In the early hours of Friday, June 13, 2025, Israel launched large-scale, coordinated airstrikes against Iran, targeting key nuclear and military sites across the country, including the capital Tehran. The operation, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, marks the most significant Israeli attack on Iranian soil in decades and comes amid escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
Explosions were reported throughout Tehran and at major nuclear sites such as the Natanz enrichment complex in Esfahan Province. Israeli officials confirmed that over 200 fighter jets participated, dropping more than 330 munitions on more than 100 targets, including nuclear enrichment facilities, missile factories, military headquarters, and the residences of top Iranian commanders.
Among those reportedly killed in the strikes are Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces; Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; and several prominent Iranian nuclear scientists, according to Iranian state media. Civilian casualties have also been reported, with some strikes hitting residential neighborhoods.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a state of emergency, warning of possible imminent missile and drone retaliation from Iran and ordering the closure of schools across Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as a necessary and focused military effort to counter what he called “a clear and imminent threat” from Iran’s nuclear ambitions, claiming that Iran was close to producing nuclear weapons.
Iranian authorities have condemned the strikes and vowed retaliation, while the United States stated it had no involvement in the operation. The situation remains highly volatile, with both nations bracing for further escalation and the international community closely monitoring developments.
