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Israel launched Operation "Rising Lion" on Friday morning, executing a devastating assault on Iran's nuclear program that eliminated three top security chiefs and struck multiple nuclear facilities. The coordinated attack marked the first successful targeting of Tehran's nuclear infrastructure, fundamentally altering the regional security landscape.
Recent intelligence confirmed Iran had enriched sufficient uranium to build nuclear weapons within days, prompting immediate Israeli action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the strikes as essential for Israel's survival. "We can't leave these threats for the next generation," Netanyahu declared. "If we don't act now, there will not be another generation."
The operation targeted Iran's primary uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, where centrifuges were housed in underground compounds. Israeli forces simultaneously struck military bases around Tehran, residential complexes housing commanders, and ballistic missile facilities across the capital.
The strikes eliminated critical Iranian leadership figures. General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's military chief of staff and second-highest commander after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed alongside General Hossein Salami, head of the Revolutionary Guard. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, also perished in the attacks.
Supreme Leader Khamenei moved swiftly to replace fallen commanders, appointing Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi as chief of staff and Mohammad Pakpour as Revolutionary Guard chief. This rapid succession aimed to prevent any appearance of leadership vacuum.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized American non-involvement: "Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran." President Trump warned Tehran of escalating consequences, stating that "the next already planned attacks" could be "even more brutal" and demanding Iran "must make a deal, before there is nothing left."
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed no elevated radiation levels at Natanz while expressing deep concern about attacks on nuclear facilities.
Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel in immediate retaliation. Khamenei warned Israel "should anticipate a harsh punishment." Oil markets responded dramatically, with Brent crude jumping 9 percent to nearly $78 per barrel.
The unprecedented scope of Israel's operation represents a fundamental shift in Middle Eastern conflict dynamics. With Iran's nuclear program directly targeted and command structure decimated, regional powers face a dramatically altered strategic environment that will likely reshape diplomatic and military calculations for years ahead.
