Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran—s nuclear and missile sites, ambassador says

At a United Nations press briefing, Israel's ambassador, Danny Danon, said Israel launched a preemptive military operation overnight against Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure, striking dozens of sites and targeting senior figures in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Danon said the strikes were taken to prevent what Israel assessed as an imminent and existential threat. "This was a calculated and necessary action based on clear intelligence and carried out in response to an escalating existential threat," he said, and added that the action followed what he described as repeated violations and deception by Iran.

Danon framed the operation as a response to what he said were advances in Iran's nuclear program and a secret effort to prepare a weapon and delivery…