Operation Rising Lion: Shahid Fakouri military base, Tabriz International Airport reportedly destroyed; casualties reported in attack on Shiraz; IDF downs over 100 Iranian drones; Iran’s main underground uranium enrichment site destroyed.
The Israeli Air Force on Friday struck and destroyed the airport in Tabriz, Iran, as part of a new wave of Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
Reports from within Iran described a series of fresh explosions around the Shahid Fakouri military base and Tabriz International Airport, with additional damage reported along the nearby railway lines serving the airport.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen TV reported another strike near Shiraz, with casualties claimed in the vicinity, though the report could not be immediately verified.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezhakian condemned the attacks, writing on X that the “Zionist entity will regret its actions” and affirming that he and his government “have taken charge of managing the theater” following the bombings.
Israel released unprecedented footage showing Mossad operatives deploying precision strike systems inside Iran. The videos appear to show agents setting up guided missile launchers to neutralize Iran’s air defenses and launching ground-to-ground missiles and explosive drones at strategic targets near Tehran. The military also released aerial footage purportedly showing Israeli Air Force strikes on Iranian weapons and ballistic missile systems aimed at Israel. Officials described the publication as a message to Iran’s leadership, showcasing Mossad’s deep infiltration capabilities in an effort to deter further escalation.
Operational footage released by Mossad shows precise missile strikes on Iranian air defense systems
Defense Minister Israel Katz was briefed that senior leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Air Force was neutralized while meeting in an underground command bunker. Katz hailed the operation as a “striking achievement” of Operation Rising Lion, saying the precise elimination of IRGC commanders, Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists—who he accused of plotting Israel’s destruction—sent an unmistakable message: “Anyone working to annihilate Israel will be eliminated.”
Katz added that the IDF will continue efforts to disrupt Iran’s nuclear ambitions and remove threats to Israel, warning that Tehran will “pay an increasingly heavy price for its aggressive actions.”
Earlier, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin reported that the military had successfully intercepted all drones launched toward Israel by Iran as part of its retaliatory strike. The Home Front Command lifted its shelter-in-place directive shortly after.
According to officials, over 100 Iranian drones, already en route to Israel, were launched from multiple locations, including Iraq.
Sirens sounding across Jordan amid Iranian attack on Israel
Sirens sounded across Jordan following the drone launches, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force reported that its aircraft and air-defense systems intercepted several missiles and drones that had entered Jordanian airspace. A military source said the Jordanian forces are “on high alert to protect Jordan’s skies and the nation’s safety,” operating around the clock to secure its land, sea and air borders and prevent any breach.
A security official in Israel said that Iran planned a combined ground-to-ground missile and drone barrage, but the Israeli Air Force was able to strike deployment sites and disrupt the offensive.
According to reports from Britain’s Times, the UK government has ruled out military defense support for Israel in the event of an Iranian attack.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials claimed that the nuclear facility at Natanz, Iran’s key underground uranium enrichment site, was destroyed during the opening phase of Operation Rising Lion. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi informed President Isaac Herzog that the Natanz facility sustained serious damage.
Akbar Salihi, deputy defense minister for law enforcement in Isfahan province, confirmed there were no casualties at the site. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran added there was no leakage of radioactive or chemical material and that all employees were safe.
Earlier, Iranian state television aired footage of smoke billowing over the facility. The broadcast confirmed the deaths of two senior nuclear scientists: Fereydoun Abbasi, former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and a nuclear physicist who survived a prior assassination attempt attributed to Israel 15 years ago, and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, president of Islamic Azad University.
Iranian forces responded by denouncing Israel as a “terrorist Zionist entity” that has crossed all red lines, promising unrestricted retaliation. Meanwhile, Iran’s defense minister declared that its forces are “prepared for years of war,” warning that the “terrorist Zionist entity should await a harsh and decisive response from Iran’s armed forces.”
