The Blubber

Israel is now engaged in a full-scale war with Iran and is bracing for what could be a “massive” retaliation, according to CNN’s security analyst. Israel has reportedly been directly targeting top Iranian officials, beginning with high-level military leadership. One such figure was General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who was reported killed during Israel’s overnight strikes by multiple Iranian state media outlets.

“This is what Israel is expecting—a massive, far greater response than what came before, because Iran now faces an existential threat,” the analyst said. “They began very seriously by removing someone equivalent to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the U.S. You can imagine what the American response would be in a similar case.”

Israeli military officials stated early Friday that the strikes aimed to address three central components of what they describe as the Iranian threat. The most immediate concern, according to the official, is Iran’s “nuclear trigger.”

“Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” the official said, calling weapons of mass destruction in Iranian hands an existential threat to Israel and a major threat to global security. Citing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) findings, the official said Iran’s nuclear activities have exceeded civilian needs and for the first time claimed Iran is operating a secret program to build a nuclear bomb. The official said Iran now has enough fissile material to produce 15 nuclear warheads within days.

The second component, according to the official, is Iran’s arsenal of thousands of ballistic missiles—an arsenal Iran intends to double and eventually triple. Even without nuclear warheads, the volume and range of these missiles present what the official described as an existential risk to Israel.

The third component is Iran’s extensive network of regional proxies, which receive Iranian weapons and support to target Israel.

Strikes reportedly hit dozens of locations across Iran, focusing on nuclear and long-range missile infrastructure. One Israeli military source emphasized that this was “not a one-day attack.”

The conflict follows a rapid escalation of tensions over recent weeks. In late May, U.S. intelligence suggested that Israel was preparing a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, even as the Trump administration pursued diplomatic engagement with Tehran. Then, on Wednesday, the U.S. withdrew non-essential personnel and families from several locations across the Middle East. While no specific threat was cited, a U.S. defense official said CENTCOM was monitoring “developing tension in the Middle East.” President Trump later remarked that the move was precautionary, calling the region “a dangerous place.”

The following day, the UN’s nuclear watchdog passed a resolution finding Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. Tehran responded by launching a new uranium enrichment center and warned it had “no option but to respond.” While Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, the West remains skeptical.

Also on Thursday, President Trump said an Israeli strike “could very well happen,” warning of a “massive conflict” potentially erupting in the Middle East “soon.” By early Friday morning, Israeli strikes were underway.

Talks between Iran and the U.S. over the nuclear program were scheduled for Sunday in Oman, following a series of earlier negotiations. The fate of those talks is now uncertain.

Currently, the U.S. maintains about 40,000 troops across the Middle East, including around 2,500 in Iraq and 1,300 in Syria. U.S. officials noted that the planned drawdown of troops in Syria has already begun. The USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is also in the region, bringing with it advanced aircraft including F-35C Lightning IIs and Super Hornets.

Following Friday’s Israeli strikes, CNN reported that Israeli officials are preparing for significant Iranian retaliation, with Israeli targets having included nuclear facilities, military assets, and senior military officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Wednesday that the U.S. had “taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners.”

On the same day, Iran’s defense minister warned that should nuclear talks fail, the U.S. “will have no choice but to leave the region,” noting that all American bases are within range of Iranian forces and “they will not hesitate to target all of them in their host countries.”

Images from Iranian state media show widespread damage from the Israeli strikes. One video shows apartment buildings ablaze as firefighters work to extinguish the flames, while another shows the top floors of a Tehran skyscraper with shattered windows. The Natanz nuclear facility, a key part of Iran’s nuclear program, was also targeted. Footage from the site shows plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

Other images posted by Iranian media show additional buildings damaged or on fire, with large crowds gathering near emergency vehicles as responders battle the destruction.