Israel has launched a sweeping and unprecedented series of airstrikes on Iranian soil, targeting nuclear facilities, long-range missile sites, and top-ranking Iranian military officials.
The operation, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, began early Friday morning and is being described by Israeli officials as a decisive effort to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The attacks, which began at approximately 3 a.m. local time, involved dozens of Israeli warplanes and triggered emergency protocols in both countries. Explosions rocked key Iranian cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and Arak. The primary targets were command centers, air defense installations, nuclear enrichment sites, and missile development facilities.
Iranian state media confirmed the activation of air defense systems and the suspension of all flights from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. Civilian aircraft were ordered to clear Iranian airspace as reports of widespread fires and infrastructure damage emerged. The headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was reportedly among the targets destroyed.
Among the high-profile casualties were Iranian Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri and IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, two of the most influential figures in Iran’s military structure. Bagheri was widely considered the mastermind behind Iran’s ballistic missile program, while Salami had overseen the IRGC’s domestic crackdowns and regional operations. Their deaths represent a significant blow to Iran’s strategic leadership.
Other prominent figures killed include Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of Tehran’s “Khatam al-Anbiya” military complex, and two senior nuclear scientists—Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, and physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated:
“Our objective is to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities and military capabilities until we remove the threat to us. Iran is preparing to produce tens of thousands of ballistic missiles that could kill millions of Israelis—even without nuclear warheads. But imagine if any of them carried nuclear weapons.”
Netanyahu warned that intelligence showed Iran was just months away from developing nuclear weapons. “Iran has enriched enough uranium for nine nuclear bombs and taken steps toward full weaponization,” he said. “These steps moved Iran dangerously close to achieving a nuclear weapon within a short amount of time.”
He concluded with a chilling warning:
“We cannot leave these threats to the next generation. Because if we don’t act now, there may not be a next generation. ‘Never Again’ is now. We have internalized the lessons of history. When an enemy says he intends to destroy you—believe him. When he develops the capability—stop him.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation was intended to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the key infrastructure supporting them. A senior security official noted that the operation was focused on both physical facilities and the individuals driving Iran’s strategic programs.
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, IDF spokesperson, stated:
“Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. The State of Israel has the obligation to act in defense of its citizens and will continue to do so everywhere it is required, as we have done in the past.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
“Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” pic.twitter.com/3c8oF1GCYa
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 13, 2025
🚨BREAKING: Israel has launched a preemptive strike on Iran. Massive explosions are being reported in Tehran.
Israel has declared a state of emergency.
pic.twitter.com/zWlaMZvDQW— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 13, 2025
Israel is currently striking Iran’s capital, Tehran.
Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/YzYr0CneRz
— AF Post (@AFpost) June 13, 2025
BREAKING:
Initial reports say Israel has been able to kill the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Bagheri, in a decapitation strike pic.twitter.com/nDUONCZEor
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 13, 2025
NOW – Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility is on fire. pic.twitter.com/LCzXRgvza6
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) June 13, 2025
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a nationwide “special emergency,” warning of an imminent Iranian counterattack involving drones and missiles. Schools have been shut down, public gatherings banned, and only essential services remain operational across Israel.
Military officials indicated that the operation is expected to last several days, possibly longer. “We are in a window of strategic opportunity,” a senior IDF officer said. “We have reached the point of no return. There is no choice but to act now.”
While Israeli leaders insist the operation is not aimed at regime change, the targeted killing of Iran’s top military brass signals a broader effort to cripple Iran’s ability to project power. Tehran has vowed retaliation, and air-to-air combat was reported over Iranian skies as military jets scrambled to intercept Israeli aircraft.
Eyewitnesses in Tehran described scenes of chaos—loud explosions, fireballs lighting up the sky, and thick plumes of smoke rising from multiple sites. The full scale of destruction is still being assessed, but analysts warn that the region may now be on the brink of a larger and more dangerous conflict.
