Up To The Minute: Israel's Surprise Attack On Iran

How Complicit Was Trump? The Iranians Say Completely Complicit

This morning Jonathan Karl spoke with Señor TACO, the peacemaker, who told him that he thinks Israel’s sneak bombing attack on Iran has “been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn't take it. They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's more to come, a lot more.” If that sounds like a threat, well… his post on his social media site did too, while Israeli planes were bombing Tabriz this morning in a second wave.

Tom Nichols was less sanguine about he called the bold, risky attack, what the “Israel government has characterized this offensive as a ‘preemptive’ strike on Iran: ‘We are now in a strategic window of opportunity and close to a point of no return, and we had no choice but to take action,’ an Israeli military official told reporters. Israeli spokespeople suggest that these attacks, named Operation Rising Lion, could go on for weeks. But calling this a ‘preemptive’ strike is questionable. The Israelis, from what we know so far, are engaged in a preventive war: They are removing the source of a threat by surprise, on their own timetable and on terms they find favorable. They may be justified in doing so, but such actions carry great moral and practical risks.”

He drew the distinction between preemptive attacks— to thwart an imminent attack and legal in international law— and preventive attacks, which is what Israel is doing and which are illegal in international law. Am KeLavi (Hebrew for Rising Lion), targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military infrastructure and high-level military and nuclear leadership, using both airstrikes and covert actions similar to the ones Ukraine used against Russia a few weeks ago. 

Dozens of sites across Iran, including Tehran, Natanz (a uranium enrichment facility), Khondab and a large missile base in Khorramabad were targeted in the first phase. Explosions were reported near military bases and in neighborhoods housing senior commanders, with eyewitnesses describing massive flames and repeated blasts. Israel especially targeted missile launchers, air defense systems and military bases as well as several senior Iranian military and nuclear figures were killed, including:

• Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

• Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces.

• Gen. Gholamali Rashid, deputy commander of Iran’s armed forces.

• Nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi.

Aside from oil and gasoline prices soaring, both the stock market and crypto prices crashed.

The Mossad smuggled equipment into Iran and was able to activate pre-planted explosive drones to strike missile launchers near Tehran. Over 100 aircraft were used, traveling 2,000 kilometers, with some breaching Iranian airspace.

Israel claims that Iran was enriching uranium to 60% purity— close to weapons-grade— and had installed advanced centrifuges, with estimates suggesting it could produce enough material for one nuclear bomb within a week and seven within a month. The International Atomic Energy Agency declared Iran non-compliant with nuclear obligations this month, the first such finding in 20 years.

This comes at a time when Netanyahu is facing escalating domestic political pressures and it’s certain that he viewed the strike as a means not just to assert Israel’s security and potentially disrupt U.S.-Iran nuclear talks. But also to bolster his own domestic position. It’s how he operates.

At first, the Trump regime distanced itself from the strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating the U.S. was not involved and prioritizing the protection of American forces. But Trump couldn’t resist giving away the game and all but admitting he let Israel off its leash after the diplomatic talks went south.

So far, Iran has vowed a “harsh and unwavering” response, launching over 100 drones toward Israel, which the IDF intercepted. Iranian officials met to plan a counterstrike, potentially involving hundreds of ballistic missiles, raising fears of a mass casualty event.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that “The Mossad activated a network of agents inside Iran that prepared the ground for the attack. Explosives pre-planted in missile facilities near Tehran were detonated in coordination with airstrikes.” Their reporting is in Hebrew but the Times of Israel reports, minute by minute, in English and is ahead of what you can get from the NY Times. This map of targets hit, though comes from The Times:

This one just below, on the other hand, is straight from AIPAC puppet John Fetterman’s incendiary Twitter page:

As you know, John Fetterman is a Pennsylvania Democrat, whose mind as been seriously deteriorating. Tucker Carlson, on the other hand, is a far right MAGA loon... but his warning a few months ago is worth considering in the light of Fetterman's and Trump's reactions to Israel's attacks this morning, don't you think?