US not involved in Israeli strikes on Iran: Rubio

WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio said Friday that the United States was not involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran, and warned Tehran against retaliating by targeting American bases or personnel.

The Trump administration has sought to distance itself from the Israeli operation, which could complicate ongoing efforts to secure a new nuclear agreement with Tehran.

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

Rubio emphasized that the Israeli strikes were unilateral, though the U.S. had prior knowledge. “Israel advised us that they believed this action was necessary for its self-defense,” he added.

Israel said it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders on Friday at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, was martyred in Israel attack, confirmed Iranian media.

According to Mehr News Agency, Major General Mohammad Bagheri was martyred in overnight attacks by Israeli jets.

Meanwhile, Ameer Habibullah has been appointed new chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces.

Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities early reportedly assassinated several top Iranian military and nuclear figures, including the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Iranian state-affiliated media.

Tasnim news agency reported that Major General Hossein Salami, the chief commander of the IRGC, was killed in an overnight strike on the Iranian capital.

Salami, a central figure in Iran’s security establishment and a longtime architect of its regional military strategy, was reportedly at a military facility in Tehran at the time of the attack.