By The South Asia Times

TEHRAN — In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel launched a large-scale aerial assault on key Iranian military and nuclear sites early Friday, killing at least six senior Iranian military officials, including the country’s top armed forces commander, as well as several nuclear scientists. The unprecedented strike, described by Israeli sources as a “pre-emptive defensive action,” has been met with fierce condemnation from Iran, which has vowed a “decisive and punishing” response.

Codenamed Operation Rising Lion, the Israeli offensive reportedly involved over 200 aircraft, long-range drones, and precision-guided missiles. The attacks struck over 100 targets across Iran, including in Tehran, Isfahan, Natanz, and Shiraz. Among the most significant targets were nuclear enrichment sites, missile factories, IRGC command posts, and radar installations.

According to Iranian media and state officials, key defense systems were bypassed or overwhelmed during the strike, raising serious questions about Iran’s early warning and air defense infrastructure.

Iranian authorities have confirmed the deaths of multiple high-ranking officials, including:

• General Mohammad Bagheri – Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces

• Major General Hossein Salami – Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

• Major General Amir Ali Hajizadeh – Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force

• General Gholam Ali Rashid – Head of Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Command

• Brigadier General Esmail Qaani – Leader of the Quds Force (unconfirmed reports of critical injury or death)

• Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani – Senior nuclear physicist and former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization

At least five other senior nuclear and missile scientists were reportedly killed in secondary strikes on Natanz and Arak, according to Western intelligence sources.

⚠️ Iranian Response: "This Is War"

In a fiery televised speech, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the attack a “brazen act of war” and vowed that “Israel will pay a heavy price.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council and issued a statement promising a “strategic retaliation at a time and place of our choosing.”

Already, Iran has launched a wave of retaliatory drones and missiles targeting southern Israel, though the Israeli military claims the majority were intercepted by its Iron Dome and Arrow systems.

🌍 Global Reactions

• United States: While distancing itself from the operation, Washington reaffirmed its commitment to Israel’s security. President Trump called the strike “a wake-up call to Tehran.”

• Russia and China: Both condemned the attack, calling it a violation of international law and warning of regional destabilization.

• United Nations: The UN Secretary-General called for “maximum restraint,” warning that a full-scale conflict could engulf the region.

• Oil markets: Crude oil prices surged over 8% within hours of the strike, reflecting fears of broader conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.

⏭️ What Comes Next?

With both nations now locked in open hostility, the world is bracing for a broader confrontation. Analysts fear that Tehran may unleash its regional proxies, including Hezbollah and groups in Iraq and Yemen, to retaliate against Israeli and U.S. interests.

Meanwhile, Israeli cities are on high alert, and military reservists have been mobilized.

As tensions reach a boiling point, one thing is clear: the Middle East has entered a new and far more dangerous phase.

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