Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran on Friday morning, targeting nuclear sites, missile facilities and other military infrastructure. The strikes were also a major blow to Iran’s chain of command, killing top generals.

Iran vowed a harsh response, and launched at least 100 drones in an initial wave. There were no immediate indications of significant damage caused by the drones, and it was not clear if they succeeded in penetrating Israel’s airspace.

Tehran

Residents of the Iranian capital reported hearing huge explosions and seeing Israeli fighter jets. Iranian state television broadcast images of smoke and fire billowing from buildings.

Israel attacked military bases around Tehran, including Parchin. Multiple residential buildings were also attacked, including highly secure complexes for military commanders, in what appears to be targeted assassinations, according to four senior Iranian officials.

Natanz nuclear enrichment complex

Social media footage verified by The Times, as well as an Iranian news report, show flames and thick black smoke billowing from the Natanz nuclear enrichment complex.

Natanz is Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility. It is where Iran has produced the vast majority of its nuclear fuel — and, in the past three years, much of the near-bomb-grade fuel that has put the country on the threshold of building nuclear weapons.

Tabriz

Tabriz, a city located in northern western Iran, was under multiple rounds of attacks on Friday.

Social media footage verified by The Times shows that an airport in the city was hit by Israeli strikes.

Large plumes of thick black smoke were seen over Tabriz as several apparent strikes continued to hit the area.

Fears grew that the long-simmering tensions between the heavily armed rivals could explode into a full-blown regional war.

Israel released footage of its air force striking Iranian ballistic missiles that it says were aimed at the Jewish state.

Before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, the Mossad set up a drone base in Iran, according to a senior Israeli security official. Once Israel’s strikes began, the drones were activated and launched toward surface-to-surface missile launchers, which the official said posed a risk to Israeli civilians.

ISRAEL ATTACKS IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES, FENDS OFF RETALIATORY BARRAGE OF DRONES

In a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote in Hebrew that the Iranian ballistic missiles targeted in the strike were aimed at Israel. Additionally, a military official told reporters that Israel was working to combat what it considered to be an “immediate, concrete threat” to its citizens. 

Early Friday morning Israel time, Jerusalem launched Operation Rising Lion, a historic attack on Iran with the goal of stopping Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

The Mossad, Israel’s equivalent of the CIA, carried out a series of covert operations inside Iran ahead of Israel’s preemptive attack. According to a senior Israeli security official, Mossad commando units deployed precision-guided weapons systems into open areas near Iranian surface-to-air missile systems. As Israel’s attack began, the systems were armed and launched at targets.

Israel released video of it striking surface-to-surface missiles in Iran as part of Operation Rising Lion on June 13, 2025. (IDF)

SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO: UNITED STATES ‘NOT INVOLVED IN STRIKES AGAINST IRAN’

Additionally, the official said that there was a separate operation targeting Iranian air defense capabilities that threatened Israeli fighter jets. The Mossad secretly set up strike systems which “completely destroyed” the targeted defense systems.

The official also stated that the Mossad was able to establish a drone base in Iran, which was used during the attack to target surface-to-surface missile launchers. The official said that the launchers posed a threat to Israeli civilians.

Smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

Israel claims it has taken out the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Air Force commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, as well as “the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Commander of the IRGC, and the Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command.” Additionally, Israel said it struck Iran’s largest uranium enrichment site.

Israel has carried out a series of air strikes on Iran, targeting military facilities, nuclear sites and residential areas of the capital, Tehran, and killing at least two senior military commanders and top nuclear scientists.

The strikes early on Friday come amid simmering tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and appeared certain to trigger a reprisal. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that “severe punishment” would be directed at Israel. Hours later, Israel’s military said it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation.

An Israeli official said the interceptions were taking place outside Israeli territory but did not elaborate. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity, pending a formal announcement.