At dawn on June 13, 2025, Israel launched a sweeping military campaign against Iran, striking key nuclear and military sites in a bold escalation of long-standing hostilities. Dubbed Operation Rising Lion, the strikes focused on crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including a direct hit on the Natanz uranium enrichment facility near Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation as a critical preemptive step, warning that Iran was "nearing the point of no return" in its nuclear weapons development. "We had no choice," he said. "The threat to Israel's existence was imminent."