Israeli airstrikes across Iran overnight killed dozens of senior Iranian officials, including the Islamic Republic’s top military leaders, in a sweeping offensive targeting Iran’s strategic command structure, Israeli security sources said Friday. A senior Iranian official confirmed that Shahrak Shahid Mahalati, a compound in Tehran housing top commanders, was hit, with three residential buildings demolished.
According to the IDF, the operation eliminated three of the highest-ranking military commanders in Iran: Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami, and Gholam Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command and deputy chief of staff. Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency confirmed Bagheri’s death.
Iran International, an opposition media outlet, reported that senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani, was also killed. Earlier reports indicated he had been severely wounded in a strike on his home. A security official said there are growing indications that the Iranian military leadership and its senior nuclear scientists have been killed in Israel’s opening strike on Iran.
IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effi Defrin said more than 200 Israeli fighter jets, guided by precision intelligence from the military’s Intelligence Directorate, struck over 100 targets across Iran overnight, including locations where senior commanders were believed to be hiding.
The operation included a broad offensive against Iran’s air-defense network in western Iran, destroying dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile batteries. The IDF said these strikes have significantly increased the Air Force’s freedom to operate by systematically targeting Iranian air defenses. A senior Israeli military official noted this was “the first time aircraft have flown to such depth and scale” inside Iranian territory.
Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the IDF’s “striking achievement” in the operation, saying the “precise elimination of IRGC, Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists promoting the plan to destroy Israel sends a strong message — anyone who works to annihilate Israel will be eliminated.” He added that the military will continue to disrupt Iran’s nuclear ambitions and remove threats to Israel, warning Tehran that “it will pay increasing prices” for aggressive actions.
Iranian media reported at least 50 injured in a strike north of Tehran and five killed with around 20 wounded in the capital. In response, Iranian authorities appointed interim commanders: Amir Habibollah Sayyari to lead the armed forces and Ahmad Vahidi to head the IRGC.
The Iranian government condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them “a cowardly operation.” A statement released by Tehran declared, “We have never hesitated to defend our homeland and never will. These Israeli attacks and the assassinations of our commanders prove the Zionist regime is a terrorist entity. They understand only the language of force.”
Damage from the attack in Iran
The statement added that Iran had initiated “defensive, political and legal steps to ensure Israel regrets its actions,” and called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene. “The revenge is near. The end of this story will be written by Iran,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Hezbollah-aligned Al Mayadeen TV reported that Iran has pulled out of the next round of talks with the United States, which had been scheduled for Sunday. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier expressed hope for a return to negotiations despite the Israeli operation.
Reuters, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel is preparing for a significant Iranian retaliation in the coming hours, which may include the launch of hundreds of ballistic missiles.
Sirens sounded across Israel at 3 a.m., alerting Israelis across the entire country to prepare for an Iranian missile attack in retaliation. Two hours later, the Israeli Air Force launched a fifth wave of strikes in western Iran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel will face “severe punishment” for the attack. “Israel unleashed its wicked and bloody hand in a crime against Iran,” he said, adding that the strikes reveal Israel’s “vile nature.”
“Iran is planning a severe response to the Israeli attack,” an Iranian security official told Reuters earlier and the Armed Forces spokesperson said that Israel and the U.S. will pay a heavy price for the Israeli attack.
According to reports in Iran, some of the targets in Israel’s opening strike were residential buildings in the neighborhood where Iran’s top military commanders reside and the headquarters of the IRGC were also attacked.
The New York Times cited four senior Iranian officials who said the Israeli attack targeted six military bases in the area of the capital, Tehran, including the complex at Parchin.
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hadath network said Israel attacked the nuclear production chain, heavy water and nuclear installations.
According to a report in Axios citing a senior Israeli official, the Mossad led a series of covert sabotage operations deep inside Iran alongside Israeli Air Force airstrikes. The Israeli assault began with an attack on Iran’s missile capabilities.
