Israel launches preemptive strike on Iran, killing military leaders

Israel launched a preemptive strike on Iran early Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, senior military leaders and research scientists in a major escalation against Tehran.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that its jets have completed the first-stage attack, notably strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address that the goal of the ongoing operation is "to strike Iran's nuclear infrastructure, Iran's ballistic missile factories, and Iran's military capabilities," and will continue "for as many days as it takes."

Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami and Deputy Army Commander Gholam-Ali Rashid were martyred as a result of the airstrikes, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The Israeli airstrikes also killed two Iranian nuclear scientists, identified as Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, the report said. However, the Iranian side has denied reports that Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri was killed in the Israeli airstrikes, according to IRNA. A spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces said that Israel, with the support of the United States, launched attacks on many places in Iran, including residential areas, and will pay a "heavy price" for this, and await strong response from the Iranian armed forces.

Explosions were reported in Tehran and counties of Natanz, Khondab and Khorramabad, the Iranian state TV reported, adding that multiple casualties, including women and children, were reported in a residential building in Tehran.

Both Israel and Iran closed their airspace following the attack. Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied any U.S. assistance or involvement in the "unilateral" attack, adding that Israel had told Washington that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense.

Earlier on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a possible "massive conflict" in the Middle East, saying that "I don't want them going in" as a new round of Oman-mediated negotiations between the United States and Iran will be held in Muscat Sunday.

"I want to have an agreement with Iran. We're fairly close to an agreement ... As long as I think there is an agreement, I don't want them going in because that would blow it," he told reporters in the White House.

Israel launches preemptive strike on Iran, killing military leaders

Israel launches preemptive strike on Iran, killing military leaders

Israel launches preemptive strike on Iran, killing military leaders

Israel launches preemptive strike on Iran, killing military leaders

China's high-tech manufacturing, emerging services, and new forms of consumption gained momentum in May, supporting steady economic growth as employment and prices stayed broadly stable, official data showed Tuesday.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that production and supply improved steadily during this period, while the economy continued to move toward innovation-driven and quality-oriented growth.

In agriculture, summer grain production is in good shape this year and is expected to deliver a good harvest.

Industrial production also picked up, with value-added industrial output of enterprises above designated size rising 4.5 percent year-on-year, 0.4 percentage points faster than in April.

The industrial sector continued to move up the value chain, with faster progress in smart, green and integrated manufacturing. In the first five months of the year, high-tech manufacturing contributed nearly 40 percent of overall industrial growth, pointing to stronger industrial competitiveness.

The services sector also expanded steadily. China's services production index rose 4.4 percent year on year in May, accelerating from the previous month, with emerging services such as information transmission, software and information technology maintaining solid growth.

Consumption continued to shift toward higher-quality demand. From January to May, services retail sales increased 5.4 percent, as demand for services was further released. Online, digital and green consumption became new growth points.

The job market remained generally stable, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate standing at 5.1 percent in May, down 0.1 percentage points from April.

China's economy remains steady in May as manufacturing, services drive growth