On June 13–14, 2025, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a massive preemptive strike deep into Iranian territory. This unprecedented operation—coordinated by the Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)—targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and senior military infrastructure. Within hours, Iran retaliated with an intense missile and drone barrage on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The result: the region finds itself on the precipice of full-scale war, with global powers watching closely.
1. The Anatomy of the Strike: Strategy, Scale, and Surprise
Under the codename “Rising Lion,” Israel executed its largest-ever coordinated strike on Iran (en.wikipedia.org). The operation involved:
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Over 200 combat aircraft (including F‑35Is and F‑16s) striking more than 100 targets across Iran (theaustralian.com.au, en.wikipedia.org).
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A covert Mossad campaign, smuggling in weapons systems, deploying operatives, and disabling Iranian air defenses to pave the way for air raids (theaustralian.com.au).
This operation marks a monumental escalation in the Israel–Iran “shadow war,” which until now had been waged largely through proxy engagements in Syria and Lebanon (en.wikipedia.org).
2. High-Value Targets Neutralized
Key components of the strike included:
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Decapitation of leadership: Killed top commanders such as IRGC head Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri, air force commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and advisor Ali Shamkhani (theguardian.com).
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Losses in nuclear expertise: Six nuclear scientists—Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi among them—were eliminated (theaustralian.com.au).
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Destruction of nuclear programs: Strikes ravaged enrichment centers at Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan, and Khorramabad—inflicting deep damage on centrifuge infrastructure (en.wikipedia.org).
Iran reportedly suffered around 78–90 fatalities and more than 320 injuries, including civilians caught near military strike zones (en.wikipedia.org).
3. Technological and Tactical Insights
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Mossad’s ingenuity: The agency smuggled in commandos and anti-air systems, laying the groundwork for the strike (theaustralian.com.au).
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Air superiority: With Iran’s radar and anti-air units neutralized, Israeli stealth jets executed surgical strikes—an echo of tactics used in previous operations against nuclear sites in Iraq (1981) and Syria (2007) (newyorker.com).
4. Iran’s Retaliation: A Missile Storm
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Massive strike: Iran launched roughly 100 ballistic missiles and more than 100 drones targeting Israeli military bases and civilian areas (nypost.com).
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Impact on Israeli soil: The missiles targeted the IDF’s Kiryat headquarters in Tel Aviv, causing damage and claiming at least three civilian lives (nypost.com).
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A shield in action: Israel’s Iron Dome and Patriot batteries intercepted most incoming threats, aided by U.S. defense systems (thetimes.co.uk).
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A declaration of war: Iran officially labeled the operation “a declaration of war” (en.wikipedia.org).
5. Global Responses and Escalating Tensions
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United States: Trump praised the strike as “successful,” confirmed U.S. advance notice but denied active participation (politico.com). The U.S. repositioned naval assets near Israel, evacuated diplomats, and assured troop protection (time.com).
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European caution: The UK, France, Germany, Russia, and UN officials urged urgent de-escalation and warned of geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian fallout (thetimes.co.uk).
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Market tremor: Oil prices surged over 6% amid fears of wider regional instability (timesofindia.indiatimes.com).
6. Regional Power Moves
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Hezbollah neutralized: Israel's recent campaign crippled Hezbollah’s missile capabilities, laying the groundwork for the Iran operation (time.com).
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Iran’s tactical restraint: Reports suggest Tehran instructed Hezbollah to hold fire—implying Iran prioritized strategic containment over full-scale escalation (time.com).
7. Human Impact: Tehran’s Civilian Toll
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Fear and panic: Iranian civilians awakened to explosions and burning debris; homes and apartments in Tehran suburbs suffered extensive damage (theguardian.com).
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Mixed sentiments: While many Iranians were terrified, some anti-regime activists appeared to welcome the removal of senior IRGC figures (theguardian.com).
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Civil defense concerns: Iran lacks public bomb shelters, and state media restrictions sowed uncertainty among residents .
8. What’s Next? A Region at Risk
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Prolonged engagement: Israel has announced the strike campaign may last “days or even weeks.” Iran warns of severe retaliation (thetimes.co.uk).
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Diplomatic deadlock: U.S.–Iran talks scheduled in Oman may falter. Trump claimed these strikes could push Iran back to negotiations, though others disagree (politico.com).
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Broader threat: The conflict risks expanding beyond Israel–Iran, dragging in proxies, regional powers, and commercial shipping routes.
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Global vigilance: With U.S., European, Russian, Arab, and UN actors closely monitoring developments, diplomatic channels are urgently seeking to prevent a full-scale war.
9. Historical Context: A Strategic Threshold
This marks the first direct strike by Israel on Iranian soil in decades. It breaks from past covert operations by crossing a threshold into open warfare—marking a tactical evolution in Israel’s national defense doctrine. With Hezbollah in Lebanon neutered and proxies weakened in Syria, Israel has directly confronted Iran’s nuclear threat—a strategic gambit with far-reaching consequences .
10. A Dangerous Turning Point
Operation Rising Lion represents a dramatic gamble. Israel halted a seemingly imminent existential nuclear threat—but at the cost of triggering a retaliatory onslaught and risking total meltdown in a volatile region. With U.S. moral and material backing, Israel has demonstrated its military reach—but global economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic pressure demands restraint. The coming weeks will test whether diplomacy can regain ground or if the Middle East slides into a broader, unavoidable war.
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