Key Point Summary – Inside Israel’s Operation Rising Lion

• Israel struck 100 targets in Iran, including nuclear and military sites
• Mossad and IDF coordinated covert sabotage inside Iran
• Iranian leaders Hossein Salami and Mohammad Bagheri confirmed dead
• Natanz nuclear facility severely damaged by bunker-busting munitions
• Explosions reported across Tehran, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Tabriz
• Iran vows “painful” revenge, but defenses appear shattered
• Analysts say this strike may redefine the region’s security for years

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Silence Was Shattered Before Sunrise

They didn’t see it coming. They never heard the jets until it was too late. Before dawn, explosions ripped through Iran’s most secure military zones.

Inside Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, the Israeli military executed a high-risk, high-impact assault on Iranian nuclear and ballistic sites. By morning, smoke curled above Tehran, and the leadership of Iran’s most powerful military force was dead.

Israel didn’t just strike. It overwhelmed.

Elite Commandos Open the Gates

The mission wasn’t purely aerial. According to Israeli security sources, elite forces slipped into Iran ahead of the strike.

These commandos, armed with precision-guided explosives, snuck into key locations near surface-to-air missile batteries. When the Israeli jets approached, those batteries never fired.

In some cities, civilian cars exploded—vehicles Mossad had rigged to sabotage defense systems. Drone bases deep inside Iran launched kamikaze drones that blasted radar and launcher sites.

By the time the first fighter jets reached their targets, Iran’s defense grid had collapsed.

A Decade of Planning Unleashed in One Night

Officials now confirm Operation Rising Lion had been in the works for years. Intelligence, tech, sabotage, and timing all collided.

The result: an airstrike campaign that spanned cities, killed top commanders, and paralyzed Iran’s ability to strike back.

Israel dropped over 330 munitions in just the first wave. Cities like Natanz, Tehran, Bandar Abbas, and Kermanshah shook from the impact.

Secondary explosions confirmed hits on missile depots and uranium facilities. Iran’s response was late—and ineffective.

Iran’s Military Head Severed

Among the dead: Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri and Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami.

Iranian media also confirmed the death of aerospace commander Amirali Hajizadeh. The IRGC’s leadership—once feared across the region—had been wiped out in one coordinated attack.

Six nuclear scientists were also killed, according to state-run Tasnim News Agency.

For Iran, this was more than a military loss. It was humiliation.

Natanz Facility Ripped Open

Natanz, Iran’s main uranium enrichment hub, wasn’t spared. Despite its 22 meters of earth shielding and concrete fortifications, Israeli “bunker busters” smashed through.

Israeli military statements said the underground centrifuge halls sustained direct hits. Supporting infrastructure was also destroyed. The IDF claims the damage has rolled back Iran’s nuclear timeline by years.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran acknowledged damage but insisted there were no radiation leaks. The IAEA later said radiation levels remained unchanged.

Still, the psychological blow was enormous.

Tehran Burns, Civilians Mourn

While Israel targeted military infrastructure, civilians weren’t spared. Iranian officials accused Israel of striking residential buildings. Images from Tehran showed shattered apartment blocks and bloodied bodies.

Women and children were among the dead, fueling anger across Iranian society.

Yet Israel’s Defense Minister argued Iran had hidden missile assets in those civilian zones.

“We struck only the launch points,” he said. “Tehran made those areas targets.”

The world watched, horrified and stunned.

Drones Show the Kill

Videos released by Mossad and the IDF showed footage from drones that tracked and destroyed mobile launchers and radar trucks.

In one clip, a drone locked onto a convoy and detonated on impact. Another showed a strike inside a compound believed to house Iran’s new solid-fuel missiles.

Israel didn’t just attack from above. It infiltrated every layer of Iran’s defenses—from the streets to the skies.

World Leaders React in Shock

Australian and New Zealand leaders condemned the strikes, warning of catastrophic regional fallout.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump offered a very different tone. He suggested Iran brought it on themselves.

“They’ve been playing games with the world,” Trump said. “Now they see what comes of it.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Israel acted alone and warned Iran not to retaliate against American troops.

Other leaders, like French President Emmanuel Macron, urged an immediate halt to further violence.

Markets in Chaos

Oil prices jumped 12% in early Friday trading. Investors feared more attacks could target Iran’s oil fields. Although Israel avoided hitting crude facilities for now, the threat hangs heavy.

Airlines rerouted flights. Some jets were over Iran as the strikes hit. Others diverted mid-air.

Financial analysts warned of long-term instability in global markets if retaliation escalates.

Mossad Strikes Again

Beyond the bombs, Mossad played a pivotal role. Intelligence reports say Mossad agents orchestrated assassinations, set off explosive traps, and supplied Israeli war planners with locations of secret Iranian meeting sites.

At least one underground command center near Tehran was hit during a leadership meeting. The IRGC has yet to name a successor for the fallen commanders.

Even among enemies, the precision stunned observers.

“This wasn’t a message,” one analyst said. “It was a decapitation.”

What’s Left of Iran’s Response?

Iran vowed revenge. But the attack shattered the structure it needed to respond quickly.

Air defense sites lie in ruins. Communication lines have gone silent. Commanders are dead or missing.

Iranian proxy forces like Hezbollah and militias in Iraq may strike back, but experts say large-scale retaliation could take weeks to coordinate.

Israel, meanwhile, remains on high alert. Bomb shelters stay open. Airspace is closed. Jets are refueled.

And Netanyahu says the operation isn’t over.

“We will strike as long as it takes,” he declared.

Strategic Fallout

Analysts now debate what comes next. Dr. Andreas Krieg of King’s College London noted that unlike the 1981 Iraqi reactor strike, Iran’s program is decentralized and resilient.

“This isn’t a one-and-done mission,” he said. “Israel will need days, maybe weeks, to keep pressure on.”

Still, with Iran’s military headless and nuclear progress halted, Israel may have shifted the regional balance—for now.

But everyone agrees: Iran will hit back. The only question is when—and how hard.

A Region on the Brink

From Riyadh to Ramallah, leaders now fear the consequences.

Will this ignite a broader war? Can Iran use proxies or unleash its missile arsenal? Will Israel strike again before Tehran regroups?

Experts say this moment could define Middle East security for the next decade.

Inside Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, planners sought a reset.

What they delivered may be the start of a much larger storm.