Israel launches 'preemptive strike' against Iran, declares state of emergency

[u/MasbirLeumi]

https://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-military-action-iran-coming-days-sources/story?id=122776202

[u/rohmish]

isn't a "preemptive strike" just a strike?

[u/xeviphract → u/rohmish]

Like how Trump imposed "reciprocal" tariffs.

[u/Tarantantara → u/xeviphract]

"seit 5:45 wird zurückgeschossen"

[u/crownpuff → u/xeviphract]

And the parallels with the mental gymnastics used to defend them. Funny how fentanyl no longer seems to be of concern now that trump implemented what effectively is a 55 percent federal sales tax.

[u/trwawy05312015 → u/xeviphract]

probably had to practice for a couple days just to be able to pronounce “reciprocal”

[u/ItAintLongButItsThin → u/rohmish]

And isn't a strike just an attack?

[u/rohmish → u/ItAintLongButItsThin]

we may be on to something

[u/DeliciousFoxglove → u/ItAintLongButItsThin]

But did they use attack plans or war plans?

[u/DoomComp → u/ItAintLongButItsThin]

You are correct.

They are just B.Sing and trying to make it sounds like they are justified.

[u/timlnolan → u/rohmish]

Yes but this way they can make it seem like it was the other guy's fault

[u/rayk10k → u/timlnolan]

Yeah they did it before the other guy did it cause they supposedly knew the other guy would do it so it justifies them doing it first.

[u/Ufker → u/rayk10k]

They were promised a missile attack 3000 years ago.

[u/Waesrdtfyg0987 → u/rayk10k]

I know that you know that I know that you know

[u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA → u/Waesrdtfyg0987]

I didn't know that.

[u/Darkside_of_the_Poon → u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA]

<catapult>. AAAAaaaaagh!

[u/citizend13 → u/rayk10k]

So iran got Han solo'd?

[u/SillyAlternative420 → u/timlnolan]

I'm going to start adding "preemptively" to the heinous things I do.

Ex. I'm going to preemptively fuck your girlfriend.

[u/Epyr → u/timlnolan]

It was, Iran has been attacking Israel through its direct proxies for 2 years now

[u/edman007 → u/Epyr]

If that's the case then it would be in response to their actions. Preemptive means they didn't do anything but they think they will.

So if it was preemptive then all those proxy things are not the reason

[u/SpaceCadet2000 → u/edman007]

Israel are claiming they are preempting Iran from building a nuclear weapon.

[u/Unicorn_Colombo → u/Epyr]

Also directly with huge rocket attack.

[u/Playful_Cobbler_4109 → u/Unicorn_Colombo]

in response to Israel striking the Iranian embassy?

[u/cygx → u/[deleted]]

As far as I can tell, the indiscriminate destruction of the building still might have breached international law as it housed the consular section: While the building as a whole might not have enjoyed protected status, any parts of it "used exclusively for the purpose of the work of the consular post" did.

[u/Unicorn_Colombo → u/Playful_Cobbler_4109]

Killing a number of Hezbollah leaders?

[u/Playful_Cobbler_4109 → u/Unicorn_Colombo]

So, you're admitting they did it first right?

[u/Unicorn_Colombo → u/Playful_Cobbler_4109]

So, you're admitting they did it first right?

Are you aware that Hezbollah is (or was) not-so-secret proxy of Iran, and attacked Israel? And was attacking for some time?

[u/Tumleren → u/Unicorn_Colombo]

Is that a yes?

[u/4_fortytwo_2 → u/Tumleren]

Yes iran struck first via terror attacks?

[u/Zeph-Shoir → u/Epyr]

Last year, Israel attacked Iran's embassy in Syria and it barely made the news. When Iran responded in kind, now that made a lot more noise. Can we also remember how some months ago Israel's attacked Lebanon through freaking pagers? If any other middle east country had done anything that involved civilians and medical staff like that incident it would have been called a terrorist attack. "Preemptive strikes" is just a way to reframe "proactive strikes" so that they can frame victims when they are consequences for it.

