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3. Israel Engaged in 'Decisive, Unprecedented' Operation Against Iran: Army Chief

Israel's ongoing strikes on Iran are part of an "unprecedented" operation against the Islamic Republic, the country's military chief said on Saturday.

"We are operating at a high level of operational readiness, both defensively and offensively. We now face a significant, decisive, and unprecedented operation to dismantle the capabilities of the Iranian terrorist regime," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a televised statement.

U.S. urges commercial ships to avoid Gulf 

The U.S. Transportation Department urged commercial vessels Saturday to stay away from the Gulf after the US and Israel launched heavy bombing attacks on Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea are subject to "significant military activity" and "it is recommended that vessels keep clear of this area if possible," the department's Maritime Administration said in a statement.

U.S.-flagged, owned, or crewed ships should also stay 30 nautical miles from any U.S. military vessel to avoid being mistaken as a threat, it said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards told ships in the Strait of Hormuz that passage is “not allowed,” an EU naval mission official said.

Trump 'closely' monitoring the Iran situation

U.S. President Donald Trump and top aides were "closely" monitoring the Iran situation from his Florida resort on Saturday, the White House said, after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

"The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X, adding that Trump also "monitored the situation overnight at Mar-a-Lago."