“(Tel Aviv – June 12, 2025) — Israeli warplanes launched a series of high-precision airstrikes on Iranian military installations early Thursday, targeting facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in what officials called a direct response to recent missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory.
The operation, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, is one of the largest Israeli military operations in years and has escalated tensions across the region.
Targeted attacks and confirmed casualties
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation involved coordinated airstrikes on key IRGC assets, including missile production sites, command centers and nuclear facilities near Tehran and Natanz. According to defense sources, the attacks involved fighter aircraft, long-range missiles and The airstrikes were carried out using a combination of drones.
Reported casualties include high-ranking IRGC officials, including General Hossein Salami, the head of the IRGC, and two leading nuclear scientists: Fereidun Abbasi and Mohammed Mehdi. Tehrani. Iranian state media has neither confirmed nor denied the deaths, but has declared a national state of emergency.
Iranian reaction and regional consequences
Iran has vowed revenge, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promising a “serious and appropriate response.” In the hours following the attack, Iran massed military assets in its western provinces and began air defense drills. Missile batteries were repositioned, and additional forces were deployed near key military installations.
Air raid sirens sounded across Israel immediately after the attack, And officials said the military was on high alert, expecting Iranian retaliation or attacks by proxy groups such as Hezbollah or Iraqi-based militias.
The United States confirmed that it had been informed of the action in advance, but stressed that it was not directly involved in the operation. However, Washington has begun evacuating non-essential personnel from several diplomatic facilities in the region.
Global market shock
The strikes caused immediate volatility in global markets. Oil prices rose more than 10%, hitting a six-month high, while U.S. stock futures fell. Airlines began to reroute flights to avoid Iranian and Israeli airspace, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed amid concerns of further escalation.
Strategic analysis
Military analysts suggest that Israel’s move Reflects a shift toward a more assertive approach aimed at reducing Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities before they become a more imminent threat.
“By eliminating key IRGC leadership and targeting high-value facilities, Israel has taken a calculated risk to deter further aggression – but it comes with the threat of widespread retaliation.”
— Dr. Eli Navon, Middle East security expert, Bar-Ilan University
The killing of General Salami, if confirmed, would be one of the most serious blows to Iran’s military leadership in decades. Experts also point to this timing – just days before renewed US-Iranian nuclear talks in Oman – as an attempt to change the strategic momentum in the region.
Conclusion
Operation Rising Lion underscores the fragility of Middle East stability, as tensions between Israel and Iran reach new heights. While the strategic success of Israel’s attacks while Iran’s military While calculations could disrupt it, the region now stands on the brink of a wider conflict. The coming days will likely determine whether this remains a short-term flashpoint or ignites a wider conflict involving multiple regional and global powers.
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