Jerusalem: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday characterised its joint airstrikes with the U.S. military as a necessary "deep strike" to neutralise long-term existential threats, asserting that the Iranian government has not abandoned its mission to destroy Israel.

In a formal statement, the IDF confirmed that the coordinated operation targeted dozens of military sites across Iran. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the regional conflict, with the Israeli military alleging that Tehran has spent recent months attempting to "fortify, protect, and conceal" its nuclear infrastructure despite previous setbacks.

"The Defence Forces and the U.S. Army have launched a broad and joint operation to deliver a deep strike against the Iranian terrorist regime and to eliminate existential threats to the State of Israel for a long period," the IDF stated.

Allegations of Rearmament

The Israeli military noted that since "Operation Rising Lion" in June 2025, it has tracked a persistent effort by the Iranian regime to rebuild its ballistic missile production capabilities. Furthermore, the IDF accused Tehran of continuing to "fund, train, and arm its proxies lurking on the Israeli borders."

These activities, the IDF argued, pose an immediate danger not only to Israel but to the broader stability of the Middle East and the international community.

High-Level Coordination

The operation, codenamed "Roaring Lion" by Israel and "Operation Epic Fury" by the Pentagon, was the result of months of secret, integrated planning between the IDF and the U.S. Army.

The IDF emphasised that its formations have undergone extensive preparation for both defensive manoeuvres and varied offensive contingencies. "The Defence Forces conducted a long preparation operation across all its formations for battle on both defensive levels and in various attack plans," the statement read.

Current Alert Status

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is currently conducting a situational assessment with senior commanders. Large-scale forces remain deployed in a state of high readiness across all fronts to respond to any retaliatory measures.

"The Defence Forces will continue to operate to cut off any threat forming against Israeli citizens at any time and place," the military concluded, urging the Israeli public to remain vigilant and strictly follow Home Front Command safety protocols as the operation continues.