Massive Escalation: Israel Launches Preemptive Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites, Killing Top Iranian Commanders
In a dramatic and dangerous escalation in the Middle East, Israel carried out major airstrikes against Iran early Friday morning, targeting key nuclear facilities and military sites in and around the Iranian capital, Tehran. This bold operation came amid rising tensions and warnings from global leaders about the risk of a wider regional conflict.
Explosions rocked Tehran as Israeli fighter jets unleashed a powerful wave of attacks. According to Iranian state television, the country’s air defenses were at full operational capacity, but many high-value targets were reportedly struck. Among these were Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites and several military installations connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that a retaliatory strike from Iran was expected. He declared a state of emergency across the country, ordering military and security forces to prepare for incoming missile and drone attacks from Iran and its regional allies.
The military operation comes just days after former US President Donald Trump warned of a possible large-scale conflict in the Middle East. Trump indicated that an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure might be close, even though he expressed concerns that such a strike could complicate negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. While Trump clarified there was no American involvement in the strike, the timing raised eyebrows around the world.
As a result of the escalating crisis, oil prices surged by over 6 percent in global markets, highlighting fears of disruptions to energy supplies from the region.
In a press conference following the strikes, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin revealed the scale of the assault. He stated that over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft participated in the opening wave of the strikes, dropping more than 330 munitions on carefully selected Iranian military and nuclear targets.
Notably, several top Iranian officials and nuclear scientists were killed in the attacks. Among them was Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces; IRGC Chief Hossein Salami; and Gholam Ali Rashid, head of the powerful Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters. Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, were also reportedly killed.
This strike marks one of the deadliest blows to Iran’s military and nuclear leadership in recent history. Israel’s government claimed the operation was a "preemptive" move to disrupt what it described as an imminent threat from Tehran.
The background to this crisis involves growing international frustration with Iran’s nuclear activities. Just days earlier, the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Iran of failing to comply with its nuclear obligations. In response, Iran announced it would build a new nuclear enrichment center in a secure location and replace older centrifuges with sixth-generation advanced machines at its Fordo facility.
Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent purity, far above the 3.67-percent limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, and dangerously close to the 90 percent required for a nuclear weapon.
Tensions between the two countries have been at a boiling point since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which was allegedly backed by Tehran. Israel has since promised a tougher stance against Iran and its proxies in the region.
As the world watches anxiously, fears of a broader regional war loom large, with experts warning that further retaliatory actions could spiral into a sustained and dangerous conflict involving multiple countries across the Middle East.
The coming days are likely to test diplomatic channels and military readiness on all sides. The region now stands on the edge of a conflict the likes of which it has not seen in decades.
