Israel warned Saturday that “Tehran will burn” if Iran keeps targeting its civilians and boasted it now had control of
the airspace from western Iran all the way to the capital.
“The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and bringing about a reality in which they — especially the residents of Tehran — will pay a heavy price because of the criminal harm to Israeli civilians,” said Defence Minister Israel Katz.
The Israeli military said its raids had cleared its path to the capital. “We have created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran… Tehran is no longer immune,” said spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.
Iran has hit back with waves of drone and missile strikes, with a barrage of dozens lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv overnight, killing three people and wounding dozens.
Following decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time that Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity with fears of a prolonged conflict engulfing the region.
Israel launched the aerial assault early Friday, only days before Iran and the United States had been due to hold a sixth round of talks on the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme.
The operation — dubbed “Rising Lion” — struck Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant and assassinated Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, Mohammad Bagheri, as well as the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, among other senior generals.
On Saturday, the Israeli military said it had Tehran in its sights after strikes on dozens of missile launchers and air defences.