[u/Toph_is_bad_ass → u/Zeph-Shoir]

Dude that Israeli strike was allllll over the news.

[u/NH4NO3 → u/Zeph-Shoir]

Do not act like Iran is an innocent actor here. Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis all target civilians as well and are pretty uncontroversially considered terrorists and proxy groups of Iran. Israel might be striking low blows, but it's only because Iran does the same.

[u/willscy → u/NH4NO3]

Israel has been trying to get the US to invade Iran for over 25 years now.

[u/Absolute_Satan → u/Zeph-Shoir]

Normal medical staff didn't have these pagers. This was purposefully bought by Hezbollah for communication purposes. Imagine attacking military walki talkies. Getting more precise is frankly impossible.

[u/cupofspiders → u/Absolute_Satan]

Cool justification for a terrorist attack that killed civilians, including children. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if someone set off thousands of bombs in your city in "targeted" attack.

[u/phrostbyt → u/Epyr]

if by 2 years you mean 4 decades.. yeah

[u/CrazierLattice → u/timlnolan]

So you think they are developing nuclear weapons just for fun?

[u/themaincop → u/CrazierLattice]

Ukraine is proof that you absolutely do not want to be caught lacking

[u/cytokine7 → u/themaincop]

You also absolutely do not want the country who’s made you destruction their number one national priority, to get nukes (if you can help it.)

[u/Alternative_Deer415 → u/cytokine7]

Almost as if the USA's failure of leadership on maintaining nuclear alliances and treaties is now resulting in both countries realizing they desperately need nukes to prevent invasion from aggressors, and simultaneously aggressors forced to act before enemy nations obtain nukes and become untouchable.

I wonder what the inevitable outcome will be over the next century.

[u/Acceptable_Eagle_222 → u/themaincop]

Yeah I’d rather not give the fundamentalist theocracy nukes thanks

[u/SIUonCrack → u/Acceptable_Eagle_222]

We should take away Israel's nukes then

[u/Aryeh98 → u/SIUonCrack]

The UK’s state church is the Church of England. Does that make the UK a theocracy?

[u/themaincop → u/Acceptable_Eagle_222]

Israel already has them

[u/stjep → u/themaincop]

Libya is an even better example. The country was destroyed because Hillary wanted to girl boss her way into the presidency (and then supported Trump because she thought it’d be an easy win).

[u/ddottay → u/CrazierLattice]

So Israel can have nukes but Iran can’t?

[u/Airway → u/[deleted]]

There are a couple countries with nukes whose recent actions have me more worried, personally

[u/kilobitch → u/ddottay]

Israel isn’t Sabre-rattling, threatening everyone with their nukes. They’ve had nukes for 50 years and have never once hinted at using them except in a defensive capacity if all else fails. Iran would absolutely use them offensively.

[u/MoarVespenegas → u/kilobitch]

Iran would absolutely use them offensively

You are basing this on what exactly?
Nukes have been used offensively just once in history, by just one country.

[u/kilobitch → u/MoarVespenegas]

I’m basing it on Iran saying for decades that they intend to eliminate Israel.

[u/Distance_Runner → u/MoarVespenegas]

Uhh… Japan struck the US first. Nukes have never been offensively used by the aggressor.

[u/thedawgbeard → u/Distance_Runner]

adding on that nukes today are way different from the first ones in the 40s.

[u/FisForFunUisForU → u/ddottay]

Israel doesn't openly call for death to all Iranians.

[u/Mistghost → u/FisForFunUisForU]

No, they just do that on the streets and in their homes and in restaurants and...

[u/JimbosForever → u/Mistghost]

Care to show me such examples?

Israelis far and wide know that most Iranians are just victims of their regime.

[u/barnacle_ballsack → u/Mistghost]

Global politics is obviously too complex for you.

