Iran retaliates with drone attacks after Israel’s overnight strike

New Delhi (India) June 13: According to reports, Iran has fired more than 100 drones towards Israel in response to Israeli bombings that shook Iranian territory overnight and killed a number of senior military figures, including Hossein Salami, the head of its Revolutionary Guards. Israel said it has already started intercepting the drones outside its boundaries which indicated that it is prepared to attack back.

The escalation comes after Israeli military forces' surprise midnight attacks against Iran's nuclear and military bases as part of "Operation Rising Lion." Israel has justified the strikes by claiming to have intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program has nearly reached a "point of no return.”

Israel had already begun evacuating places it anticipated would be affected. Israel's army reported that it had spotted a missile from Yemen, sending air raid sirens across the country. The alarms caused people in Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, to hurry to bomb shelters.

The strikes by Israel costed Iran six nuclear scientists and several commanders. The strikes also claimed the life of Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's military chief of staff.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the top leader of Iran, responded to the incident by warning Israel of a "bitter and painful fate" and warned them of devastating consequences for the nation.

He said, "With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it” in a statement.

On Friday, Iran criticized the UN nuclear watchdog harshly and accused it of "silence" regarding Israel's attacks on its nuclear scientists and facilities.

According to a statement from Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, the Israeli attack was a "defeat for the IAEA resulting from its unjustifiable shortcomings," and the organisation views the IAEA's "silence" as "a form of cooperation with the Zionist regime."

In response to Israeli strikes on Iran, Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, stated on Friday that nuclear facilities "must never be attacked" and urged "all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation.”

He said, "This development is deeply concerning... I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond" in a statement.

Iran has closed its airspace till further notice after Israel had launched airstrikes on several targets in Iran, including Tehran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Abdolrahim Mousavi as the chairman of the armed forces general staff, replacing Mohammad Bagheri and Mohammad Pakpour as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, replacing Hossein Salami. Israeli airstrikes carried over overnight killed Salami and Bagheri.

The strikes occurred after the United States began removing its personnel from the Middle East and made it clear that it does not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon under any circumstances.

Aadrika Tayal