Iraq accuses Israel of using its airspace in Iran strikes

Baghdad, June 13 Iraq on Friday submitted an official complaint to the United Nations Security Council, condemning Israel for violating its airspace to conduct military operations in the region, the Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said Israel's actions constituted a "flagrant violation" of Iraq's sovereignty and a breach of international law and the UN Charter.

Iraq called on the Security Council to "assume its legal and moral responsibilities" by taking measures to prevent Israel from repeating such actions and to uphold Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on Friday, Israel launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran. In response, Iraq's Ministry of Transport announced the closure of the country's airspace and the suspension of all air traffic at airports nationwide.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on Friday that it had launched a "preemptive, precise, combined" assault on dozens of military targets across Iran, including facilities linked to Tehran's nuclear programme.

In a statement, the IDF said the operation was conducted based on intelligence provided by its Intelligence Directorate. Among the targets, the military said, was a site in western Iran where a unique launch mechanism had been installed inside containers.

The army said the strikes were part of ongoing efforts to neutralise missile threats amid a multi-front conflict, stating that Iran had launched hundreds of surface-to-surface missiles at Israeli territory. "Destroying these missiles is a vital mission in the effort to protect Israeli citizens," the IDF said.

State media in Iran reported that several senior military figures, including Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the Israeli airstrikes.

Reports also said six prominent nuclear scientists, including Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, were killed.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei condemned the attacks, warning in a statement that Israel would face "severe punishment" for what he called a "crime" against Iran.

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