Press release
Israel launches military operation against Iranian targets – situation continues to

📍 escalate Tel Aviv/Tehran, June 13, 2025 –
The Israeli government launched targeted military action against strategic facilities in Iran on Friday night. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, this is a preventive measure against military and nuclear facilities operated by Tehran. The action is codenamed "Rising Lion".

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the deployment serves to defend against an "acute threat to Israel's existence". According to intelligence information, Iran is on the verge of developing a ready-to-use nuclear weapon.

According to media reports, Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, and Chief of Staff Mohammed Bagheri, among others, were killed in the operation. Iran confirmed the death of both officers and announced retaliation.

In the early hours of the morning, Tehran said it had shot down several hundred drones into Israeli territory. The Israeli air defense is on high alert, the first drones have been successfully intercepted. A state of emergency has been declared throughout the country, and the population has been called upon to prepare for longer stays in shelters.

Background:

Israel has been threatened by the Islamic Republic of Iran for years. The leadership in Tehran has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel in the past. The international community is concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions, although no concrete evidence of imminent nuclear armament has been presented so far.

On Friday night, Israel carried out a targeted military operation against Iran. According to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, it was a "preemptive counterstrike" against strategic facilities of the Iranian regime – including military and nuclear targets. According to Israeli sources, several dozen objects were targeted during the action. The operation is called "Rising Lion" and was personally announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tehran has already confirmed the first retaliatory actions and speaks of considerable losses. According to reports in state media, Hossein Salami, the notorious commander of the Revolutionary Guards, was killed in the attack. Chief of Staff Mohammed Bagheri was also killed. Both were considered central figures in the Iranian military leadership. The Iranian state spoke of "martyrdom" in this context.

Netanyahu publicly stated that the operation served to protect Israel from an existential threat. "We are forced to act before it is too late," he said. In view of the constant threats from Tehran and the rapid progress in Iran's nuclear program, it is only a matter of time before Iran has an operational nuclear weapon. "If we don't intervene now, there may not be a next generation in Israel," the prime minister stressed.

The Israeli intelligence agency IDF spoke of a critical moment in a statement: "Our current findings indicate that Iran is on the verge of reaching the so-called 'point of no return' in the construction of a nuclear weapon." The military intervention is therefore presented by the Israeli side as having no alternative – a last attempt to stop the nuclear threat before it becomes reality.

Right to self-defense or pretext for escalation?

In fact, Iran has repeatedly positioned itself openly hostile to Israel in the past – not only verbally, but also by supporting anti-Israel militias in the region. However, the question arises as to whether such a massive strike is justified or whether it further exacerbates the risk of a full-scale military escalation in the region. Is it really an act of self-defense – or is Israel deliberately provoking an open war to achieve political goals?

Drone attacks and state of emergency

Meanwhile, Iran has begun to respond with massive drone attacks. Hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles were sent to Israel during the night. According to the army, the Israeli air defense was able to intercept a large part of the drones. Prime Minister Netanyahu warned the population against possible longer stays in shelters. In large parts of the country, a state of emergency is currently in force.