The Israeli government has initiated a military campaign against Iran, aiming at multiple targets, including nuclear facilities, on the grounds that Iran is in the process of developing nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the operation, termed “Rising Lion”, is intended to neutralize the perceived threat posed by the Iranian regime to Israel’s survival, and he anticipated the conflict would stretch out over several days.
Netanyahu highlighted key successes in his televised address, claiming that critical segments of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure had been targeted, including primary enrichment facilities, leading nuclear scientists involved in Iran’s alleged nuclear bomb development, and the core of Iran’s missile program.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the launch of a “pre-emptive, precise, combined” strike against Iran’s nuclear capabilities, with reports indicating numerous airstrikes across Iran, including in Natanz and Tehran. The IDF stated that these strikes enlisted the participation of “dozens of jets” and aimed to dismantle various military objectives, with nuclear targets being amongst the top priorities.
In justification of the strikes, Netanyahu asserted that Iran had not only boosted its stockpile of enriched uranium—sufficient for constructing nine warheads—as but had also taken remarkable steps towards weaponizing it. He warned that if left unchecked, Iran could potentially produce a nuclear weapon in a span ranging from a few months to a year, illustrating the urgency perceived by Israel.
This military initiative precedes the scheduled resumption of talks in Oman between the United States and Iran aimed at securing a diplomatic resolution to the escalating tensions concerning Iran’s nuclear activities, which have intensified since the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear agreement in 2018.
President Trump’s stance on the talks had been somewhat ambiguous, advising Israel against military action while negotiations were ongoing but expressing skepticism in the recent days. There is uncertainty whether the U.S. administration received prior notification of Israel’s plans or if Trump gave tacit approval for the strikes.
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, officially stated that the U.S. was not involved in the strikes, positioning the U.S. as a guarantor of American interests in the region, while acknowledging Israel’s assertion that the actions were necessary for its self-defense.
Netanyahu commended Trump’s effusions to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, emphasizing that Israel’s actions were in the best interest of both Israel and the United States.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/israel-strikes-iran-nuclear-program-netanyahu
