Media: Israel Cancels Large-Scale Airstrike Plan Against Iran at the "Last Minute"

On June 16, Xinhua News Agency reported from Jerusalem (reporters Pang Xinyi and Wang Zhuolun) that Israeli Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin confirmed in an internal letter to the Israeli military that a large-scale airstrike planned by the Israeli Air Force against Iran on the 8th of this month was canceled at the "last moment."

Norkin stated that the Israeli Air Force was prepared to "execute a large-scale strike operation" on the 8th, with plans to target hundreds of sites deep within Iran. However, just one hour before the planned strike, the operation was called off.

The report indicated that U.S. President Trump had requested Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the time "not to escalate the conflict with Iran," leading Netanyahu to cancel the attack.

From the evening of the 7th to the 8th local time, Iran and Israel engaged in the largest exchange of fire since the U.S.-Israel-Iran ceasefire began in early April. On the 7th, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, and Iran launched multiple rounds of missiles at Israel in response that evening. In the early hours of the 8th, the Israeli military issued a statement saying that the Israeli Air Force had carried out airstrikes on military targets in western and central Iran.