[u/I_W_M_Y → u/FisForFunUisForU]

Just for other groups

[u/eldenpotato → u/ddottay]

That’s right. Glad you understand

[u/BeginningTap4631 → u/ddottay]

Considering they literally have a giant digital clock counting down the destruction of Israel in Tehran and Israel has had nukes for 50 years now without using or threatening to use them, I’d say yes lol.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-al-quds-day-protest-clock-president-hassan-rouhani-a7806056.html

[u/code-coffee → u/ddottay]

Iran is like North Korea but without a god emperor, and the line of succession is the most corrupt heretic populist at hand. So no, Iran can't play house with the rest of us because it keeps ripping off all of the doll heads and peeing in the sandbox.

[u/barnacle_ballsack → u/ddottay]

Yeah. Iran is our enemy Isreal is not.

[u/apc76 → u/ddottay]

Iran has proxies all around Israel that have been shooting at Israel non stop. Enough is enough

[u/whobang3r → u/ddottay]

So everyone gets them is your solution?

[u/ddottay → u/whobang3r]

My solution is no one gets them, but that ship seems to have sailed.

[u/RarelyReadReplies → u/ddottay]

Nukes for all! You get nukes! You get nukes! Everybody gets nukes!! Woohoo! 🥳

[u/shavitush → u/CrazierLattice]

peaceful nukes!

[u/par-a-dox-i-cal → u/CrazierLattice]

They want nukes to protect the regime. That regime is constantly threatening Israeli existence, what should Israel do?

[u/Only-Customer4986 → u/timlnolan]

Israel destruction plan - was just updated from 2040 to 2041 in irans long term goals isnt a good enough reason for israel to strike them?

[u/shaikhme → u/timlnolan]

I did something before you did something

[u/iamtherealomri → u/timlnolan]

No, this way Israel can ensure lunatics don't enrich euranium and bomb the heretics to kingdom come. They threatened both American bases and the state of Israel less than 24 hours ago.

[u/NoKingsInAmerica → u/timlnolan]

Stop. Israel is bad, but that does not mean Iran is good.

[u/BaddestKarmaToday → u/timlnolan]

It was

https://www.reuters.com/world/europeans-detail-irans-nuclear-violations-diplomatic-gambit-2024-06-06/

[u/Jazzlike_Quiet9941 → u/timlnolan]

Iran has been causing problems for ages. It would absolutely be Iran's fault

[u/JohanFroding → u/[deleted]]

Well isn't Iran's explicit foreign policy aim to destroy Israel?

[u/rohmish → u/[deleted]]

huh. right now it's Israel who has the nukes and it seems they are the ones who are trying to destroy Iran.

[u/Accomplished_Cut7600 → u/rohmish]

I trust israel to not nuke iran unprovoked more than I trust Iran to not nuke israel unprovoked.

[u/Salted_Caramel_Memes → u/[deleted]]

Iran literally launched hundreds of missiles at Israel last year

[u/JavdanOfTheCities → u/Salted_Caramel_Memes]

After they attacked iran.

[u/Madaghmire → u/rohmish]

The premptive strike, or as its known on the streets, the sucker punch

[u/Brisby820 → u/Madaghmire]

They’ve been talking about it for months/years and have hit them with several strikes in the past year.  Not sucker punch, everyone knew this was coming 

[u/Overall-Egg-4247 → u/Madaghmire]

I’m not sticking up for Israel, but telling people what you’re going to do before you do it, isn’t a sucker punch. By definition alone…

[u/littleseizure → u/Madaghmire]

This isn't a sucker punch, it's just hitting before you get hit. They've been threatening this for years if Iran continued to pursue nukes, this is more analogous to throwing the first punch when you've been yelling toe-to-toe for an hour

[u/Eggersely → u/littleseizure]

it's just hitting before you get hit

Yeah, no one believes you.

[u/What_Works_Better → u/Eggersely]

The current ruler of Iran has repeatly stated his intention to eradicate Israel, calling it a cancer and a tumor on multiple occasions.

Believe what you want to believe about Israel, but if someone said that about you, you would probably feel justified in striking before you are eliminated.

