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Israel launched a series of devastating airstrikes on Iran, targeting the capital Tehran and other locations in the early hours of Friday, June 13, 2025. The attacks, which began around 3 a.m. local time, left a trail of destruction, with images of damaged vehicles and buildings circulating on social media and international news outlets. The strikes have claimed the lives of two prominent Iranian nuclear scientists and the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), escalating tensions in the Middle East to unprecedented levels.
According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, nuclear scientists Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi were killed in the Israeli strikes. Additionally, General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, was also killed. Iranian state television reported that the IRGC headquarters in Tehran was heavily damaged, with local media describing scenes of fire and smoke rising from the affected areas. Al Jazeera and other international media outlets published images showing the aftermath, including wrecked vehicles and collapsed buildings in residential areas of Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, claimed the strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile factories, and key military figures. He described the operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” as a preemptive effort to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat, stating it would continue “for as many days as necessary” to eliminate the danger to Israel’s survival. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the attacks, vowing a “severe punishment” for Israel and asserting that the country would face a “bitter fate.”
Iran’s Defense Ministry and the IRGC have promised a “decisive and harsh” response to Israel’s aggression. The Israeli military reported that Iran has already launched over 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation. The strikes have prompted widespread concern globally, with airlines suspending flights over Iran, Israel, and Iraq, and the U.S. clarifying it was not involved in the attack. The international community is now bracing for further escalation as the region teeters on the edge of a broader conflict.
