Iran is requesting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following Israel’s large-scale military strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure early this morning.

In an urgent letter submitted to the UN Security Council president, Iran’s Permanent Representative Amir Saeed Iravani condemned the attacks as “criminal and provocative,” demanding immediate and decisive action from the international community.

In a reckless, unlawful, and premeditated move, the Israeli regime has launched a series of coordinated military attacks against the nuclear sites and civilian infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran. These actions constitute a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and fundamental principles of international law, and their dangerous consequences pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security,” Iravani wrote.

“Attacks on such centers, in addition to endangering the lives of civilians, have led to radiation and a very dangerous incident in the region. Deliberate attacks on nuclear facilities are a clear violation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials.”

Iran also warned the UN that Israel will pay a “heavy price” for its attack.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to these cowardly and unlawful acts in a decisive, proportionate, and deterrent manner, at a time and place of its choosing,” the letter stated. “The Zionist regime will pay a heavy price for this aggression and its strategic miscalculation.”

Codenamed “Rising Lion,” Israel’s operation began early Friday morning and involved over 200 fighter jets striking more than 100 targets across Iran. Explosions were reported across Tehran, including near military bases and in neighborhoods housing senior commanders, with blasts also reported in Natanz, where one of Iran’s most critical nuclear facilities is located.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message that the strikes aimed to damage “Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, its ballistic missile factories and military capabilities.” He also warned that the operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove the “clear and present danger” to Israel’s very survival.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon warned that “intense days” are ahead for the Jewish state following the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

 “We know that we have intense days ahead and we are preparing the population of Israel to be ready.” Danon tells Fox News. “They have to follow the instructions. Keep themselves safe. And it will not be easy for us. But we are determined to finish the job.”

Israel’s heroic strikes resulted in significant casualties among Iran’s military and scientific leadership. Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed that its top commander, Hossein Salami, was killed, and it is also highly likely that Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, was killed in the attacks. Nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were also killed, according to Iranian state media.

Iran responded swiftly to the Israeli strikes. The IDF said it was working to intercept about 100 drones launched towards Israeli territory in retaliation, though around 0800 GMT, Israeli media reported an order to citizens to remain near protected areas had been lifted, suggesting that most or all the drones had been neutralized.

Meanwhile, the United States distanced itself from the operation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the “United States is not involved in the strikes” and that Israel had taken “unilateral action.”

Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found Iran non-compliant with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, with Iran responding by launching a new enrichment site and installing advanced centrifuges.