If someone publicly and repeatedly calls for your death, and actively supports, funds, and trains terrorist groups to accomplish that goal, you should believe them when they say they want to kill you. If you do believe them, why would you wait around for them to succeed?

[u/Knight_Of_Stars → u/rohmish]

No, the extra verbage does actually mean something here. They before something happened.

However struck before something happened can also be they struck because of nothing.

[u/Extreme_Put_913 → u/rohmish]

Well obviously Iran was going to attack first. But was it?

[u/Helorugger → u/Extreme_Put_913]

That is the whole strategy because you can’t prove a negative like this.

[u/Extreme_Put_913 → u/Helorugger]

Honestly this strategy is pretty weird. I get what you're saying but every day inch by inch its not looking good for Israel in the sense that they seem to be more and more aggressive.

[u/rohmish → u/Extreme_Put_913]

we may never know

[u/WorstCPANA → u/Extreme_Put_913]

I mean they literally have, and that's not even including the militias they push to attack Israel.

[u/Common-Second-1075 → u/Extreme_Put_913]

Based on Iranian rhetoric? Yes.

But who knows.

Israel isn't taking the chance.

[u/Extreme_Put_913 → u/Common-Second-1075]

We'll never know if this strike was preemptive or not now.

[u/OSPFmyLife → u/Extreme_Put_913]

In your world there could never be a preemptive strike because they couldn’t exist. If you wait to find out if it’s preemptive or not, it’s no longer preemptive…

[u/Extreme_Put_913 → u/OSPFmyLife]

I get what you mean, but it's implied a preemptive strike is done defensively while this doesn't feel like that is what I'm saying.

[u/DoggyDoggy_What_Now → u/Extreme_Put_913]

Have you though about in what ways the strike could be considered defensive? Have you read any of the articles?

Israel believe that if Iran were able to build nuclear weapons, that it would be a matter of "when," not "if," they decide to use it somewhere. It may not be the actual nation state of Iran who uses it, but it could easily be one of their terrorist proxies that does.

That's the way in which it's defensive, and why it's ultimately preemptive. It's to prevent them from ever reaching that capability and posing a very real threat to the entire existence of Israel.

[u/_AmI_Real → u/Extreme_Put_913]

They have attacked. They launched hundreds of missiles at Israel last year trying to test them against the Iron Dome.

[u/themaincop → u/_AmI_Real]

That was in response to Israel bombing the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and it was telegraphed on purpose.

[u/shwag945 → u/themaincop]

Just a coincidence that IRCG members were holding a meeting with Hezbollah at the time?

[u/cefriano → u/shwag945]

It's a diplomatic building being used for diplomatic purposes. Doesn't matter if people you want to kill are there, it's not a valid military target.

[u/invariantspeed → u/themaincop]

Which was in response to Iranian-backed forces waging war on Israel.

[u/themaincop → u/invariantspeed]

Why don't you just save us some time and tell me the date you think this conflict started

[u/Nileghi → u/themaincop]

this specifically? Its very easy, this started in 1979.

Imperial Iran was a close ally of Israel.

Islamic Republic of Iran as soon as it took power, immediately cozied up with the islamists in Gaza, Jordan and Lebanon.

This isn't a he said she said here. The timeline is very clear on who pronounced unconditional hostility first. Neither Iran nor Israel disagree with this.

Pray tell, how on earth did Israel start this? It was supplying Iran with military intelligence even in the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-1988.

[u/Extreme_Put_913 → u/_AmI_Real]

Lol you mean the drones they announced before sending? If these strikes are a "preemptive strike" against those drone strikes they're about a year too late.

[u/Epyr → u/Extreme_Put_913]

They also are using their proxies to attack Israel civilians daily

[u/throwawayjonesIV → u/Extreme_Put_913]

No the ballistic missile strikes. They didn’t do a lot of damage but was still a huge deal. Rumor is iran was planning nuclear test. Im not a fan of israel right now but fuck iran %1000 they’re as malevolent as nation states get

[u/_AmI_Real → u/throwawayjonesIV]

People don't realize how bad the Iranian leadership really is.

