Tehran Reports Heavy Damage and Vows Retaliation as Conflict Escalates, Raising Fears of Regional War

JERUSALEM — Israel unleashed a series of devastating airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure early Friday morning, June 12, 2025, targeting key facilities in a pre-emptive operation codenamed “Operation Rising Lion.” The strikes, which killed several high-ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, have escalated tensions between the two nations, raising global concerns about the potential for a broader Middle East conflict. Iranian state media reported significant damage to military and residential buildings, while Israel described the operation as a necessary step to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that over 100 aircraft, including F-35 stealth fighters and drones, struck dozens of targets across Iran, focusing on nuclear sites, missile production facilities, and air defense systems. Among the targets were the Parchin military complex near Tehran, where satellite imagery showed three buildings involved in ballistic missile fuel production were destroyed, and the Khojir missile production site, which suffered significant damage. Additionally, strikes hit at least six military bases around Tehran, a compound housing senior military commanders at Shahrak Shahid Mahalati, and three residential buildings, which were demolished, according to Iranian officials.

Iranian state television reported that the strikes killed several prominent figures, including Gen. Hossein Salami, commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, commander in chief of Iran’s armed forces, and Gen. Gholamali Rashid, deputy commander of the armed forces. Two nuclear scientists, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, were also killed when their homes were targeted. Iranian state media described the attacks as a “heinous crime” and broadcast images of smoke and fire billowing from buildings in Tehran, Isfahan, Arak, and Kermanshah.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the strikes in a statement read on state television, declaring, “Israel should anticipate a harsh punishment. The strong hand of the Islamic Republic will not let them go.” He emphasized that the loss of senior military commanders and scientists would not deter Iran’s resolve. A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously, told The New York Times that Iran’s fighter jets had scrambled to intercept Israeli warplanes, but the scale of the attack overwhelmed air defenses. Iran’s Foreign Ministry asserted its “right to self-defense” and vowed a “proportional reaction” to Israel’s aggression.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, stating, “Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” The IDF claimed the strikes were a response to Iran’s “relentless attacks” since October 7, 2023, including a barrage of 180 ballistic missiles launched at Israel on October 1, 2024. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesman, added, “This is a clear message—those who threaten the State of Israel will pay a heavy price.”

The strikes have caused widespread disruption in Iran, with civilian flights grounded and airspace over Iraq and Syria closed temporarily. Residents of Tehran reported hearing “huge explosions” and seeing tracer fire illuminating the night sky. A 40-year-old accountant in eastern Tehran, Shahrzad, told The Washington Post, “I heard explosions in many different areas, as well as fighter jets howling by. It didn’t feel like just air defense.”

International reactions have been swift and varied. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the strikes a “unilateral action” and clarified that the United States was not involved, emphasizing that the Trump administration’s priority is “protecting American forces in the region.” The United Nations’ atomic energy watchdog confirmed that Iran’s nuclear facilities were not directly impacted, with IAEA director general Rafael Grossi urging “prudence and restraint.” Saudi Arabia condemned the attack as a “violation of Iranian sovereignty,” while Russia warned of an “explosive escalation.”

Updates indicate that Iran is holding high-level meetings to determine its response, with some officials suggesting a retaliatory strike could target Israeli infrastructure. Posts on X reflect heightened tensions, with one user, @WorldWar3Mapper, reporting that Israel’s strikes on Tehran’s air defenses are “only a warm-up,” and an Israeli official warning of “days of battle.” Another post by @VasBroughtToX claimed unverified reports of strikes on the Natanz nuclear facility, though the IAEA has not confirmed this.

The strikes mark a significant escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, which has intensified since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli operations against Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah. Analysts warn that the targeted killings of Iran’s military and scientific elite could provoke a severe response, potentially drawing in global powers and disrupting oil supplies. As both nations brace for further developments, the world watches anxiously, with fears of a catastrophic regional war looming large.