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Israel’s air campaign against Iran, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, has made significant progress in degrading Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, American and Israeli officials say, but weeks of continued airstrikes will likely be needed for Israel to achieve its goals.
On Sunday, the IDF claimed that the Israeli air campaign, initiated early Friday morning, has already made significant progress, citing damage to Iranian nuclear facilities and ballistic missile production, as well as the killing of senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.
“We are not stopping attacking for a moment,” said chief IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin. “We have attacked more than 80 targets across Iran since last night. The Air Force’s attacks are focused on damaging nuclear facilities.”
“We attacked the Iranian regime’s nuclear headquarters, we attacked development and research sites for the production of raw materials and laboratories for the development of nuclear weapons, [and] we attacked fuel depots that assist Iranian military industries,” he said.
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Off the record, other IDF officials confirmed that the Israeli operation had already chalked up significant achievements while emphasizing that the airstrikes would have to continue to ensure that critical goals are reached.
“We have seen a lot of success in Natanz and Isfahan,” one senior Israeli military official told NBC News. “It will take them many months, maybe more, to restore the sites we have already operated in.”
However, the official added, “the job’s not done,” citing the need to destroy damaged nuclear facilities and to hit the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, an elaborate underground compound built under a mountain that has thus far not been struck.
According to an Israeli official and a White House official cited in a CNN report Sunday, the ongoing operation is likely to last for “weeks, not days.”
The report added that the Trump administration has given its implicit approval for the Israeli attacks, without any formal green light.