Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel has carried out two preemptive attacks against Iran, adding that a third strike would follow if necessary.
What happened and why it matters
The first preemptive strike landed on February 28, 2026, targeting key military sites inside Iran. Israel simultaneously declared a nationwide state of emergency.
Katz justified the attacks as necessary to eliminate imminent threats to Israel. The IDF, he said, was positioned for independent operations within Iran.
By late June, Katz warned that Iran could trigger a full-scale war “within two days” if it launched missiles against Israel.
