last threat is removed.

• NETANYAHU: WE ARE AT A DECISIVE MOMENT IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY
• NETANYAHU: ATTACKING IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BALLISTIC MISSILES
• NETANYAHU: STRIKES WILL LAST UNTIL THREAT REMOVED
• NETANYAHU: WE TARGETED IRAN'S MAIN ENRICHMENT FACILITY IN NATANZ
• NETANYAHU: SEEKING TO REMOVE BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT

It also appears that the reason Israel targeted specifics residential buildings is because as we expected, it was conducting targeted assassinations:

• NETANYAHU: WE TARGETED IRAN'S LEADING NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THE IRANIAN BOMB, WE ALSO STRUCK THE HEART OF IRAN'S BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAMME

Meanwhile, the US State Department is pretending like it had zero involvement in this latest neocon-inspired debacle. 

• *RUBIO SAYS US IS NOT INVOLVED IN ISRAEL STRIKES AGAINST IRAN
• *RUBIO: IRAN SHOULD NOT TARGET U.S. INTERESTS OR PERSONNEL
• *RUBIO: ISRAEL TOOK UNILATERAL ACTION VS IRAN

Futures and yields are tumbling, and gold and oil are surging following reports of successive explosions in Iran as a result of what Al Arabiya reports are Israeli airstrikes; Axios has confirmed that the Israeli Air Force conducted a strike in Iran, "attacking its biggest and best-armed adversary, without clear backing from the U.S." It was not immediately clear who Israel is targeting.

As Axios adds, sirens are sounding across Israel on Thursday night. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a special state of emergency across the entire country, and said he expects retaliation after the preemptive Iran strike.

"Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the state of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future," Katz said.

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