Israel launched air strikes into Iran early Friday, targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and killing top military leaders, officials and nuclear scientists in the process. Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel on Friday morning in retaliation, and the region is bracing for further military escalation.
Israel launched the strikes over its concerns about Iran's advancing nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel targeted Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility.
"We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history," Netanyahu said early Friday, adding that the operation would "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's survival."
Ahead of the attack, the U.S. and Iran were discussing a deal that would have Iran scale down its nuclear program in exchange for the U.S. to lift sanctions, which have crippled Iran's economy. Though Iran insists it does not want to create a nuclear weapon, Netanyahu has been adamant that the only way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is by going to war. The U.S. was set to meet with Iran on Sunday, but Iran says it will not attend the meeting after the Israeli attack.
In a Morning Edition interview, U.S.-Iranian relations expert Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told NPR's Michel Martin that Israel does not want to see the U.S. and Iran resolve their problems and improve their relationship.
"The Israelis calculate that even if there is an improvement in US-Iran relations and a reduction in U.S. Iran tensions, it will not be accompanied by a reduction in Israeli Iranian tensions," Parsi said. "So the Israelis have, for more than 20 years, tried to sabotage any diplomacy between the United States and Iran."
While speaking with NPR's Steve Inskep, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said the decision to attack Iran was an "independent decision of Israel" and an "act of self-defense." Danon went on to say the decision was made after reports that Iran had "enough material for multiple nuclear weapons."
"After October 7th, we learned that we are not going to wait for our enemies to surprise us again," Danon said. "That's why we targeted the nuclear sites and also the industry of the ballistic missiles that Iran developed."
For more insight into Israel's attack on Iran and what the strikes mean for the region, here is more from Parsi and Danon.
The following interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Israel UN Ambassador explains why Israel attacked Iran
Steve Inskeep: What, in Israel's view, justified an attack on another country at this time?
Danny Danon: Well, we obtained the information about a secret program that included all the necessary parts to put together a bomb. The IAEA decided and reported that Iran possesses enough material for multiple nuclear weapons. So, we decided to take a preemptive action, a preemptive attack, and not to wait and not to be surprised.
Inskeep: Well, let's talk about the information that you say you obtained about an Iranian secret program, the various components of a bomb. We will note that Iran always denies they have any ambition to build a nuclear weapon, although they insist that they have the right to a nuclear program. Are you asserting that they were on their way to making a bomb or only that the secret program had the capacity to do so?
Danon: No. Moreover, we have the intelligence that it wasn't like a nuclear reactors for civil usage. It was a military program that was hidden from the international community. And once we realized that they are playing the game and they are getting very close to the point of no return, we couldn't take that risk. A few hours ago, they sent more than 100 drones. We expect ballistic missiles to fly into Israel in the next few days. So we cannot wait for the day that they will actually be able to put the nuclear capability on those ballistic missiles that they have already.
Inskeep: I just want to make sure that I understand what you're saying, though. You're saying they had this program for building a nuclear weapon. Was Iran actually actively assembling a nuclear weapon, according to your intelligence?
Danon: Absolutely. They were moving forward. And I think what we realized is that they have enough uranium, they have the technology. And you know what? We believed them. They said very clearly, 'We will destroy the Jewish nation.' They didn't hide it. So, we decided not to take that chance. History has taught us that when you have a regime which threatens to annihilate the Jewish people, we better believe them.
U.S.-Iran relations expert says Trump coordinated with Israel to strike Iran
Michel Martin: What was your top line assessment of what just happened?
Trita Parsi: I think the top line here is that even though the Trump administration says that the US was not involved, clearly there had been coordination and some form of a green light given by the Trump administration for the Israelis to do this.
Martin: You said that because it's just not reasonable to assume that this would have happened without some thought that the U.S. would approve?
Parsi: Well, also, based on what Trump is now currently saying, because he's essentially trying to take advantage of these strikes in order to get the Iranians to capitulate in the negotiations, because there has been an opportunity to strike a deal, one that would limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
But Trump shifted his position a couple of weeks ago and was no longer content with just limiting the program. He wants to essentially eliminate the program. And that led nowhere, predictably. And now instead, it appears that he has shifted towards allowing the Israelis to conduct these strikes in order to see whether that will change the Iranian position or not.
Martin: As Iranian state media says, Tehran will respond decisively to the Israeli strikes. You and other analysts have suggested this actually makes it more likely that Iran will continue to pursue a nuclear program.
Parsi: Well, nothing really strengthens your desire for nuclear deterrence than actually being attacked. And you have now several heads of the Atomic Energy Agency who have been warning that any attack on Iran will increase the likelihood that the Iranians will leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty and move towards a bomb. And that risk is now very significant.
So, Trump is making a major gamble here, thinking that this actually will soften the Iranian position and make them capitulate. If they don't, what are his options? And this is where I think the Israelis are hoping that the Iranians will not capitulate and that will force the United States into the war.
Treye Green edited the digital piece.
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