What to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran

Here's what to know about the now four-day-old conflict between Israel and Iran:

Israel strikes Iranian nuclear site, kills top generals

Israel has long identified Iran as its greatest enemy and set its sights on what it says are two main threats: Iran's nuclear program and its arsenal of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.

On Friday, using warplanes and drones it said were previously smuggled into Iran, Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear and military structure. The military said it attacked about 100 targets on the first night, including Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz and a nuclear research facility in Isfahan, as well as radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.

Israel said the attack was necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon. Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, and U.S. intelligence agencies and the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, have repeatedly said Iran was not pursuing a nuclear weapon when Israel unleashed its airstrikes.

But the IAEA has questioned Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and last week censured the country for failing to comply with inspectors.

In that first night of attacks, Iran’s U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed, including three top military leaders — Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who oversaw the armed forces; Gen. Hossein Salami who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard; and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who headed the Guard’s ballistic missile program. Two top nuclear scientists were also killed.

On Sunday, Iran said Israel had killed the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence chief and pummeled population centers in intensive aerial attacks.

In an indication of how far Israel was seemingly prepared to go, a U.S. official told The Associated Press that President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all major policies, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and controls the powerful Revolutionary Guard.

Iran retaliates as Israel pursues attacks; death toll mounts

Iran retaliated by sending drones and firing missiles against Israel, sending people scrambling for air raid shelters as explosions rocked the skies above Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The Israeli military said almost two dozen Iranian missiles had slipped through its sophisticated multi-tiered aerial defense system and struck residential areas.

Israel has since expanded its aerial attacks beyond military installations, targeting oil refineries and government buildings in Iran.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would stop its strikes if Israel did the same. But there has been little sign of de-escalation, with Israel claiming on Monday it had achieved full “air supremacy” over Tehran, Iran's capital, and Iran firing a new wave of missiles early Monday, killing five people in Israel.

By mid-day Monday, at least 224 people had been killed and more than 1,200 wounded in Iran, and 24 people had been killed and more than 500 wounded in Israel.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vowed that further strikes would be “more forceful, severe, precise and destructive than previous ones.”

Iran's nuclear program

Iran said last Thursday that it had built and would activate a third nuclear enrichment facility. The announcement came less than two weeks after the IAEA censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. It was the first such censure in two decades.

The Trump administration revived efforts to negotiate limits on Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But the indirect talks between American and Iranian diplomats have hit a stalemate.

The latest round of talks between the U.S. and Iran on the future of Tehran's nuclear program had been scheduled Sunday in Oman but were canceled after Israel's attack.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has told the U.N. Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to be hit, but the loss of power could have damaged infrastructure there, he said.

Israel also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan. The IAEA said four "critical buildings" were damaged, including an uranium-conversion facility. The agency said there was no sign of increased radiation at Natanz or Isfahan.

While Iran has said little about damage to the facilities, the Israeli military says it will take months, maybe longer, to repair them.

Israel's spy agency involvement

Israeli security officials said the country’s spy agency, the Mossad, had smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of Friday’s strikes that were used to target Iranian defenses from within.

Two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the highly secretive missions. It was not possible to independently confirm their claims.

They said a base for launching explosive drones was established inside Iran and that the drones were activated during Friday’s attack to target missile launchers at a base near Tehran.

They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran and positioned them near surface-to-air missile systems. They said it also deployed strike systems on vehicles. Both were activated as the attacks began in order to target Iran’s defenses, the officials said. There was no official comment.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP