IRIA News

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Israeli forces launched a major airstrike on early Friday morning against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure, claiming the operation is aimed at neutralizing the “existential threat” posed by Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion”, began with a coordinated series of airstrikes and covert operations targeting Iran’s uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, ballistic missile production sites, and key Iranian military figures. Iranian media and local witnesses confirmed multiple explosions across the country, particularly near Natanz, the centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear program.

“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a recorded video message announcing the offensive. “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.”

Netanyahu said that Israel specifically targeted nuclear scientists, Iran’s ballistic missile program, and the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. He made it clear that the campaign would continue for several days.

An Israeli military official said that “dozens” of nuclear and military targets were struck in the opening salvo, and that Iran had enough enriched uranium to potentially build 15 nuclear bombs within days, an assertion likely intended to justify the scale and urgency of the strikes.

⚡️BREAKING

Israel launched a massive airstrike against Tehran. Hitting several residential buildings pic.twitter.com/HYM2NJPd1x

— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) June 13, 2025

High-value casualties

Iranian state media reported that Hossein Salami, the chief of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed alongside other military leaders in the Israeli strikes. The IRGC’s main headquarters in Tehran was reportedly hit, and several children were also said to be killed in a strike on a residential area in the capital, sparking early signs of public outrage and mourning.

Iranian state news network IRINN also confirmed the death of Iran’s Chief of staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri and Iran’s former national security chief Ali Shamkhani. Later on June 13, Iranian officials announced the killing of IRGC Aerospace Force Commander, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, in Israeli strikes.

According to Iran’s WANA (West Asia News Agency), several other military officials including a senior IRGC commander General Rabbani and Commander of Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters Major General Gholam-Ali Rashid, alongside their family, have also been killed in the attack.

WANA also reported that Iranian nuclear scientists and experts, including Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, Dr. Zolfaghari, and Dr. Jafarnia are also killed. “Abdolhamid Minouhchahr, Ahmadreza Zolfaghari, Seyed Amirhossein Faghihi, Matlabi-Zadeh, Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi, and Fereydoon Abbasi — all nuclear scientists of the Islamic Republic of Iran — were targeted and killed,” WANA reported.

The symbolic and operational impact of such a high-profile loss are significant. Iran has vowed retaliation after the Israeli assault marks a new and unprecedented phase of direct conflict between the two countries.

According to sources, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is alive and is being continuously briefed about the situation after the Israeli attack on Iran. Iranian leader Khamenei said, “The Zionist regime has committed a crime in our dear country today at dawn with its satanic, bloodstained hands.”

Khamenei added that the Israeli regime should anticipate a severe punishment by saying that “By God’s grace, the powerful arm of the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces won’t let them go unpunished,” adding that “With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate, which it will definitely see.”

Israeli military prepared for expected retaliation

Israel is preparing for what its leadership sees as inevitable retaliation. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a state of emergency, and Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv has been closed until further notice.

“Following the pre-emptive strike by the State of Israel against Iran, a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame,” Katz said in a written statement.

Israel’s military has mobilized tens of thousands of soldiers and placed its air defense systems on high alert. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir addressed the nation, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

“We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” Zamir said.

Alongside the aerial bombardment, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency reportedly launched covert sabotage operations targeting Iran’s missile development and air defense networks, according to a report by Axios, citing senior Israeli sources.

U.S. distances itself from Israeli operation

Despite the high stakes and potential for regional fallout, the United States has stated it was not involved in the operation.

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” Rubio added.

The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump was convening an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to assess the evolving situation. Senior officials speaking anonymously told reporters that the U.S. intelligence community had been aware of Israel’s planning and believed a strike was imminent.

Trump had previously hinted at the likelihood of Israeli military action, stating on Thursday, “An Israeli strike on Iran could very well happen,” though he also expressed hope for a peaceful resolution.

pic.twitter.com/A9A4LhK7PZ

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 12, 2025

Global markets rattle, peace talks in jeopardy

The sudden conflict sent shockwaves through global markets. Crude oil prices surged as traders rushed to safe-haven assets. Stock markets across Asia and Europe opened lower, reflecting fears that the Middle East could be heading into a broader conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. and Iranian diplomats, along with Omani mediators, had been scheduled to meet in Oman on Sunday for a sixth round of talks focused on Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Those discussions now appear suspended or indefinitely postponed.

Diplomatic efforts to rein in Iran’s nuclear program have been faltering for months. Tensions worsened after Tehran accelerated uranium enrichment following the collapse of the 2015 nuclear agreement. In recent weeks, both U.S. and Israeli officials have voiced alarm that Iran was nearing breakout capability, the point at which it could produce a nuclear weapon on short notice.

This escalation represents the most direct Israeli attack on Iranian territory in modern history and could transform the covert shadow war between the two rivals into an open regional conflict.

While Israel maintains that the strike is a preemptive action necessary for its survival, Iran is now under internal pressure to respond decisively. The death of senior military officials, civilian casualties, and a direct hit on national prestige through the bombing of nuclear facilities and military headquarters may make it politically impossible for Tehran to refrain from retaliation.

The world is now watching not just Tehran and Tel Aviv but the broader geostrategic consequences that could follow, from the Hormuz Strait to the Levant, and possibly drawing in non-state actors and proxy militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

The coming days may prove pivotal in determining whether this moment marks the beginning of a short, intense exchange or the first chapter in a far more dangerous and widespread Middle Eastern war.