Israel intentionally disguised Thursday night’s high-level security cabinet session as one centered on hostage negotiations, all in an effort to mislead Iran ahead of a carefully timed military operation, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Friday.
The official explained that cabinet members were informed in advance that the meeting would deal with stalled efforts to free Israeli captives in Gaza. “The aim was to put Iran to sleep,” the source stated.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stern warning to Israel on Friday, promising it would suffer a “bitter and painful” outcome following a major Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In an immediate counter-move, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel.
Israeli authorities informed the public early Friday that more than 100 drones had been fired from Iran and were en route to Israeli territory, cautioning citizens to remain near bomb shelters as the drones were expected to take hours to arrive.

The IDF confirmed Friday afternoon that it had carried out a strike on Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex earlier that morning, claiming the mission destroyed several subterranean levels of the site. Among the targets hit was the main hall housing a significant concentration of uranium-enriching centrifuges.
Reports also indicated that a second wave of strikes targeted the same site later that day, intensifying Israel’s offensive against Iran’s nuclear program.
According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Natanz is the most critical facility in Iran for enriching uranium. Unlike smaller installations, Natanz is capable of refining uranium to the high levels needed for nuclear weapons, not just for peaceful purposes.

Over 20 senior commanders are believed to have been eliminated by this morning’s strike by the Israeli Air Force on an underground command bunker beneath the Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Aerospace Forces. Additionally, more than 30 senior officials linked to Iran’s nuclear project have been eliminated.

DEVELOPING: Iran has apparently shut off the Internet across the entire country.

Donald Trump to ABC News on Israel’s strikes on Iran: “I think it’s 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.”

The IDF issued an official statement shortly after launching airstrikes on Iran, describing the campaign as a “preemptive strike” against an immediate and mounting danger.
According to top Israeli defense officials, Iran’s nuclear program had progressed to a stage that posed a direct existential risk. The regime in Tehran, which has long declared its intention to destroy Israel, was, in their eyes, on the verge of crossing an irreversible threshold. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir addressed the nation, explaining that the situation had “reached the point of no return.”
David Horovitz, writing for the Times of Israel, explains the background of Israel’s attack.

In a dramatic late-night briefing, IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari confirmed that Israel struck and destroyed key elements of Iran’s air defense infrastructure and eliminated top figures within the Islamic Republic’s military leadership. The unprecedented announcement followed the launch of Operation Im KeLavi, Israel’s largest military strike against Iran to date.
“Tonight, under the direction of the political echelon, we launched Operation Im KeLavi,” Brig. Gen. Hagari declared. “In a coordinated and precise strike deep in enemy territory, our air force attacked military and nuclear-related targets throughout various regions of Iran. These attacks are still ongoing.”