Israel carried out a coordinated preemptive strike on Iran Thursday night, targeting key nuclear targets as it attempts to prevent the Islamic nation from acquiring a nuclear bomb.
The details: Dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” the strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, military leadership, nuclear scientists, and weapons facilities.
- 200 Israeli jets struck over 100 targets in five waves, including Iran’s Natanz and Parchin nuclear facilities.
- Iranian Generals Hossein Salami and Mohammad Bagheri were killed in an underground bunker.
- Top nuclear scientists working on bomb components were also reportedly killed.
Covert ops: WSJ reports that Israel’s Mossad spy agency smuggled explosive drones and other weapons into Iran, which they used to take out air defense systems, helping clear a path for Israel’s war planes.
Iran responded by firing over 100 retaliatory drones, but most were intercepted. The regime vowed revenge, posting on X: “Blood for blood.”
What is Netanyahu saying? The Israeli Prime Minister released a video which said:
- “This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat… In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium to produce nine atom bombs.”
Was the U.S. involved? Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement:
- “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense.”
What is Trump saying? This morning, the President wrote on Truth Social:
- “I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal… Certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse! … Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction.”
Back up: For weeks, there have been reports that the Trump administration had told Israel not to attack Iran while there was a possibility of a negotiated peace deal. However, according to Trump: “I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to ‘make a deal.’ They should have done it! Today is day 61.”
Zoom out: This is not the first highly coordinated attack Israel has carried out recently. In September, they covertly sold explosive-laden pagers and walkie‑talkies to Hezbollah and detonated them remotely, killing ~42 militants and injuring thousands.
Real talk from G: There are voices on the right, like Tucker Carlson, who oppose U.S. military action in Iran. I also oppose this. But I have no problem with Israel doing what they believe is in their best interest as long as it is not undermining the Trump administration’s attempts to negotiate peace. And according to reports, they had “a clear U.S. green light.”
The last word goes to Human Events Senior Editor Jack Posobiec, who wrote on X: “Never seen a military operation like this. If reports are accurate, a complete decapitation strike. Targeted assassinations of the entire General Staff”
