An Iranian IRGC facility near Tehran burns after an Israeli strike - )video snippet - vivdprowess/X)
An Iranian missile facility burns after an Israeli strike (video clip)

Tehran Rocked by Israeli Airstrikes as IRGC Leadership Decapitated

Details
The Judean Staff
National

In a dramatic escalation that sent shockwaves through the Middle East and beyond, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a bold and devastating aerial campaign deep into Iranian territory early Friday morning, delivering a crippling blow to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure. The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” was the culmination of months of mounting tensions, failed diplomacy, and repeated Iranian provocations.

Target: The Heart of Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

Precision airstrikes lit up the skies over Tehran and key military installations across Iran. Most notably, the IDF confirmed that the **Natanz uranium enrichment facility—**the crown jewel of Iran’s nuclear program—was severely damaged.

"Overnight, Israeli Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence, struck Natanz and destroyed critical infrastructure enabling the Iranian regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons," read a statement from the IDF. According to reports, the site’s core enrichment chambers were rendered inoperable.

Sources within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed to Israeli media that Director General Rafael Grossi personally informed Israeli President Isaac Herzog of the extent of the damage, describing it as “severe and likely long-term.”

Top Iranian Commanders Eliminated in Devastating Blow

In what is being described as one of the most successful Israeli military operations in decades, multiple top commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were eliminated. Among the dead are:

  • Gen. Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC

  • Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force

  • Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces

According to Israeli intelligence, the airstrike that killed the IRGC brass was enabled by a brilliant deception campaign. Israeli cyber and psychological operations lured the top Iranian air commanders into an underground strategy meeting, which was then precisely targeted.

"We influenced their behavior, predicted their response, and struck with precision," said a senior Israeli defense official. "This was chess, not checkers."

Israel Declares State of Emergency

Back home, a state of emergency was declared across Israel as the nation braces for a likely Iranian response. Citizens were urged to stay near bomb shelters in the early hours of Friday, following Iranian drone incursions and the threat of ballistic missile retaliation.

Though the shelter advisory was lifted later in the day, military officials emphasized that “the threat is far from over.”

Herzog: 'This Is a Battle for the Free World'

President Isaac Herzog issued a stirring message to Israelis and the world, declaring that the operation was not just about Israeli security, but about defending “the values of the free world.”

“Freedom is not preserved by words alone—it demands courage, vigilance, and action,” Herzog stated. “This is a struggle for the safety of the Middle East and the world. Iran must not have nuclear capabilities.”

Defense Minister Katz: ‘The IRGC Air Force No Longer Exists’

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the elimination of the IRGC’s entire senior air force command, declaring the strike “a historic turning point.”

“This was not a symbolic gesture,” Katz said. “We decapitated the head of Iran’s aerial threat, including the men behind April’s missile barrage on Israel.”

Indeed, Iran had launched long-range missile attacks on Israeli soil in April and October of 2024, prompting numerous warnings from Jerusalem that further aggression would not be tolerated.

Trump: ‘Make a Deal, Or There Will Be Nothing Left’

Former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the strike via Truth Social, warning Tehran that even more devastating attacks are pre-planned and ready to be launched if Iran refuses to deescalate.

“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal,” Trump wrote. “There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to stop the slaughter. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left. Save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.”

Global Reverberations

Israel’s Operation Rising Lion is already being called a geopolitical earthquake. Military analysts are scrambling to assess the fallout, and major capitals are holding emergency security consultations. With Iran’s primary nuclear facility in ruins and its most senior military commanders dead, the Islamic Republic is faced with a stark choice: retaliation—or recalibration.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government has made it clear: this was not just a strike. It was a message—loud, clear, and unmistakable.

“Never Again Means Now.”

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