From 'Rising Lion' to 'True Promise III': How 12 Days of War Nearly Ignited World War Three

The devastated buildings in Tehran depict the outcome of the 12 days of war between Israel and Iran which nearly ignited World War Three. (Credit: Instagram)

The most dangerous twelve days in modern Middle Eastern history ended with a fragile ceasefire on 24 June 2025, after Israel's devastating 'Operation Rising Lion' and Iran's retaliatory 'Operation True Promise III' , and America's nuclear-targeting 'Operation Midnight Hammer' brought the world closer to global conflict than any crisis since the Cuban Missile standoff.

What began as Israel's pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Iran transformed into a regional conflagration that killed hundreds of civilians, triggered massive refugee movements, and forced US President Donald Trump to broker an emergency ceasefire between two nations whose mutual destruction could have spiralled beyond control.