By: Fern Sidman

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed that the operation began at 03:00 local time, accompanied by sweeping changes to the Home Front Command Guidelines. In a nationwide update, the IDF ordered that all regions of Israel transition from Full Activity to Essential Activity, effectively halting educational operations, large gatherings, and non-essential workplaces. This strategic shift underscores the seriousness of the campaign ahead.

“We are in a strategic window of opportunity,” an IDF source told Israel National News. “The project is at a stage where, if we do not act now, we will know less with each passing day.”

According to the IDF, the objective of Operation Rising Lion is twofold: to eliminate existential threats posed by Iran’s nuclear program and to cripple its long-range missile capabilities, particularly thousands of ballistic weapons capable of striking Israeli population centers. In their briefing, defense officials emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program has entered a phase of acceleration so advanced that immediate intervention was required.

As Israel National News reported, Israel’s intelligence community had received recent indications that Tehran was “racing toward a nuclear bomb”, with estimates suggesting that Iran’s breakout timeline for developing a deliverable warhead had reached critical proximity.

According to the official statement issued by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets completed the first phase of Operation Rising Lion, targeting “dozens of military and nuclear facilities in multiple locations across Iran.” Initial reports from Iranian sources confirm explosions in Tehran and other cities, including what Iranian state TV has described as a devastating blow to the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Among the high-value targets reportedly eliminated in the opening salvo were IRGC Chief of Staff Hossein Salami, General Gholam-Ali Rashid, and senior nuclear scientists Dr. Tehranchi and Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi. Iran International, a channel with sources inside the regime, has corroborated reports of strikes on the homes of top political and military officials, underscoring the surgical nature of Israel’s operation.

As the report at Israel National News emphasized, this operation is not a sudden act of aggression, but rather the culmination of months of preparation, fueled by Iran’s accelerating uranium enrichment efforts and its direct military provocations during the ongoing “Swords of Iron” war. The IDF’s statement underscored that Iran has long been the architect and financier of terrorism throughout the region, citing its strategic direction of Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Syria and Iraq, and most recently, its financial and logistical support for Hamas, which orchestrated the October 7th massacre in southern Israel.

Moreover, the Iranian regime’s own declarations of genocidal intent toward Israel formed the moral and strategic basis for the attack. “Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” the IDF stated. “Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and a significant threat to the wider world.”

The report at Israel National News noted that Israel’s leadership had long signaled that it would not tolerate a nuclear Iran under any circumstance. This strike represents the operationalization of that red line.

Even as Israeli fighter jets returned from Iranian airspace, sirens wailed across Israel, signaling what Defense Minister Israel Katz warned is an expected wave of missile and drone attacks in retaliation. In a somber address to the nation, Katz announced the signing of a special state of emergency across the entire country under the Civil Defense Law.

“All civilians must adhere strictly to the instructions issued by the Home Front Command,” the minister stated. “The resilience and discipline of the Israeli people will be a critical component of our national defense.”

The Israel National News report echoed the call for national unity, reporting that the IDF has mobilized both defensive and offensive contingencies across multiple fronts. Iron Dome and David’s Sling batteries have been repositioned and reinforced, and emergency response teams are on full alert in anticipation of retaliatory fire from Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

In a rapidly evolving geopolitical atmosphere, both Israel’s Security Cabinet and the United States Cabinet under President Donald Trump convened emergency meetings within hours of the strike. While no immediate comment was issued from the White House, the close coordination between Washington and Jerusalem in recent months—particularly on intelligence sharing—suggests a shared understanding of the scope of the threat.

As Israel National News reported, American strategic assets in the region, including the Fifth Fleet and CENTCOM, have raised their alert levels, anticipating possible Iranian reprisals against U.S. targets or allies.

The IDF’s decision to strike now appears closely tied to the growing consensus that diplomatic efforts—particularly those involving European powers and the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency—have failed to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Just days prior, the IAEA publicly declared that Iran had violated its nuclear commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, casting doubt on any remaining hopes for a diplomatic resolution.