Mossad’s activities included preemptive strikes on missile infrastructure and defense systems, as well as extensive operations in central Tehran prior to the opening wave. In addition to the airstrikes, the Israeli campaign involved coordinated efforts to disrupt Iran’s military capabilities and targeted public awareness initiatives aimed at the Iranian population.
Katz told senior military commanders ahead of the strike that the operation marked a historic moment for the nation and the Jewish people. “Tonight, the IDF is launching an operation against the head of the Iranian octopus to eliminate its capabilities and remove the existential threat to Israel,” Katz said during a meeting of the General Staff Forum.
He emphasized that countering Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been his top priority since taking office, warning that the Islamic Republic was now more determined than ever to realize its vision of Israel’s destruction. “We are at a critical juncture. If we miss this opportunity, we may have no other way to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons that threaten our existence,” Katz said.
“Over the past year and a half, we’ve dealt with Iran’s proxies—but now we’re going after the snake’s head,” he continued. Katz praised the IDF’s extensive buildup of intelligence, operational, defensive and offensive capabilities, developed over years and intensified in recent months.
“There will be challenges and difficulties,” he concluded, “but I am convinced that with your leadership and commitment—and with a strong and united home front—we will prevail. Good luck.”
Trump confirmed that the United States was informed in advance of Israel’s military strikes on Iran but did not take part in the operation.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump emphasized that “Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb,” adding that Washington still hopes to return to the negotiating table with Tehran. “We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back,” he said, hinting at the reported deaths of senior Iranian officials in the strikes.
Trump stressed that the U.S. will defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates. He added that the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) remains on high alert and that the administration’s objective continues to be a diplomatic resolution.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Operation Rising Lion in an on-camera statement: “Our voice is now heard. The purpose of this unprecedented attack is to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities and its military capabilities until we remove the threat to us.”
“I want to warn you that Iran still has the capabilities that can cause us harm and we have prepared. I ask for your cooperation. You have shown your resilience throughout the long months of war and we need this resilience now,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support of Israel and reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon. “We have no choice but to act swiftly. If we do not act now, we will simply not exist. Iran has the ability to cause us considerable harm and we have prepared for that,” the prime minister also said.
The IDF said that it is preparing for an operation that could last for days, at least, and expects an Iranian retaliation. At the same time, the IDF is calling up thousands of reserve soldiers with emergency order 8, primarily for critical units in the Air Force, Home Front Command, Northern and Central Commands, Military Intelligence and Logistics.
Meanwhile, the IDF is heightening its alert level in the West Bank, and readiness has been raised in Israeli communities in the area. Simultaneously, a security cordon has been imposed on several Palestinian cities, and reinforcements are being deployed in the region. “Situation assessments were held across all sectors, resulting in decisions to bolster forces, concentrate troop presence and maintain a high level of offensive readiness,” the military said.
“The IDF began Operation Rising Lion tonight, in order to strategically strike the threats from the Iranian regime against the State of Israel. We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,” IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said in a statement early Friday morning.
“We began this operation because the time has come; we are at the point of no return. We cannot afford to wait for another time to operate; we have no other choice. Recent and past events of history have taught us that when the enemy is attempting to destroy us, we must not turn a blind eye. As such, we need to fight for our existence; the freedom is given to those willing to fight for it,” he also said.
Zamir called for “bravery, spirit and unity” among Israelis. He added that: “I can’t promise absolute success – the Iranian regime will attempt to attack us in response, the expected toll will be different from what we are used to.”
The IDF is also preparing for the possibility of heavy barrages from Yemen and Lebanon, as well as actions from Syria by pro-Iranian militias. The main operation is by the Air Force, but the Home Front Command and Northern Command are on high alert. Additionally, the IDF is essentially preparing for days, possibly weeks, of direct de facto war with Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. Military officials say Iran also planned to destabilize regimes neighboring Israel.
Following the launch of the attack in Iran, Israel closed its airspace, and halted Ben Gurion Airport operations. El Al has suspended all flights to and from the country.
Netanyahu said that Israeli forces “targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb, we also struck the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile program.”
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