Shortly before sunrise in Iran on Friday, Israel launched the first strikes of its operation against the regime’s nuclear program.

Iran’s most important nuclear sites at Natanz and Fordow have escaped significant damage from Israeli strikes, according to reports and satellite imagery.

Israel said the strikes were the start of a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon. It said Iran had retaliated by sending around 100 drones towards Israeli territory.

Before Israel launched a wave of strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and top military leaders this week, its spies were already on the ground in enemy territory.

Israel’s historic strike on Iran revealed years of Mossad activity inside the country, including hidden weapons, drones and assassinations of nuclear officials.

Israel and Iran opened a new chapter in their long history of conflict when Israel launched a major attack with strikes early Friday that set off explosions in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

As tensions rise in the Middle East, the Trump administration works on a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program as Israel prepares to attack.

The decision comes as officials say they believe that Israel is preparing to launch a military attack on Iran. Tehran condemned the vote.