Israel Strikes Iran’s Nuclear Sites in Major War Escalation
In a dramatic turn of events in the Middle East, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion against Iran, involving more than 200 Israeli aircraft targeting Iran’s key nuclear sites.
The operation included attacks on multiple facilities like the Natanz enrichment facility, as well as radar stations, missile bases, and underground command centers.
It also resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials. Among those killed were Major General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s chief of staff; Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of IRGC Aerospace Force; and Gholam Ali Rashid, a top commander at the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters. Reports also confirm the death of Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was critically injured in the attack and later died. Multiple prominent nuclear scientists, including Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, were also killed in the strikes.
Iran has called the attack a “declaration of war” and launched a retaliatory strike involving more than 100 drones. The Iranian government closed its airspace, canceled civilian flights and vowed further response. Meanwhile, international markets responded sharply to the escalation, with oil prices surging and global leaders urging restraint.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the conflict, stating on his social media platform Truth Social that he had advance knowledge of the Israeli operation. He clarified that while the United States did not participate militarily, he had repeatedly warned Iran to return to the negotiating table. He described the strike as a consequence of failed diplomacy and warned that further Israeli action could be even more severe. Trump also emphasized his preference for a diplomatic resolution but acknowledged the possibility of a “massive conflict” if tensions continue to escalate.
As the world watches closely, this marks Israel’s most direct and forceful military engagement with Iran in decades, and signals a new, volatile chapter in the region’s long-standing conflict.
