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Iran’s top leadership had been preparing for a potential Israeli attack if nuclear talks with the US failed, but made a key misjudgment – they did not expect Israel to strike before the next round of talks, scheduled for Sunday in Oman, The New York Times report said citing officials close to Iran’s leadership.
They believed Israeli warnings of imminent strikes were propaganda aimed at pressuring Iran into nuclear concessions. As a result, planned safety measures were reportedly ignored.
On the night of the strikes, senior commanders, including Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace unit, stayed in their homes instead of seeking shelter. Hajizadeh and top aides were killed during an emergency war meeting at a Tehran base hit by Israel, The NYT report added.
By Friday evening, officials were still assessing the widespread damage from Israel’s operation, which struck at least 15 locations including Isfahan, Tabriz, Qom, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Hamedan.
With Israeli PM Netanyahu warning that the offensive may last weeks and calling on Iranians to rise against their clerical rulers, fears of a wider regional conflict are mounting.
Israel sees Iran’s nuclear programme as an existential threat, claiming the strikes were necessary to prevent Iran from reaching the final stage of building a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its programme is peaceful, though the UN nuclear watchdog recently reported that Tehran had violated non-proliferation obligations.
Israeli strikes against Iran
Israel’s strikes severely damaged Iran’s defence systems, dismantling key radars and air defenses, crippling its ballistic missile access, and killing senior military leaders.
Private messages obtained by The New York Times revealed Iranian officials expressing frustration over the failure to detect or stop the assault. “Where is our air defense?” and “How can Israel come and attack anything it wants, kill our top commanders, and we are incapable of stopping it?” some wrote.
The NYT further quoted Hamid Hosseini, a government-aligned member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, as saying that the attacks exposed critical weaknesses. “Israel’s attack completely caught the leadership by surprise, especially the killing of top military figures and nuclear scientists. It also exposed our lack of proper air defense and their ability to bombard our critical sites and military bases with no resistance,” he said.
Hosseini added that Israel’s ability to smuggle missile parts and drones into Iran hinted at a deep infiltration of Iran’s security apparatus.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been moved to a secure location, declared in a televised address: “They should not think they attacked and it is over. No, they started it. They started the war. We will not allow them to escape from this crime unharmed.”
In response, Iran launched multiple missile waves targeting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Earlier, Khamenei told Iran’s Supreme National Security Council that he wanted revenge but urged caution, saying he “did not want to act hastily,” according to officials familiar with the meeting, as quoted in the report.
Latest developments on Israel-Iran conflict
- Israel and Iran exchanged fresh strikes overnight into Sunday, escalating the regional conflict. US President Donald Trump warned Tehran: “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.” He added: “However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict.” No details of such a deal were shared.
- Israeli rescue teams searched rubble in cities hit by Iranian missiles. At least 10 people, including children, were killed and over 140 injured. In Bat Yam, a missile destroyed an 8-storey building; dozens remain missing. The Israeli military told Iranians near nuclear sites to evacuate. PM Netanyahu warned: “What Iran will see in the coming days” would be far worse.
- Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi accused Israel of trying to sabotage nuclear talks with the US, saying: “Israel’s attacks had the support of the US and that Iran was acting only in self-defence.” He called the Israeli assault “barbarous” and said no negotiations could continue under such strikes.
- Iran reported 78 deaths on the first day of Israel’s strikes, and dozens more on the second, including 29 children when a missile hit a high-rise in Tehran. Israel’s campaign hit at least 15 sites, including nuclear and military facilities across multiple provinces.
- Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, triggering a partial production halt. Iran also reported fires at a Tehran oil depot and a refinery. Damage to the Defence Ministry building was minor, according to Tasnim.
- Air raid sirens blared across Israel Saturday night. Explosions and missile intercepts lit up the skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The IDF issued multiple alerts and advised residents to take shelter.
- Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they fired ballistic missiles at Jaffa — the first major strike by an Iranian ally. Iran warned regional US bases could be targeted if they helped intercept missiles. Still, weakened proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah offer limited support.
