The Israeli military announced Friday that it has completed the first phase of a large-scale aerial offensive targeting military and nuclear sites across Iran, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.

“Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets completed the first phase of strikes, targeting numerous military installations, including nuclear-related facilities in various regions of Iran,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in an official statement, as reported by Agence France-Presse.

Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of several senior officials in the early morning strikes, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami, Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, and Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri.

Additionally, prominent Iranian nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were reported killed, along with nuclear engineering professor Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari.

The airstrikes mark one of the most severe escalations between Israel and Iran to date, raising international alarm over the potential for broader regional conflict. Further developments are expected as both nations assess the aftermath of the attack.