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In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday that the Israel Air Force (IAF) had launched a large-scale aerial assault across multiple strategic targets in Iran overnight.
The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” involved approximately 40 fighter jets and the deployment of over 100 munitions in what the IDF described as a preemptive strike aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear weapons development capabilities.
Among the most significant targets was the nuclear reactor in Arak, a facility central to Iran’s plutonium production efforts. The IAF reportedly struck the reactor’s core seal—a key structural element in plutonium processing—which military officials say is essential in preventing Tehran from manufacturing nuclear weapons.
“This strike is part of our ongoing effort to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” the IDF said in its morning statement, emphasizing that the operation focused on both nuclear and conventional military targets.
The Arak reactor, whose construction began in 1997, had long been a point of contention in international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
Though international pressure led to the halting of certain aspects of its construction, recent intelligence assessments suggested that Iran had been converting the reactor for the production of low-grade plutonium.
While not immediately usable for nuclear weapons, the modifications left open a pathway to future weaponization, prompting Israel to act.
In addition to Arak, the IAF targeted the Natanz nuclear weapons development site, another pillar of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The IDF stated that Natanz housed “components and specialized equipment” essential for nuclear weapons advancement.
Satellite imagery and intelligence sources over recent months had indicated increased activity at Natanz, fueling fears that Tehran was moving closer to weapons-grade enrichment.
The airstrikes extended beyond nuclear facilities. The IDF reported that Israeli jets also hit multiple military production plants involved in manufacturing ballistic missiles and air defense systems.
These facilities, according to Israeli intelligence, contribute directly to Iran’s expanding missile capabilities, which have posed growing threats to Israel and U.S. allies in the region.
Air defense batteries, surface-to-surface missile storage sites, radar detection systems, and other surveillance equipment were also struck. The aim, military sources said, was to weaken Iran’s ability to respond to future Israeli or allied operations and to impair its retaliatory capabilities.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several provinces, including Tehran, where smoke was seen rising from the Sharan Oil depot—one of the sites allegedly hit by the Israeli strike on June 16.
Iranian authorities have yet to confirm the full scale of the damage but have vowed a “firm and calculated” response. The airstrikes come amid a backdrop of mounting confrontation between Israel and Iran, with both nations accusing each other of sabotage, cyberattacks, and proxy warfare across the region.
Analysts warn that Operation Rising Lion could mark a turning point, bringing the long-simmering shadow war between the two regional powers into a more direct and dangerous phase.