Israel has reportedly conducted a “precise and integrated preemptive strike” targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and military assets. According to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the strikes, executed overnight, aimed to cripple Iran’s nuclear program and retaliate against the Iranian regime’s continued aggression towards Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that the strikes, part of “Operation Rising Lion,” were intended to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, a long-standing concern.
Netanyahu stated, “In recent months, Iran has escalated its activities to a degree never seen before, taking steps towards weaponizing enriched uranium. If unchecked, Iran could develop a nuclear weapon very quickly. This operation will continue until the threat is eliminated.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. was not involved in the military operation and cautioned Iran against targeting the U.S.
Rubio said, “Israel has taken unilateral action against Iran. We are not participating in the strikes, and our top priority is the safety of American forces in the region. Israel informed us that they deemed this action necessary for their self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and are maintaining close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran must not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
In a Friday morning post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iran to negotiate an agreement concerning its nuclear facilities.
Trump wrote, “I gave Iran numerous opportunities to make a deal. I strongly urged them to ‘just do it,’ but despite their efforts and proximity, they couldn’t finalize it. Certain Iranian hardliners spoke boldly, but they were unaware of what was coming. They are now all DEAD, and the situation will only worsen. There has already been significant death and destruction, but there is still time to halt this slaughter. The next planned attacks will be even more brutal. Iran must reach a deal before it’s too late and salvage what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Iran responded to Israel’s strikes by stating, “This is the voice of a nation and a government that calls the world to witness that we were not the initiators of war, but the end of this story will be written by Iran’s hand.” The country has since vowed to retaliate against Israeli targets. Meanwhile, Iraq has confirmed that drones entered its airspace overnight.
The initial Israeli strikes targeted various locations in Tehran, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps HQ.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) verified the deaths of three high-ranking Iranian commanders.
The IDF stated, “We can now confirm that the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Commander of the IRGC, and the Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command were all eliminated in the Israeli strikes across Iran by more than 200 fighter jets. These individuals were ruthless mass murderers with international blood on their hands. The world is a better place without them.”
Reports indicate that scientists involved in Iran’s nuclear development program have also been killed.
Here’s what we know about the individuals reportedly killed by the Israeli strikes.
Military personnel
Major General Hossein Salami
Gen. Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran’s primary military force, was a significant figure in Iranian politics. He was reportedly close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Salami assumed his position roughly six years ago, and during his tenure as Major General of the IRGC, he was closely associated with military actions.
Following the death of Qasem Soleimani, the head of IRGC Qud’s Force, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, Salami stated, “If they [Israel and the U.S.] threaten our commanders, none of their commanders will find a safe place” to live. In the days following Soleimani’s death, Iran launched missiles at American military facilities in Iraq, though no casualties were reported.
Major General Mohammad Bagheri
Mohammad Bagheri served as the Chief of Staff of Iran’s armed forces, a position he attained in 2016, overseeing an estimated 400,000 personnel. He was the second-highest commander, subordinate only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Bagheri headed “the most senior military body in Iran, which implements policy and monitors and coordinates activities within the armed forces.” The department issued sanctions against him in 2019.
General Gholamali Rashid
General Gholamali Rashid was reportedly killed in the airstrikes in Tehran, along with his son. He was a senior commander of the armed forces and commander of Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, a branch of the IRGC.
Rashid played a crucial role in Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program, particularly in the use of drones for warfare.
In February, Rashid threatened retaliation against any strikes on Iran’s nuclear program following reports of potential plans from Israel and the U.S. to target Iranian nuclear facilities by “mid-2025.”
Nuclear Scientists
Reports indicate that key scientists working on Iran’s nuclear program were also killed in Israel’s strikes. Some sources report at least six deaths.
Among the scientists believed to have been killed are Fereydoon Abbasi, Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, and Seyed Amir Hossein Feqhi.
Abbasi previously headed Iran’s atomic energy program and also served as a Member of Parliament (MP).
Tehranchi was a theoretical physicist and involved in Iran’s significant program to advance nuclear capabilities, which began in the early 2000s. He also served as the President of Islamic Azad University in Tehran.
Feqhi was the deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and a faculty member in Nuclear Engineering at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran.
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