Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical point with the large-scale military operation conducted by Israel against Iran in the early hours of today, Friday, June 13, 2025. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed the use of over 200 aircraft in the attack, which struck approximately 100 targets in Iran, including nuclear facilities, military sites, and residences of high-ranking officers (see AVIONEWS 1, 2, 3, 4).

The attack, named by Israel "Operation Rising Lion", had the declared objective of neutralizing the Iranian nuclear threat and led to the elimination of key figures in Tehran’s military leadership, as confirmed by both the IDF and Iranian state television as well as several international news agencies.

Among the most notable casualties are:

- General Hossein Salami, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). His death has been confirmed by Iranian state television and the IRGC itself.

- General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. His killing was reported by Iranian state media and confirmed by the IDF.

• General Gholam Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, the command body for Iranian emergency operations. His death was also confirmed by the same sources.

The IDF stated that the operation "significantly damaged" critical sites such as the Natanz uranium enrichment plant and that dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran were destroyed. Additional casualties include, according to Iranian media, noted nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, along with other military commanders and personnel.

Iran’s response was immediate and resolute. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that Israel would receive "severe punishment" for the attack. In the hours following the Israeli raids, Iran launched an initial reprisal that included over 100 drones directed toward Israel as retaliation for the actions taken against it.

The escalation had immediate repercussions on the region: airports were temporarily closed and airspace over Israel and Iran was restricted, forcing numerous global airlines to reschedule their routes to avoid the conflict zone. The international community watches developments with growing concern as the escalation of the nascent conflict intensifies in these hours.