Israel has carried out massive airstrikes on Iran's nuclear and military targets, eliminating senior commanders and scientists. Tehran has threatened severe retaliation.
Israel Attacks Iran Live Updates: IDF completes attack on Iranian air defence and has reported drones shot down.
Israel has declared a state of emergency following ‘pre-emptive’ strikes against Iran; an Israeli military source confirmed that several nuclear and military assets were targeted.
Here is a full analysis of the intensifying conflict and what it may portend for the Middle East.
In a step that may redefine the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape, Israel has initiated a wide-scale military operation against several strategic targets within Iran. These targets include nuclear enrichment facilities, factories producing ballistic missiles, and military command centers. The operation, which Israel has dubbed One of the most severe consequences of the strike was the killing of Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). One of the most influential men in Iran’s military leadership, the loss of Salami is both symbolic and strategic. Also killed were General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s military chief of staff, and two leading nuclear scientists, Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. Their deaths are a severe blow for Iran’s scientific and military programs. Iran’s state media verified these fatalities and issued national mourning, labeling the fatalities acts of war and promising that “Israel will be held accountable.” Iran’s supreme leader called the attack a “cowardly and criminal act” in a televised speech, and vowed that Israel would experience “immediate and unprecedented consequences.” Precaution has led Tehran to activate its missile defense system and redeploy thousands of soldiers to vulnerable positions. State-run media report large-scale evacuations from government offices and key infrastructure. Military personnel have been stationed in and around nuclear facilities, and drone squadrons are said to be standing by for possible counterattacks. Iran’s leadership stressed that the retaliation will not stop at Israel. U.S. bases and allied countries throughout the region are being considered possible targets should they be perceived as complicit in or supportive of the attack. Within hours of the airstrikes, U.S. officials moved to distance themselves from the Israeli action. A senior White House official told them, “The United States had no role in the military operation and our highest priority continues to be the safety of our forces and assets in the region.“ However, the United States has put its regional military bases on high alert, with more surveillance flights and contingency evacuation plans in place for embassy personnel in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. President Trump was briefed shortly after the initial reports of explosions in Iran and called an emergency National Security Council meeting. The meeting centered on assessing the threat of American interests getting entangled in the conflict, according to sources in the administration. The ripple effects of this mission are not confined to Iran and Israel. A number of nations in the Middle East region, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, and Turkey, are strengthening their border security. The price of oil has surged greatly, and global flights over much of the region have been diverted or suspended. Israel has closed off its airspace and imposed a state of national emergency. Schools, government offices, and businesses are shut down, and citizens are being ordered to remain in shelters or prepare to repel expected retaliatory attacks. Furthermore, countries such as China, Russia, and the European Union have made strongly worded communiques, calling for restraint and demanding urgent diplomatic talks. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres denounced the resort to force, stating that “the region stands at the brink of a devastating war.“ Those familiar with Israeli intelligence are convinced that Iran was nearing the nuclear weapons breakout ability—the moment when a nation can make a bomb quicker than foreigners can find and suppress it. Israeli officials maintained that every day Iran’s nuclear facilities were becoming safer, more sophisticated, and more difficult to dismantle. Operation Rising Lion was orchestrated months ahead of time, but its implementation was expedited after what Israeli intelligence believed was confirmation of Iran producing close-to-weapons-grade enriched uranium. This is also important, as nuclear talks between Iran and the West were to resume in days. Israel was concerned that a deal would again postpone taking action against Iran and give Tehran more time. This attack has shattered the thin veneer of calm in an already unstable region. Experts say the coming days are going to be decisive. Here’s what to look out for: Although Israel has clearly stated that this is not a limited strike and the campaign will continue “as long as it takes,” the Iranian promise of painful retaliatory strikes ensures that the global community has not seen or heard the last of this crisis. The Israel-Iran war has now reached a precarious and volatile stage. With both nations having been battered and promising more attacks, the threat of full-scale war hangs over them greater than ever. As global powers fight to avert a broader disaster, the Middle East teeters on the edge—once more.High-Profile Casualties: Military Chiefs and Scientists Dead
Iran’s Response: “Harsh Revenge” and Red Alert
United States Response: Not Involved, But Keeping a Close Eye
Regional Fallout: Panic, Precaution, and Political Consequences
Why Now? Understanding the Timing
What’s Ahead: A Region on the Brink