No surprise here: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemns the "unilateral military action" of the United States and Israel against Iran. He described it as a dangerous escalation and stressed the need for an immediate de-escalation and compliance with international law. (Photo: EPA/J.J.Guillen)

It's no secret that the Iranians knew that war was imminent. They had prepared thoroughly for it. They had a relatively clear idea of what was coming and planned a counteroffensive long in advance.

And yet…

Their reaction time was at least two hours - if not more. This suggests that there were significant difficulties in implementing the originally planned counterstrike.

The current scale of missile and drone attacks on Israel is also far below expectations.

It appears the opening wave of US and Israeli strikes succeeded in paralyzing Iran's air defense systems and eliminating key individuals.

What’s to come?

We are not yet in the phase of heavy airstrikes. The use of US heavy bombers will only begin once Iran's air defenses have been sufficiently neutralized. This is likely Israel's job.

There’s much more to come.

The foreign minister of Oman is playing this as if talks between the US and Iran were going well, and Israel came along and blew everything up.

Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom (MDA): At this stage, no reports of missile strikes have been received.

MDA teams have been dispatched to treat several people injured on the way to a protected area and those suffering anxiety.

The Israeli Air Force has destroyed a number of Iranian missiles as they were being loaded and prepared for launch in Western Iran.

Saving the good stuff for later❓

Senior IRGC commander Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari told Iranian television that Israel and the US should know that so far Iran has only fired its older, less sophisticated missiles.

There is growing belief in Israel that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei did not survive the Israeli-US assault on Tehran.

Iranian opposition outlet Iran International reports that Khamenei is dead.

The official logo of Israel's "Operation Roaring Lion"

Israel's Channel 12 News reports there was a missile hit in the Greater Tel Aviv (Gush Dan) region. There are no reports of direct injuries at this time.

Iranian television says Khamenei will soon give an address to the nation 🤔

The hotel in Dubai that was hit this afternoon by Iran.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir: We have an intense campaign still ahead of us.

"The Book of Esther teaches us that responsibility for our destiny rests first and foremost in our own hands — in courage, initiative, unity, and the willingness to fight for our right to live here in freedom and in peace.

"Soldiers and commanders of the IDF — I trust you. I trust the fighting spirit and the courage that drive you. Carry with you the vision of our forefathers, the pioneering spirit of those who built our land, and the legacy of our soldiers and commanders who fell defending this nation.

"Go forth on your missions. An entire nation stands behind you — until victory."