New Delhi: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a broad aerial assault across Iran, targeting nuclear installation and key military officials in Operation Rising Lion, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday.
The Israeli strikes targeted, among other sites, Iran’s main nuclear enrichment complex at Natanz, PM Netanyahu confirmed in a video message. The Natanz facility has long been at the center of international concern due to its capacity for high-level uranium enrichment.
“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes. We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. The IDF has targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. Until we complete the mission of repelling the threat of annihilation that hovers over our heads, we will not stop,” Netanyahu said.
Iran’s military chief Mohammad Bagheri, along with other senior members of the military leadership and top nuclear scientists, were reportedly killed in the IDF’s initial strikes, according to a defense official.
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.
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Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: pic.twitter.com/XgUTy90g1S
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 13, 2025
According to an official statement, PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz made the decision on Monday to launch the attack in coordination with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told the state TV that the Zionist enemy launched “savage strikes” on residential areas with the help of America. The enemy will pay a heavy price and must wait for a “tough response” by the armed forces of Iran, the spokesperson said.
Later, Iranian state media reported that General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was among those killed. The report also states that General Gholamali Rashid, deputy commander of Iran’s armed forces, and nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi were among those killed.
The Iran military in a message on ‘X’ said: “Remember, we didn’t initiate it.”
Remember, we didn't initiate it.
— Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) June 13, 2025
The U.S. distanced itself from the Israeli action, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear in his statement. “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,” Rubio said.
‘Had no choice, operating against imminent threat’
The IDF said the opening wave of the operation was carried out by dozens of aircraft hitting targets in multiple locations.
“This morning the IDF began pre-emptive and precise strikes, targeting the Iranian nuclear programme in order to prevent the Iranian regime’s ability to build a nuclear bomb in the immediate time frame,” the IDF said in a statement on ‘X’.
“We had no choice. We are operating against an imminent and existential threat. We cannot allow the Iranian regime to obtain a nuclear weapon, that would be a danger to Israel and to the entire world. This operation is for our right to exist here…. The state of Israel has the right and the obligation to operate, in order to protect its people and will continue to do so,” IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin added.
A statement from IDF Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin on the preemptive Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear targets pic.twitter.com/IJNT5LXz6o
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025
He further added that the IDF conducted significant preparation for this operation. “We are well-prepared both in defense and offense to defend ourselves.”
The operation comes amid escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities, with Israeli officials warning that the Islamic republic had reached a critical threshold in uranium enrichment.
An Israeli official told Reuters that Iran could produce as many as 15 nuclear weapons “within days.”
“Iran accumulated large amounts of highly enriched uranium that are sufficient for more than 9 nuclear bombs. A third of which was enriched and accumulated in the last three months alone—a drastic increase of production volume,” the Israeli embassy in Delhi said in a statement.
“This ill-intended action was conducted in parallel with the US negotiations. Recently, Iran has made significant progress in its nuclear weapon related efforts. Such an accelerated effort has not been seen in the last two decades,” it added.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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