Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the start of “Operation Rising Lion,” a massive military operation aimed at Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile installations, in the wee hours of June 13, 2025.
Netanyahu characterized the operation as a crucial step to eradicate Iran’s quickly developing nuclear weapons and missile programs, which he regarded as an existential menace. One of the biggest Israeli military operations against Iran in decades, the strikes targeted Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz as well as other important military locations.
Netanyahu said that several high-value targets, including nuclear scientists and top Iranian military leaders directly involved in weapons development, had been hit by Israel’s air force. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards, and a number of well-known nuclear scientists were among those reportedly slain. Iranian state television acknowledged losses and widespread damage, while witnesses reported explosions and black smoke billowing from locations in Tehran and Natanz.
The Israeli leader used intelligence that Iran had accumulated enough highly enriched uranium for up to nine nuclear bombs and had taken measures toward weaponization, which could allow it to produce a nuclear weapon in a matter of months, to defend the operation.
Referencing the Holocaust and cautioning against making the same sins of appeasement that preceded World War II, Netanyahu cited the lessons of history. “Never again is now,” he said, adamant that Israel will not permit the acquisition of nuclear weapons by a government that publicly calls for its overthrow.
Netanyahu emphasized that the Israeli effort was aimed at the regime, not the Iranian people, accusing it of sponsoring proxy forces against Israel and engaging in regional aggression. He drew attention to Iran’s missile development and warned that these missiles would soon be fitted with nuclear warheads, endangering not just Israel but also Europe and the US.
Iran blocked its airspace and threatened “severe retaliation” in response to the strikes, with the Revolutionary Guards vowing to strike at their own time and location. Israel proclaimed a state of urgency and increased military readiness in anticipation of missile and drone assaults. Concerned about the possibility of a wider regional escalation, the United States and other foreign players disassociated themselves from the operation and called for moderation.
In his closing remarks, Netanyahu urged the international community to acknowledge the seriousness of the threat and thanked US President Donald Trump for his prior assistance in opposing Iran’s nuclear aspirations. He claimed that history would judge this generation for its fortitude in the face of peril and presented the operation as a preventative measure to save Israel’s future and protect world civilization.
