Israel has launched a large-scale military offensive against Iran, carrying out dozens of airstrikes in what it described as a “pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence.”
The operation, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, marks a dramatic escalation in the long-standing tensions between the two regional powers.
According to a statement by the Israeli military, the first wave of attacks involved dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets striking multiple strategic targets across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities.
“Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran,” the military said.
The airstrikes reportedly resulted in the deaths of several high-profile Iranian figures. Iranian state media and Mehr News Agency confirmed the killing of Fereydoun Abbasi, a prominent nuclear scientist, Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi, a theoretical physicist, and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid.
Additionally, reports suggest that Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was also killed in the strikes.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, describing it as necessary to neutralize “the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.” He declared that the campaign would continue “for as many days as it takes to remove the threat.”
Israel has since declared a state of emergency, bracing for possible Iranian retaliation. While no official response has been issued by Tehran, observers warn of potential escalation across the region.
Iran has long accused Israel of targeting its nuclear programme and top military personnel. This strike, however, marks one of the most direct and extensive assaults on Iranian territory in recent history.
World leaders and international observers are calling for restraint, warning that continued hostilities between the two nations could destabilize the entire Middle East.
What you should know
Operation Rising Lion may mark a turning point in the Iran-Israel conflict, with high-profile casualties and direct strikes on Iranian soil. The death of figures like Hossein Salami and Fereydoun Abbasi signals a significant blow to Iran’s military and nuclear leadership.
The international community now watches anxiously for Iran’s response and the broader implications for regional stability.
