The Middle East finds itself on the precipice of a wider conflict today as Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” a large-scale military offensive targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites. The escalation follows weeks of heightened rhetoric and alleged covert operations, culminating in overt Israeli airstrikes across Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address to the nation, declared the operation’s objective is to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival” and vowed it “will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”
READ: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Pledges Relentless Bombing Until Iran Threat Vanishes
He asserted that Iran has “brazenly, openly, called for Israel’s destruction” and accelerated its production of “uranium for nine atom bombs,” claiming the Islamic Republic has taken “steps to weaponize this enriched uranium.”
According to Netanyahu, the initial “first stage” of the operation saw dozens of Israeli Air Force jets strike at “the heart of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program,” specifically targeting the main enrichment facility in Natanz. The Prime Minister also accused Iran of pursuing a “new plan to destroy Israel” by attempting to “encircle Israel with a ring of fire” through its proxies, drawing a parallel to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel that it “must expect severe punishment” following what he termed the “crime” of attacking Iran and killing several top-level military commanders and six nuclear scientists.
Shortly after the Israeli strikes, the Israeli military reported that Iran launched approximately 100 drones, with the army actively working to intercept them. The full extent of the damage from both the Israeli strikes and the Iranian drone attack remains unclear, as do any potential casualties.
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United States President Trump publicly praised the Israeli attacks as “excellent,” stating that Iran still has time to make a deal over its nuclear program before “there is nothing left” of the country. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while not condemning the Israeli actions, emphasized that the US is “not involved” in the strikes and issued a stern warning to Iran against attacking American bases in the region.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address painted a grim picture of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, warning that “if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year. It could be within a few months, less than a year.” He reiterated that Israel “will not let the world’s most dangerous regime get the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
In a notable shift, Netanyahu also directly addressed the Iranian people, stating, “Our fight is not with you. Our fight is with the brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years. I believe that the day of your liberation is near.” He expressed hope that “when that happens, the great friendship between our two ancient peoples will flourish once again.”
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The Prime Minister concluded his address by linking Israel and America, stating that Iran refers to Israel as “the small Satan” and America as “the great Satan,” leading to chants of “death to Israel and death to America.” He declared, “Today, Israel is responding to those genocidal calls with action and with a call of our own. Long live Israel, and long live America. Our action will help make the world a much safer place.”
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