Building on fire, thick smoke, rubble: Horrific visuals of Israeli attack on Iran

Israel on Friday launched strikes on Iran’s capital, targeting key nuclear facilities and military installations, and killing at least two top military commanders. The escalation has heightened fears of a full-scale war between the two long-standing adversaries in the Middle East.

Multiple sites across Iran were hit, including the country’s main nuclear enrichment facility. Visuals from the ground showed buildings reduced to rubble, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

In response to Israel’s strike, Iran launched about 100 drones towards Israeli territory in retaliation, which the Israeli Army said they are working to intercept.

Some 200 Israeli aircraft took part in the operation and hit about 100 targets, the Israeli army chief spokesman said, adding that the attacks were ongoing.

The local media and witnesses reported explosions, including at the country’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, while Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

The leader of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, General Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported, a development that is a significant blow to Tehran. The chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the global nuclear regulator, said there was no increase in radiation levels at the nuclear site, citing information given to them by Iranian authorities.