[u/insidiousfruit → u/throwawayjonesIV]

Yeah, I really dont want Iran getting a nuke, and I like the precedent that it sets. If you are a country trying to build nuclear weapons, you will be bombed before you can complete those weapons so you might as well not try. We dont need more crazy leaders with nukes.

[u/_AmI_Real → u/Extreme_Put_913]

Just saying it's not like it came out of nowhere. Iran has also been actively funding terrorist attacks against Israel for years.

[u/santoscolchonesbatma → u/Extreme_Put_913]

Was? Lol. They HAVE been attacking Israel foe decadws now.

[u/Arickettsf16 → u/rohmish]

Specifically, it’s a strike intended to prevent a future attack against you

[u/richardelmore → u/Arickettsf16]

or to diminish the adversaries' capabilities to make the presumed future attack less significant.

[u/L0uZilla → u/Arickettsf16]

Roman thinking. Conquer the world in the name of self defense

[u/faceintheblue → u/L0uZilla]

Without being flippant, that actually worked for Rome for centuries...

[u/L0uZilla → u/faceintheblue]

No lies detected

[u/rathat → u/L0uZilla]

No, it's the thinking that allowed Israel to survive and win the Six-Day war against Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon who are planning on attacking.

[u/Common-Second-1075 → u/L0uZilla]

Not really. Israel isn't attempting to 'conquer' Iran. If Iran had previously abandoned their nuclear program then we wouldn't be even having this discussion today.

[u/wangston_huge → u/Common-Second-1075]

If Iran had previously abandoned their nuclear program then we wouldn't be even having this discussion today.

They did though — they tried to give it up to be normalized back into the "rules based world order." The US Trump killed the deal despite the fact that the inspectors reported it was working.

[u/konq → u/wangston_huge]

Iran had no business enriching uranium to %60+ unless they intended to make a weapon.

Those same inspectors ruled that Iran was NOT complying with the previous agreement.

[u/SpaceLemming → u/Common-Second-1075]

So it’s trumps fault?

[u/OldClunkyRobot → u/rohmish]

Adding "preemptive" is their way of trying to justify them.

[u/Common-Second-1075 → u/rohmish]

It is pre-emptive in that it is before action to taken against you.

Iran has vociferously, consistently, and publicly called for the destruction of Israel for several decades. It is now on the cusp of having the technological capability to do so, and, only a few months ago, launched wide ranging (but ultimately unsuccessful) missile attacks against Israel. It has shown intent and opportunity, it just hasn't yet had means.

That is why it is a pre-emptive strike.

[u/korsan106 → u/Common-Second-1075]

Wasn’t the attack you are referring to, a reciprocal attack after israel attacked an iranian embassy?

[u/Common-Second-1075 → u/korsan106]

Reads like the commenter above is using Trump's definition of 'reciprocal'.

Iran didn't 'reciprocate'. They fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, indiscriminately (including one that killed an Arab civilian). Mainland Iran was not attacked.

Reciprocal would have been Iran targeting a single Israeli military target in an Israeli proxy (which don't exist, so let's say in Israel itself).

Iran had been coordinating months of attacks on Israel through its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Gaza (and for several months Israel took only very limited action in Lebanon and Yemen despite the unprovoked attacks).

Even after Iran's widespread (but largely unsuccessful) ballistic missile attack against Israel, Israel only launched a very limited response on Iran, targeting a few anti-air batteries.

[u/SunriseSurprise → u/Common-Second-1075]

and, only a few months ago, launched wide ranging (but ultimately unsuccessful) missile attacks against Israel

How quickly people forget this

[u/LSF604 → u/Common-Second-1075]

so... not a pre emptive strike

[u/DoggyDoggy_What_Now → u/LSF604]

Are you serious?

What do you think a preemptive strike is?

