Israel attacked Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor on Thursday morning, as Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defences to hit a hospital in the country’s south and sites around Tel Aviv.
Iran had evacuated the Arak facility before the attack and there was “no radiation danger”, state TV said in a report on the bombing.
Israel authorities reported 28 people had been injured in the attacks across the country, three of them seriously. Israeli police ordered people to stay away from the hospital because of the risk of hazardous materials leaking from damaged wards.
The latest round of attacks came seven days into awar launched by Israel. Donald Trump, who initially distanced himself from the conflict, has increased American military presence in the region and isweighing up ordering US forces to join attacks on Iran.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday warned that the United States would face “irreparable damage” if it shifted from supporting Israel’s defence to an active role in assaults on its territory.
More to follow…