[Text by Guancha Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyi] Local time on June 13, Israel launched a large-scale air strike against Iran, resulting in the deaths of several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists in Iran, causing further chaos in the Middle East situation, and the relations between the two countries becoming highly tense.
Local time on June 14, "Axios News Network" reported, citing two Israeli officials, that Israel has requested (has asked) the Trump administration to join the war with Iran in the past 48 hours to destroy its nuclear program. The report stated that the Fordow fuel enrichment plant is built deep underground in the mountains, and Israel lacks the bunker-busting bombs and large bombers needed to destroy this nuclear facility base, while the U.S. military forces deployed around Iran have both of these strike capabilities.
Even if the U.S. were to directly attack Iran by bombing a single nuclear facility in a limited intervention, such an action would fully involve the U.S. in the war; but if the Fordow fuel enrichment plant remains operational after the military action, Israel's goal of destroying Iran's nuclear program will be declared a failure. So far, the Trump administration has kept its distance from Israel's actions and insisted that if Iran retaliates by attacking U.S. targets, it will be considered illegal.
A senior Israeli official told "Axios News Network" that "the U.S. may join this operation," and President Trump even mentioned in his recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that he would do so if necessary. However, a White House official denied this statement on June 13 local time, and another U.S. official confirmed on June 14 that Israel had urged the Trump administration to join this war, but the Trump administration has not yet considered this issue.
"Whatever happens today cannot be stopped," said a senior White House official referring to Israel's attack. He told "Axios News Network" that if Iran is willing, the U.S. has the ability to successfully resolve this conflict peacefully through negotiations, and the fastest way for Iran to achieve peace is to abandon its nuclear program.
On June 15, Tehran, Iran, a storage facility was suspected to have been attacked by Israeli missiles, with flames rising. Visual China
Local time on June 13, Israel launched a large-scale air strike against Iran, targeting dozens of sites related to Iran's nuclear program and other military facilities. The Israeli army claimed that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make several bombs within days, so preemptive action is needed to address this "imminent threat."
The attack resulted in the deaths of several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists in Iran. Iranian media confirmed on June 13 that the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Salami, and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Bagheri, died in this attack. According to preliminary statistics from Iran, six nuclear scientists were killed in the air strike, while the Israeli Defense Force claimed that nine Iranian nuclear scientists died.
Iranian Fars News Agency reported on June 13 that according to unofficial statistics, the Israeli air strike has caused 78 deaths and 329 injuries.
In response to Israel's attack, Iran retaliated on the evening of June 13 by launching missile and drone strikes against Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps released a statement saying that this action successfully carried out "destructive precision strikes" on dozens of targets including Israeli military centers and air bases.
According to Al Jazeera reports, Iran's retaliation has caused at least four deaths and dozens of injuries in Israel.
Earlier on June 15, following Iran's missile attacks, a building in Bat Yam, Israel, was damaged. The Times of Israel
Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei has issued a statement saying that Iran's armed forces will take military action to "completely destroy the Israeli regime." Israeli Defense Minister Katz threatened on June 14 that if Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel, "Tehran will turn into a sea of fire."
On the evening of June 14 local time, the second day of the current Israeli-Iranian conflict began, with the Israeli army claiming that they had air-strikes on Iran's Ministry of Defense headquarters, nuclear program headquarters, and multiple oil facilities that night. Meanwhile, Iran stated that they used drones and ballistic missiles to respond to Israel's attacks that night, targeting locations such as Tel Aviv and Haifa in Israel. According to a statement released by Israel's health department, Iran's missile attack on the night of June 14 caused at least four deaths and more than 100 injuries.
Reuters analyzed on June 14 that Israel's surprise attack on Iran had the surface goal of disrupting Iran's nuclear program and delaying the development of nuclear weapons, but the scale of the attack, the choice of targets, and the statements of Israeli politicians revealed that its long-term ambition might be to overthrow the Iranian regime. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also publicly encouraged the Iranian people to overthrow the existing regime.
However, some experts pointed out that it is unlikely that Israel alone can completely destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, and the ruling class and most Shia Muslims in Iran have long-standing hostility towards Israel, so whether Netanyahu can successfully "stir up the public to overthrow the regime" remains in question.
On the other hand, although the U.S. government tacitly allowed Israel's attack, it did not indicate seeking a change in Iran's regime. Even if there were a change in Iran's regime, the new successor might be more extreme, thus bringing further unpredictable risks.
This article is an exclusive article by Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516003741707878951/
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