Israel's Netanyahu says strikes on Iran 'very successful'

"We carried out a very successful opening strike, and with God's help, we will achieve much more," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

"We have hit the senior command, we have hit senior scientists who are promoting the development of atomic bombs, we have hit nuclear facilities," he said.

Iran state television said the Israeli strikes killed the Islamic republic's highest-ranking military officer, armed forces chief Mohammad Bagheri.

The strikes also killed Hossein Salami, the leader of Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported.

Earlier on Friday Netanyahu had stated that the campaign against Iran would continue for "many days".