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Israel early on June 13 launched hundreds of strikes against Iran, targeting nuclear sites, missile factories and senior leaders, in what could be the start of a regional war.
“We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a recorded video message announcing the attack.
“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.”
Several waves of Israeli strikes were reported throughout the Islamic Republic for several hours, starting from around 3:00 a.m. local time.
An official of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that Israel was striking “dozens” of nuclear and military targets, claiming that Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days.
“The Iranian regime has been working for decades to obtain a nuclear weapon. The world has attempted every possible diplomatic path to stop it, but the regime has refused to stop,” the military said in a statement.
Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft were involved in the strike, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a press conference, adding that fighter jets dropped over 330 munitions on some 100 targets in the strikes.
Defrin also confirmed that several top Iranian officials were killed in the strikes, including Iran’s military commander Mohammad Bagheri, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Hossein Salami, and head of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Gholam Ali Rashid.
Blasts were reported in the Natanz Nuclear Facility, where uranium is enriched, as well as in and around the capital, Tehran, where civilian casualties were reported.
In addition, Iran’s state TV reported nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in the strikes. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said, however, that a total of six scientists were killed, without providing names. Senior adviser Ali Shamkhani was also killed in strikes, according to the Iran International website.
In tandem with the strikes, Axios reporter Barak Ravid told CNN that Israel’s Mossad spy agency carried out a series of covert sabotage operations “deep” inside Iran against the Islamic Republic’s air defenses and missile facilities.
Later, Netanyahu announced that the attack on Iran was “very successful,” implying that Operation Rising Lion was not yet over.
“We struck the senior command, we struck senior scientists that advance development of nuclear weapons, we struck nuclear installations,” the primer said in a video statement, sitting alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Shas party chief Aryeh Deri and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
“We are racking up achievements,” he continued, “but I know, and you know, there are no easy wars.”
Israelis may well have to spend “far longer periods in shelters than we were accustomed to until now,” he added.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said right after the start of the attack that Israel took “unilateral action against Iran,” stressing that Washington was not involved.
“Our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for [their] self-defense,” he said in a statement.
“President Trump and the administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners,” he added. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Israel will face a “severe punishment” in response to the attack.
In a statement carried by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency, Khamenei confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the strikes that also targeted nuclear and military sites.
Israel “opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,” the supreme leader said.
“With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it,” he added.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said that there was no increase in radiation levels at the Natanz nuclear site after the strikes, citing information given to them by Iranian authorities. The watchdog also added that the Bushehr nuclear power plant was not targeted during the attack.
The unprecedented Israeli attack drew condemnations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, all key allies of the U.S.
An Iranian response is reportedly underway with dozens of suicide drones flying towards Israel. The IDF said that at least 100 drones had been launched. Fighter jets from Israel, the U.S. and other allies were reportedly preparing to intercept the drones over Jordan, Syria and Iraq.
The scale of the Israeli attack requires a serious response from Iran. The Islamic Republic refrained in past confrontations from taking serious action. Despite taking heavy losses now, hesitation appears to be still prevalent among the country’s leadership for no clear reasons.
Tehran hesitated to back its allies in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria, and in the process it encouraged Israel to go on with the attack taking place now.
A proper Iranian response would target Israeli nuclear sites. That’s what the country’s senior officials promised to do more than once. Anything short of that will likely encourage Israel to widen its ongoing attack. Netanyahu’s ultimate goal is likely to take down the Iranian regime all together.
This could very well be a make it or break moment for Iran, will it practice its right to defend itself for real or go on with its so-called “strategic patience”.
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