Israel launched a sweeping aerial operation, codenamed “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting over 100 military and nuclear sites in Iran, including high-ranking officials and nuclear scientists, dramatically escalating regional tensions. The strikes, carried out on June 13, hit Tehran, Natanz, Tabriz, Isfahan, Arak, and Kermanshah.
Among those confirmed dead are Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s Chief of Defence Staff; and Gholam Ali Rashid, head of IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya command center. Nuclear physicists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were also killed alongside several others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran, however, has long maintained that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the strikes as “blatant aggression” and vowed retaliation. He warned Israel to expect severe punishment for targeting both military sites and residential areas. The Iranian Armed Forces also promised a “crushing response,” citing civilian casualties, including women and children, in Tehran.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no unusual radiation levels at the Natanz facility, while global markets reacted sharply—oil prices spiked and stock futures declined.
Meanwhile, the United States distanced itself from the Israeli operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Washington was not involved and remains committed to protecting its forces in the region.
The strikes come just days before US-Iran nuclear talks are scheduled to resume in Oman, casting a shadow over ongoing diplomatic efforts and increasing fears of broader conflict in the Middle East.
