According to local news, the Israeli Airstrike on Tehran has killed Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

‎Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Air Force carried out dozens of strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets which include the facility in Natanz. He said the operation was intended to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

In response, ‎Iran has denied that it is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but rather insist on its right to conduct nuclear research for civilian purposes.

‎With the level of devastation the Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has vowed retaliation for Israeli strikes on its territory, confirming that senior commanders were killed in the attack.

‎On Friday morning, as quoted by RT, Khamenei warned that Israel “should expect severe punishment.”

‎He accused the IDF of striking residential areas, while acknowledging that “several commanders and scientists” were killed.

‎The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces described the attack as “blatant aggression” and vowed a “crushing” response.

‎Iranian media list the victims of the attack to include Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Deputy Chief of Army Staff Gholam Ali Rashid, and nuclear scientists Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi.

‎The attack took place just days before the sixth round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran, scheduled for Sunday in Oman. US President Donald Trump recently accused Tehran of “slow-walking” the negotiations after previous rounds failed to produce a breakthrough.

‎On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied US involvement in the strike.