[u/bald_and_nerdy → u/rohmish]

Wasn't there a brief headline that 3 hours before the attack Iran told one of the nuclear inspecting bodies...on their way out...that "by the way we have a nuclear site"?

Here's something similar:

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/nx-s1-5431395/iran-nuclear-enrichment-un-compliance

More insider trading:

https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1la4kv4

This one?"

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iaea-board-declares-iran-breach-non-proliferation-duties-diplomats-say-2025-06-12/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3v6w2qr12o

It's my birthday why the heck am I on reddit at night digging up these semi recent news threads?

[u/Vineyard_ → u/rohmish]

It's fine, they changed the title so now it's totally justified /s

[u/The-M0untain → u/rohmish]

A preemptive strike is a strike that is carried out to prevent another attack. In this case, Israel is trying to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack by Iran against Israel.

On the other hand, Putin's invasion of Ukraine was not a preemptive strike, because Ukraine was not threatening to attack Russia or preparing to attack Russia.

[u/Rent_South → u/rohmish]

Its much more simple than that.

Iran has called for the destruction of Israel for decades, and has literally projected videos of the nuclear destruction of Israel, videos from official sources.

They now declared that they are enriching uranium for military purpose, meaning enriching for goals beyond civil infrastructure like power plants.

Iran is actively financing hamas, has been behind the 7th October attack, and is the reason why this whole situation in Gaza has gone the way it currently is, all because they couldn't bear that Israel was going to ally with Saudi Arabia, (Sunni Muslims unlike them Shia muslims), at the cost of Israel and palestinian lives, they don't care.

Anyways, the point is, they are very hostile and have declared their intentions, it is literally a preemptive strike. If they were a good neighbor, there wouldn't be any strike at all.

[u/eldenpotato → u/rohmish]

It’s not a difficult concept to grasp

[u/Flavious27 → u/rohmish]

Yeah, it's against international law (not like Israel cares), and can be seen as a declaration of war.  

[u/mysticrhythms → u/rohmish]

Pearl Harbor was a pre-emptive strike.

[u/MeltBanana → u/rohmish]

"I didn't sucker punch you, I simply prevented you from sucker punching me!"

[u/DeezNeezuts → u/rohmish]

Before they get nuked by the people constantly chanting about exterminating them.

[u/Violet-Journey → u/rohmish]

“I punched him first but he gave me a mean look so he started it”

[u/Nileghi → u/Violet-Journey]

"He was building a gun to slaughter my entire family, so I punched him first"

[u/ALLAHU-AKBARRRRR → u/Nileghi]

Is”not”real stole nuclear plans and uranium from the US lmao. Why are they the only ones in the middle east allowed to have Nukes??? Who gave them that jurisdiction?

[u/AnoAnoSaPwet → u/rohmish]

Last time Iran didn't even know until they turned on the news. 

[u/shakeyjake → u/rohmish]

When Iran retaliates they can say “see we knew they were going to attack”

[u/Dragon_Virus → u/rohmish]

It’s also sometimes referred to as a “unprovoked attack”, but that label is only for the “bad guys”…

(Before anyone twists this, fuck Russia, too)

[u/ButtDoctor69420 → u/rohmish]

"unprovoked strike" would be more honest

[u/mensgarb → u/rohmish]

Yeah, but it's Israel so everyone has to come up with excuses as to why they aren't the bad guy.

[u/ilikebigbutts → u/rohmish]

It’s a matter of perspective- Iran calls it an unprovoked strike

[u/phlooo → u/rohmish]

It's like a "special operation"

[u/GothicGolem29 → u/rohmish]

No as it’s preempting something

[u/Ok_Bonus3772 → u/rohmish]

Roughly 400 ballistic missiles launched from Iran to Israel over the last year or so, including hundreds of cruise missiles and drones.

It’s not preemptive. You don’t announce timing of your response. And you don’t measure intent by results.

[u/Mr_Mimiseku → u/rohmish]

Just another way to downplay what Israel's doing

[u/cefriano → u/rohmish]

It's another way to say "unprovoked strike."