Live updates: Israel attacks Iran nuclear sites, Tehran retaliation, US position

The Middle East is in focus again after Israel launched a historic attack on Iran, killing three of its most powerful men and striking locations key to its nuclear program — and Iran said it has responded with “hundreds” of ballistic missiles.

Here are the key headlines:

• Iran’s retaliatory strikes: Iran carried out attacks on “dozens of targets, military centers and air bases,” belonging to Israel, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. And according to a senior Iranian official, Israel is “facing a dark night ahead.”

• Israel’s threats: Addressing the Iranian people directly in a video released Friday night local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “more is on the way,” urging civilians to “stand up and let your voices be heard.” He said Israel’s fight is not against them but against the Iranian government. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iran “crossed red lines” by firing missiles at civilian population centers, vowing it would pay a “very heavy price” for its actions.

• Israeli strikes in Iran: The Natanz nuclear site was struck in a missile attack, Iranian state television and state-affiliated media said. The outskirts of the cities of Tabriz and Shiraz were also targeted in what state media called “an aggressive attack.”

• The US’ role: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel coordinated with the United States “in advance” of the attack on Iran, and the Trump administration “knew about the strike.” The US military is helping to intercept Iranian missiles and drones, a US official told CNN.

• What Trump is saying: US President Donald Trump spoke earlier today with Netanyahu, a White House official said. Trump told CNN that the US supports Israel and called the strikes on Iran last night “a very successful attack.” Trump suggested to Axios that Israel’s strikes on Iran could help his efforts to secure a nuclear deal with Iran.

• Nuclear talks: Trump set a 60-day deadline for Iran deal negotiations to succeed in a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier this year. The clock began running when the first round of Iran deal talks between the US and Iran began on April 12, and the 60-day mark passed Thursday. Israel is committed to guaranteeing that there is no nuclear weapons program left in Iran, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, told CNN. Trump told Reuters that US talks with Iran are still planned for Sunday, although he isn’t sure they’ll happen.