Israel has launched what is calling a “preventive strike” against Iran and declared an emergency state, according to the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz.
“After the preventive strike of the state of Israel against Iran, an attack of missiles and drones is expected against the state of Israel and its civilian population in the immediate future,” Katz said in a statement.
Air Raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv after the announcement.
The United States did not provide any assistance or had any participation in the Israeli strike, said a United States official to ABC News.
Second. From the State, Marco Rubio issued a statement after the strike, saying: “Tonight, Israel took unilateral measures against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our highest priority is to protect US forces in the region.”
Rubio said that the United States was advised by Israel that “they believe that this action was necessary for their own defense.”
“President Trump and the Administration have taken all the necessary measures to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not point to the interests or personnel of the United States,” Rubio said.
The attacks arrive when the United States has planned nuclear conversations with Iranian officials this weekend.
Before the strike, President Donald Trump talked about the negotiations on Thursday, saying: “We are still committed to a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear problem! All my administration has been ordered to negotiate with Iran. They could be a great country, but first they must completely give up the hope of obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
Iranian president, Masoud Peeshkian, said Thursday, before the strike, his country will continue to enrich Uranium and promised to rebuild the facilities if destroyed, since the tensions in the Middle East have intensified.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, and the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen, attend the speech of the President of Argentina to a session of the Israeli Parliament at its headquarters in Jerusalem on June 11, 2025.
Menahem Kahana/AFP through Getty Images
“We will go on our own way and we will have enrichment,” said fishshkian during the comments in Ilam, a western province of Iran.
“We will build this country with these same young people. It is not as if, for example, someone bombards our place, that is the end. All this is in mind. Whatever they do, we will rebuild,” added fishshkian.
The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Pete Hegseth, was asked about the possible military action during an audience of the Chamber’s Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
“What I know is that Bibi Netanyahu will put his country first, and we are going to put our country first, and we are properly positioned in the region … by any potential contingency,” Hegseth said about Israel’s prime minister.
Hegseth added that the United States and President Donald Trump are still “committed to creating conditions for peace.”
Shannon K. Kingston and Othon Leyva of ABC News contributed to this report.
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
