New Delhi: The world woke up with the tremors of war on Saturday, as Israel and the United States launched missile attacks against Iran. In the words of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, they have “embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”
US President Donald Trump echoed the same sentiment, and fully threw his weight behind the war in which his government is playing an active part. He said, “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.” The US President added, “Its (Iran’s) menacing activities directly endanger the United States and our allies throughout the world. It has been mass terror and we are not going to put up with it any longer.”
Israel-US strikes kill 85 girl students in Iran
A devastating attack of Israel and the US have reportedly killed 85 students at a girls’ school in Minab on Saturday. They were one of the first confirmed fatalities in Iran in the strikes. The attack was originally on Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard which has a base in Minab, according to reports.
Iran closes Strait Of Hormuz
According to reports, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has barred vessels from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The decision has effectively closed the critical maritime chokepoint. The Strait of Hormuz between Oman, the UAE and Iran, is one of the world’s most strategically vital shipping routes. The waterway is the route of more than 20-30 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies and the blockade can cause major global economic concern.
Israel and US vs Iran: An exchange of missiles
The Israeli air force have struck missile launchers in Iran several times. They, along with the US, have fired missiles and launched air strikes at Iran. Tehran, in reply, has claimed to have targeted Israeli and American military bases in the region. Also, the US and Israel have repeatedly attacked some of the areas that have connections with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Where is Ayatollah Khamenei?
After the attack on Iran, questions were being raised about Ayatollah Khamenei’s whereabouts. According to reports, he was moved to a secure location, and was not present when the attacks took place in the initial phase. The Associated Press has said in a report that Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has told NBC News about the country’s supreme leader and president. He reportedly said that they “are alive as far as I know”.