Israel Says It Conducted Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites, Asserts Air Control

Israel Claims Air Superiority Over Tehran, Strikes 40 Sites in Massive Overnight Offensive.

In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, the Israeli military on Saturday claimed to have secured control of Iranian airspace from the country’s western border all the way to the capital, Tehran. The announcement follows a large-scale aerial assault reportedly involving 70 Israeli fighter jets under what is being dubbed Operation Rising Lion.

“We have established aerial freedom of action from western Iran to Tehran,” said IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin in a press briefing. “Tehran is no longer immune. The capital is exposed to Israeli strikes.”

According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the overnight offensive targeted approximately 40 strategic sites, including air defense systems, command hubs, and nuclear infrastructure. “Dozens of aircraft are flying freely over Tehran, thanks to the opening strikes that dismantled Iranian air defenses,” Defrin added.

IDF Releases Footage, Claims High-Profile Casualties
The IDF also released video footage purportedly showing precision strikes on Iranian targets, including sensitive nuclear and military installations. According to Israeli intelligence assessments, at least 20 senior Iranian military officials were killed, among them Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s military chief, who was said to have overseen key missile operations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the strikes had inflicted “serious damage” on Iran’s nuclear program, claiming the attacks had set back Iranian nuclear ambitions by “several years.” He also warned, “Every target of the Ayatollah regime is within our reach.”

Iranian Casualties Mount as Conflict Deepens
The strikes come in response to Iran’s barrage of ballistic missiles fired at Israel late Friday, which left three people dead and 70 others wounded in Tel Aviv and surrounding regions.

Iranian state media confirmed multiple casualties from Saturday’s Israeli attacks. Three members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were reportedly killed in northwestern Iran, while a police chief and an officer died in a drone strike around 300 kilometers from Tehran.

With tensions spiraling between the two longstanding regional adversaries, fears of a broader Middle East conflict continue to grow. Diplomatic efforts for de-escalation have so far yielded little.