Israel launches “Rising Lion” Operation, strikes Iran’s nuclear sites, killing key Military figures

Israel has launched operation “Rising Lion” early Friday morning with a series of airstrike attacks targeting the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment and weaponization programs. 

According to the reports of Local media, the attack has killed the Iranian Armed Forces chief Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, as well as two of Iran’s leading nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. Many other fatalities were also reported in the targeted cities of Tehran,Natanz, Khandab, and Khoramabad, all from nuclear facilities . 

💥 CONFIRMED KILLS:

▪️ Hossein Salami: IRGC chief
▪️ Mohammad Bagheri: Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
▪️ Gholam Ali Rashid: Head of war HQ
▪️ Fereydoon Abbasi: Nuclear scientist
▪️ Mohammad Mehdi TehranChi: Nuclear physicist
▪️ Ali Shamkhani: Former Secretary of SNSC pic.twitter.com/ivkZSiyFUm

— Ardavan M. Khoshnood (اردوان م. خوشنود) (@ardavank) June 13, 2025

After a long period of simmering tension between Israel and Iran, Israel has broken the silence by sending their first airstrike to Iran’s territory in order to address the nuclear weapons research centres in Iran.  

Israel is currently striking Iran’s capital, Tehran.

Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/YzYr0CneRz

— AF Post (@AFpost) June 13, 2025

This was confirmed by the Iranian Military through X formerly known as Twitter as they tweeted, “Remember, we didn’t initiate it” Iran’s supreme leader said that these deaths must be avenged saying that the Zionist regime has brought a bitter and painful fate upon itself and will surely face the response. 

Remember, we didn't initiate it.

— Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) June 13, 2025

A state of emergency has been declared in Israel by Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz shortly after the airstrike attack to Iran telling their citizens that a  missile or drone attack is expected soon. 

We can now confirm that the Chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Commander of the IRGC and the Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command were all eliminated in the Israeli strikes across Iran by more than 200 fighter jets.

These are three ruthless mass murderers with…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025

PM Benjamin Netanyahu statement over attack on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, added that the citizens may have to live in bomb shelters over the next months, until Israel has eliminated the threat, adding that  all incoming and outgoing flights have been cancelled. 

In an address Israel’s Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “Rising Lion” operation is a military operation that is aimed at reducing the Iranian threat to Israel and will continue for as many days as it takes, noting that Iran who in the past has been actively and openly calling for Israel’s destruction with a genocide rhetoric, has been developing a nuclear weapon and has accumulated  uranium for nine atom bombs.

Noting that, as of recent Iran has taken steps it has never taken before to weaponise the uranium and could produce a destructive weapon in a few months or a year which is a clear and present danger to Israel’s survival. 

The Prime Minister added that the Jewish people have been victims of  a holocaust by the Nazi’s regime, and refuse to be a victim of a nuclear holocaust by the Iranian regime. Israel will never allow for those who call for their annihilation to develop the means to achieve that goal.

US aware of Israel’s “Rising Lion” Attack 

The United States although did not participate in the military operations say that they were aware as Donald Trump was briefed about the action that Israel will launch the attack in self defense  adding that they are not involved in the strikes and their top priority is protecting the American forces in the region as they withdrew some of their personnel from the Middle East, as it could be a dangerous place.

United Nation responds

In a statement, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the war escalation in the middle east after the Israelis attack. He called for immediate restraint on both nations in order to avoid a descent into an even deeper conflict. Being particularly concerned over the attack while the United States was still in talks with Iran over the nuclear program. 

Many wonder if this war will cease or will there be further escalation seeing the history of both nations who have always been at odds with one another with both sides always ramping up war rhetoric and holding hostilities between one another since the terror attack on Israel by a Tehran-backed Palestinian group Hamas in October 2023. To which he Jewish state has repeatedly accused Iran of proxy interventions against it through Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi factions.

The times of Israel have updated that Iran has retaliated against Israel by launching 100 drones which the Israeli Military forces are currently shooting down just outside the borders of Israel.