Intelligence assessments in Jerusalem pointed to a narrowing window of opportunity to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities before the Islamic Republic reached breakout capacity, as was reported earlier this week by Israel National News. The calculus, informed by decades of Iranian deception and duplicity, appears to have shifted decisively in favor of preemption.

“The State of Israel has the obligation to act in defense of its citizens and will continue to do so everywhere it is required to do so, as we have done in the past,” the IDF emphasized. The carefully worded statement reflects both the moral imperative and strategic doctrine of Israel’s national security: deterrence through decisive action.

The Israel National News report observed that this operation sends a dual message—not only to Tehran but to global powers and regional actors—that Israel will not defer its security to international forums or risk annihilation for the sake of diplomacy. In a Middle East roiled by shifting alliances and the embolding of jihadist forces, the Israeli strike reasserts sovereign responsibility over survival.

Targeted attacks have reportedly already struck several key sites, including nuclear-related facilities in Natanz, Hamdan, Kharamabad, and Kermanshah—all known for their significance within Iran’s nuclear or missile development networks.

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirming the name and launch of Operation Rising Lion in a national address.

The IDF’s pre-attack planning has been in motion for months and was significantly accelerated following Israel’s recent military successes against Hezbollah and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, as noted by journalist Ronen Bergman of The New York Times. Israel National News highlighted that the operation had received final approval only after extensive coordination with American officials.

Though the United States was notified in advance, U.S. officials have publicly emphasized that the operation is unilateral.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in the strikes and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

Rubio added that Israel had assured the Trump administration that the strikes were imperative to its self-defense and reaffirmed that Washington remains in close contact with its regional partners to mitigate the risk of escalation.

The IDF, aware of the possibility of a swift Iranian counterstrike, has also begun preparing the civilian population for a prolonged engagement. Sirens were heard in multiple areas across Israel in the past hour, signaling incoming fire, though defense sources have suggested that these may have been false alarms triggered by highly sensitive air defense systems.

Nonetheless, the Home Front Command is operating at maximum readiness, and Defense Minister Israel Katz has signed a formal order declaring a state of emergency across the entirety of the State of Israel under the Civil Defense Law.

In an unprecedented move, the IDF is preparing to launch a national campaign discouraging civilians from sharing or documenting the locations of Israeli strikes—a necessary step to prevent intelligence leakage and operational compromise. The military has also pledged to provide at least a ten-minute advance warning before missile launches or other events, reinforcing its commitment to civilian safety.

Iranian state media have acknowledged damage to infrastructure and have declared a state of high alert. While the full scope of damage remains unconfirmed, initial reports suggest that Israeli airstrikes were conducted with surgical precision, targeting both military installations and leadership residences. According to the report at Israel National News, the homes of senior political and military leaders were struck, potentially including IRGC commanders and top nuclear scientists.

The threat of Iranian retaliation remains acute. Defense analysts expect that Iran may attempt a multi-front response, leveraging its extensive proxy network including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq, and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

“The IDF has identified attempts to arm proxies in the Middle East against the State of Israel, which in recent years have begun formulating a concrete plan to destroy the State of Israel,” read the IDF statement. “We cannot allow these efforts to mature into an irreversible threat.”

The launch of Operation Rising Lion represents more than a military maneuver; it is a tectonic shift in the balance of power in the Middle East. While Israel has conducted covert actions and cyber operations against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in the past, this marks the first time the Israeli government has acknowledged a full-scale military strike on Iranian territory with a declared objective of nuclear rollback.

As the Israel National News report repeatedly emphasized, the timing is no coincidence. With Iran reaching new thresholds in uranium enrichment and missile development—and following years of inconclusive diplomacy—Jerusalem has chosen action over uncertainty.

Whether Operation Rising Lion will escalate into a broader regional war or serve as a decisive disruption of Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains to be seen. What is clear is that Israel has once again demonstrated that its red lines are not rhetorical—they are policy.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu concluded in his address: “We will not allow the Iranian regime to obtain weapons of mass destruction. Not now. Not ever.”