Israel launches Operation “Rising Lion”, Striking multiple targets inside Iran, including its nuclear facilities.

Part one, Israel’s strike on Iran.

By. Scott Jackson


06/13/2025

(Buckle up folks, this is going to be a lengthy one. part two tomorrow. -Scott) 

As reported last night Israel, early on Friday morning (local time), launched a series of strikes all across Iran with a focus on targets across thr capital of Tehran as well as a number of Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Surprisingly some of the strikes were confirmed to have been launched by Mossad agents operating inside of Iran, a tactic Israel has used in the past for smaller scale operations. As the operation began this was the first video I noticed being circulated around.

A view of some of the first strike to hit Tehran.

Even now, almost a full 24 hours after this strike we don’t know Israel’s full intentions in this operation however we have a better idea of what they managed to hit. Israel conducted heavy SEAD and DEAD missions striking this radar station located in the Hamadan province.

Iranian Early warning Radar struck in the Hamadan providence. Shown several hours after it was struck when the sun came up. A majority of the strikes happened in the early morning.
35.185878°N 48.271270°E

Following the path back from Tehran over the radar site and past Iraq puts us in Deir ez-Zor,Syria where Israeli jets were filmed refueling from their Boeing 707 tanker jets.

Reportedly shows a IDF fighter refueling above Deir ez-Zor, Syria Friday morning.

At this point I’d like to include a statement put out by the IDF.

“A short while ago, following the directive of the political echelon, the IDF launched a preemptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence to strike Iran’s nuclear program, and in response to the Iranian regime’s ongoing aggression against Israel. A short while, dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.

The public is requested to follow the instructions of the IDF Home Front Command, which will be updated as necessary, and act calmly and responsibly. The IDF and the relevant authorities are prepared for a wide range of scenarios in defense and offense that may be needed.

For years, the Iranian regime has been waging a direct and indirect campaign of terror against the State of Israel, by funding and directing terrorist activities via its proxies across the Middle East, while advancing toward obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is at the head of the axis responsible for all terrorist attacks against the State of Israel since the beginning of the “Swords of Iron” War, including by arming and funding the Hamas terror organization which was responsible for the October 7th Massacre. During the “Swords of Iron” War, Iran even directly attacked Israel twice, firing hundreds of missiles toward the State of Israel.

The Iranian regime has proclaimed that its objective is to destroy the State of Israel. Senior officials in the Iranian regime have publicly declared their intent to destroy Israel, and are operating to achieve this together with their proxies in the Middle East. Today, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iranian regime are an existential threat to the State of Israel and a significant threat to the wider world. The State of Israel will not allow a regime whose objective is to destroy the State of Israel to obtain weapons of mass destruction.

The IDF has conducted a process of preparations for a campaign on the frontline and on the home front. The resilience of Israel’s citizens will be an important factor of the campaign.

The IDF is ready to continue to act as required. The State of Israel has the obligation to act in defense of its citizens and will continue to do so everywhere it is required to do so, as we have done in the past.

The IDF is conducting an ongoing situational assessment and will update on any developments.”

-Statement released to the people of Israel frim the IDF.

It was around this point that AIs Senator Marco Rubio put out his statement. The most important part from that was that Israel had taken unilateral action and that the U.S. was not involved, but that the U.S. was advised that Israel viewed it as necessary for their self defense.

Around 9:00 pm (Eastern Standard time) Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin put out a statement saying that Irans nuclear program had been attacked but that the IDF had also focused on targeting Irans nuclear scientist and ballistic missile program. That fit with videos we were already seeing showing strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile storage bases, showing probably the most secondary explosions I’ve ever seen at once as hundreds of ballistic missiles and other munitions cook off after the strike.

Ballistic missile base in Piranshahr,.

At around 9:30Pm (5:00AM in Iran) Iranian media announced that their enormous nuclear site at Natanz was struck overnight. Around this same time I was seeing videos coming in from the capital, Tehran. Israel has multitasked this operation, striking at Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp, IRGC, leadership. Multiple videos and images showed penthouse and high level apartments that were struck with precision munitions, killing Hossein Salami Iran Revolutionary Guards chief, Hossein Salami, along with Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri chief of staff of the Iranian armed Forces. Both were killed along with others in the first wave of strikes.

After this was announced Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said this,

(Israel)…should anticipate a harsh punishment. The strong hand of the Islamic Republic will not let them go.” He added “ The Zionist regime with this crime has created a dark and painful fate for itself, and it will definitely receive it.”

Thanks to Planet Labs we have some amazing satellite images of some of the strikes. The first set is from the Tabriz missile base.

This one is the massive nuclear facility Natanz from last month. According to reports coming out of Iran this one is completely destroyed. I’m hoping to get some more images tomorrow.

A couple unconfirmed things I’ve heard. It appears that the F-14 Tomcats, the only combat F-14s left in the world might have been targeted. Also have reports that Iran lost many of its remaining F-4 phantoms.

This was a large strike and we’ve only scratched the surface here. I’ll have more as information is discovered.

I would like to split Iran’s response into a separate article just for the sake of making it easier for people to read and also because I believe it is still ongoing as I write this. So consider this Part One.


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