‘We Are Operating Against an Imminent Threat,’ IDF Vows Continued Action After Strikes on Iran
Military operation targets nuclear infrastructure to block Tehran’s path to nuclear weapons
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Israeli military has confirmed that it launched a large-scale preemptive operation against Iranian nuclear targets early Friday, describing the strikes as a necessary response to an “imminent and existential threat.”
In a statement posted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said the airstrikes were aimed at halting Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. “For years, the Iranian regime has called for the destruction of the state of Israel, planning and advancing concrete military plans to do so,” Defrin stated.
A statement from IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin on the preemptive Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear targets pic.twitter.com/IJNT5LXz6o
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025
He warned that intelligence assessments in recent months had confirmed that “Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
“This morning, the IDF began preemptive and precise strikes targeting the Iranian nuclear program in order to prevent the Iranian regime's ability to build a nuclear bomb in the immediate time frame,” he continued. “We have no choice. We are operating against an imminent and existential threat.”
Defrin emphasized that the military action was rooted in Israel’s right to self-defense and its obligation to protect its population: “We cannot allow the Iranian regime to obtain a nuclear weapon that would be a danger to Israel and the entire world. This operation is for our right to exist here, for our future, and for our children's future.”
He also stressed the readiness of the Israeli military, saying the IDF had “conducted significant preparations for this operation” and is “well prepared both in defense and offense to defend ourselves.”
As tensions in the region escalate sharply following the strikes, Defrin concluded with a clear message: “The IDF will continue to defend the state of Israel.”
