Israel strikes Iran, as Trump officials say no U.S. military support

"At the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment

Israel launched military strikes on Iran early Friday, potentially plunging the Middle East into a new round of violence and signaling the likely end for now of President Donald Trump’s hopes for a negotiated peace deal to halt Tehran’s nuclear development.

In a video statement early Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove” what he called a “clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival.” Iran, he said, could “produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year. It could be a few months.”

Netanyahu said that Israeli aircraft had “struck at the heart” of Iran’s nuclear enrichment and “nuclear weaponization” programs, including Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz. “We targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile program.”

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Israeli strikes “unilateral action” and said the United States was “not involved.” He said the Trump administration’s “top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

Israel had “advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense,” Rubio said. “President Trump and the administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

Trump will convene his top security officials for a meeting of the National Security Council in the Situation Room at 11 a.m. Friday, the White House said late Thursday.

Israeli officials said that Netanyahu signed orders authorizing the attack on Monday. He spoke on the phone with Trump that same day.