Iran considering closing Strait of Hormuz, lawmaker says

Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iran, which targeted nuclear sites and key military figures, suggest a dual objective: not only delaying Tehran’s nuclear program but also aiming to destabilize the Islamic Republic establishment, a Reuters analysis said.

The attacks struck Iran’s nuclear facilities at Esfahan and Natanz, missile factories, senior military commanders, and nuclear scientists, dealing a blow to both Iran’s military capabilities and its regional prestige.

Reuters interprets the targeting of senior officials as an attempt to undermine the security apparatus supporting Iran’s leadership.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly addressed the Iranian people, urging them to rise up, echoing past Israeli operations that contributed to political shifts in Lebanon and Syria.

However, experts caution that deep-rooted opposition to Israel within Iran and strong internal security forces make overthrowing the government uncertain. Analysts also say Israel lacks the capability to fully dismantle Iran’s nuclear program alone and may rely on prolonged strikes and potential US cooperation.

Three Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in Israeli airstrikes, Iranian media reported Saturday, following Israel’s attacks across the country.

Ali Bokaei Karimi, Mansour Asgari, and Saeed Borji were named by Iranian outlets as the victims.

Their deaths follow earlier reports by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency that six other nuclear scientists were also killed.

Israeli military officials said Saturday that nine senior Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in the attacks.

Israeli military officials said on Saturday that Israel has attacked more than 150 targets across Iran using hundreds of munitions, including significant strikes on two nuclear sites, Reuters reported.

An Israeli military spokesperson said the aerial route to Tehran is "effectively open," indicating enhanced operational reach over Iranian airspace.

Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel in four barrages, he added.

He added that nine senior nuclear Iranian scientists were killed in the attacks.

The officials confirmed that the Esfahan and Natanz nuclear facilities sustained substantial damage, and repairs at both sites are expected to take several weeks. Israel has not yet operated in Fordow nuclear facility, he added.

An Iranian military spokesman said on Saturday that Israeli electronic interference was responsible for some Iranian missiles striking residential areas during the attack on Israel.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, said the missile strikes were intended to hit military targets. However, he said Israeli electronic countermeasures disrupted their course.

“If some of our missiles hit residential areas, it was because Israel created interference to prevent the missiles from striking military targets,” Shekarchi was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

He added that “a number of these missiles were diverted to other areas under these jamming conditions.”