Rubio: US not involved in Israeli strikes on Iran

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasised that the United States played no role in Israel’s dramatic overnight strikes on Iran, stating that the operation was carried out unilaterally by Israel. He also issued a stern warning to Tehran, cautioning Iran not to retaliate against American personnel or interests in the region.

"Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence," Rubio said in a statement published on the White House website, cited by Caliber.Az. "President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel."

The statement followed a large-scale Israeli military assault launched in the early hours of June 13, which targeted key elements of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Israeli strikes reportedly focused on multiple strategic sites, including nuclear facilities, ballistic missile depots, and high-level command centres across several cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Arak, Tabriz, and Kermanshah.

Observers have described the attacks as the most extensive foreign assault on Iran since the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, marking a serious escalation in the longstanding covert conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic. Unlike Israel’s previous targeted assassinations of Iranian military and nuclear personnel — often conducted outside Iran — this latest operation was a direct strike at the heart of Iran’s defense and command structure.

The scale of the operation became clearer as reports emerged of extensive damage at the Natanz nuclear facility and along the Tehran–Isfahan highway. Israeli missiles reportedly struck over a dozen sites, dealing a major blow to Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities.

Among the high-profile casualties was Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces. Also confirmed dead was General Hossein Salami, the powerful commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC formally acknowledged his death in a statement.

Additional reports confirmed that Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s former national security chief, was also killed in the strikes. Several other senior figures from Iran’s military and nuclear establishment were reported dead, including:

• Gholamali Rashid, Commander of the Central Headquarters of “Khatam al-Anbiya”;

• Fereydoun Abbasi, a nuclear scientist and former head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran;

• Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, a prominent nuclear program specialist.

In what appeared to be a swift and forceful response, Iran has reportedly launched more than 100 drones toward Israel in the hours following the strikes, significantly raising the stakes in an already volatile regional standoff.