The city of Tehran was awakened at 3 am this morning by a loud bang following a massive Israeli airstrike on Iran, targeting various strategic locations including nuclear facilities and major military assets.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the attack, called Operation Rising Lion, was aimed at crippling Iran's military capabilities.
Among the main targets were ballistic missile depots, the nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, the residences of top Iranian military officials, as well as military leaders and nuclear scientists on a large scale.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a "defining moment in Israeli history" and stressed that the operation would continue "as long as necessary."
After the attack was launched, the Israeli government immediately declared a nationwide state of emergency, while air raid sirens sounded in major cities in anticipation of a possible Iranian counterattack.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant urged the public to be prepared for missile or drone attacks by Iran or its proxies such as Hezbollah and militants in Iraq.
Several airspaces, including those in Israel, Iran, Iraq and Syria, have been closed. International airlines have also diverted flights to avoid the risk areas.
As of 1 hour after the operation, the main locations that Israel successfully attacked, including Natanz, Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Khorramabad, Arak and Qom, as well as the headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran, were reported to be completely destroyed.
A few hours after the initial attack, Israel launched a more controversial second round.
Israeli media reported that missiles and drones were used to attack dams and water treatment plants near Tehran and Isfahan – two densely populated areas that are heavily dependent on the water supply system.
So far, the number of damage and casualties has not been officially confirmed, but Iranian official media reported that several women and children were also among the victims. Local news agencies described the attack on civilian infrastructure as a “war crime.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that “attacking civilian infrastructure such as clean water not only violates the Geneva Conventions, but also demonstrates the Zionist regime’s genocidal intent against the Iranian people.”
At the same time, the United States quickly issued an official statement denying its involvement in the attack.
President Donald Trump, who had previously acknowledged that tensions were escalating, said that an attack “may happen,” but stressed that a diplomatic solution remained his priority.
Israeli military sources warned that this second round “will not be the last,” with air and cyber forces now preparing to continue offensive operations throughout the weekend.
