TEL AVIV: The Israeli army announced that Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel in a retaliatory strike, following a series of Israeli attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites, ballistic missile facilities, and senior military figures.
The drone barrage came in response to “Operation Rising Lion,” a large-scale Israeli military campaign initiated on Friday. Israel says the operation aims to dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons capability and degrade its ballistic missile infrastructure.
According to the Israeli military, dozens of strategic Iranian sites were targeted, including the Natanz uranium enrichment facility—a critical component of Iran’s nuclear program. Iranian state media and eyewitnesses also reported explosions in several locations, including Tehran and Natanz.
Iranian state television claimed that Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in the strikes. It also reported civilian casualties, including children, in a residential area of Tehran where the IRGC headquarters was allegedly hit.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the military campaign a defining moment in the nation’s history. “Israel has launched Operation Rising Lion to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran. This campaign will continue for as long as necessary,” he said.
Netanyahu stated that the operation specifically targeted nuclear scientists, missile engineers, and facilities involved in what Israel claims is Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear bomb.
A senior Israeli military official claimed Iran possesses enough fissile material to produce up to 15 nuclear bombs within days, emphasizing the urgency of the strikes.
Alongside the aerial bombardments, Israeli intelligence agency Mossad reportedly conducted sabotage operations within Iran, targeting missile infrastructure and air defense systems, according to Axios.
Amid fears of escalation, Israel declared a national state of emergency, closed Ben Gurion International Airport, and placed its air defense systems on high alert. Military officials have warned that further missile or drone attacks from Iran or its regional proxies remain likely.
The confrontation marks a major escalation in the long-running shadow war between Israel and Iran, with global powers urging restraint to prevent a wider regional conflict.
