In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, Israel has carried out a large-scale military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, killing several high-ranking Iranian figures including two top generals and prominent scientists.
Codenamed Operation Rising Lion, the campaign involved dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets conducting coordinated airstrikes across various parts of Iran in the early hours of Friday.
In a statement released by the Israeli military, the offensive was described as a calculated, intelligence-driven mission: “Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes as a necessary measure for national security, saying, “The attack was to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival and would last for as many days as it takes to remove the threat.”
Iranian state media confirmed a number of high-profile deaths, including the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami. Other casualties reportedly include nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi, theoretical physicist Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi, and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid.
Read also: Chaos erupts as US senator is forcibly removed from DHS press conference in Los Angeles
Explosions were reported northeast of Tehran, and Iranian media said several military facilities had been hit, including installations in the Mahalati complex north of the capital.
Reacting to the Israeli strikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the attack and vowed retaliation. He accused Israel of targeting civilian zones and declared that Iran would not let the blood of its fallen commanders and scientists go unavenged.
“In the enemy’s attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. Their successors and colleagues will immediately continue their duties,” read a statement published by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
As tensions rise, both nations appear locked in a volatile standoff, with global powers watching closely to see if this latest development will spark a broader conflict in the region.
The post Israel launches major airstrikes on Iran, top Generals, nuclear scientists killed appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
