Israeli Airstrikes Target Iran’s Nuclear and Military Leadership

Overview of the Strikes

•  Timing & Locations: Israeli forces commenced widespread airstrikes across Iran on Friday, June 13, 2025, beginning in Tehran and extending to key nuclear facilities. Explosions were reported around 03:30 local time (01:00 BST), including near residential zones in Tehran and at the Natanz nuclear enrichment site, approximately 225 km south of the capital. Each impact has been acknowledged by Iranian authorities, with no reported radiation increase at Natanz.

Key Aspect               Details
Strike Locations         Tehran, Natanz, various military/nuclear sites
High-Value Targets     IRGC leaders, top nuclear scientists
Iran’s Retaliation        100 drone strikes, defensive posture
U.S. Involvement        Officially uninvolved, focused on regional force protection
Nuclear Stakes           60% enriched uranium, undeclared materials cited by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

Israel’s Strategic Justification

•  Operation “Rising Lion”: According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the operation aims to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.” He emphasized that Iran’s uranium enrichment could soon yield sufficient material for a nuclear weapon—possibly within “months, less than a year.” Israeli defense officials further assert Iran has enough nuclear-grade material to assemble a bomb “within days.” Netanyahu credited former US President Donald Trump for his opposition to Iran’s nuclear initiatives.

Israel’s Reported Gains

•  The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim to have struck over 100 military and nuclear targets, including the elimination of several high-value individuals:
o    Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
o    Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff
o    Gholamali Rashid, Commander of Khatam al Anbiya Central Headquarters

These strikes purportedly eliminated “senior figures of the Iranian General Staff and leaders of the nuclear program,” according to Israel . 

Iranian Losses & Casualties

Iranian state-run media (e.g., Tasnim) reported several notable casualties:
•    Hossein Salami
•    Gholamali Rashid
•    Mohammad Bagheri
•    Six nuclear scientists, including at least five identified:
o    Fereydoon Abbasi
o    Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi
o    Abdulhamid Minouchehr
o    Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari
o    Amirhossein Feqhi
Senior adviser Ali Shamkhani was also reported seriously wounded. The BBC and other independent observers have not confirmed these specific losses, and verification remains pending.

Iran’s Retaliatory Response

•  Tehran responded with over 100 drones launched towards Israeli airspace, primarily intercepted outside Israeli territory.
•  The Iranian Foreign Ministry described the operation as “acts of aggression,” asserting its right to full retaliation—a stance that also implicates the United States as a co-responsible party given its alliance with Israel.

U.S. Role and Reaction

•  Washington officially stated no involvement in the Israeli strikes, with U.S. officials refraining from providing direct operational support.
•   U.S. policy emphasis remains on protecting American military assets in the region.
•   Former President Donald Trump has yet to comment publicly on this incident.

The Status of Iran’s Nuclear Program

•    Iran’s Position: Tehran maintains its nuclear agenda is for peaceful, civilian use.

•    IAEA Findings:

o    Iranian non-compliance with Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations was formally noted by the IAEA Board. This marks the first such declaration in two decades.
o    Investigations highlighted undeclared nuclear materials and Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, potentially sufficient for up to nine nuclear bombs.

What’s Next

• Israel: Netanyahu has indicated that Operation Rising Lion will persist "for as many days as it takes," underscoring a sustained strategic campaign.
•  Iran: The nation is expected to continue retaliatory drone strikes and possibly other measures.
• International Diplomacy: With heightened regional volatility, global actors—including U.S. allies and multilateral institutions—are expected to intensify efforts to prevent broader escalation.

Israel’s targeted airstrikes against Iran mark a significant escalation in regional tensions, striking at the core of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military leadership. The elimination of top commanders and nuclear scientists underscores the operation’s strategic depth, while Iran’s retaliatory drone assault highlights the potential for broader conflict. Despite U.S. denials of involvement, the international community remains deeply concerned about the risk of further destabilization. As both nations brace for continued hostilities, the situation demands urgent diplomatic attention to prevent a wider regional war.

Source- BBC, Al Jazeera, BBC, CBS News, The Guardian, Reuters,