Jerusalem: In a series of high-level official statements, Israel has confirmed the launch of Operation Rising Lion, a wide-ranging military strike targeting Iran’s nuclear programme and elite military infrastructure.

Captain Ella, head of the Arabic media desk in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, announced that dozens of Israeli warplanes carried out a comprehensive preemptive attack on Iranian military and nuclear targets, acting on what officials called "high-quality intelligence." The strikes, conducted under political authorisation, aimed to disrupt Iran’s “strategic threat” to the State of Israel.

According to the IDF, the strikes hit multiple locations across Iran, including nuclear facilities and military compounds, and were framed as a direct response to Iran’s long-standing aggression against Israel through both direct missile attacks and proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

In a second statement shared by Captain Ella, the IDF Chief of Staff declared: “We began the attack because the hour has come. We have reached the point of no return… Freedom is granted to those willing to fight for it.”

He added that Israel was engaged in a “historic battle to prevent an existential threat,” and invoked the memory of the Holocaust, saying that unlike in the past, Israel now acts “as a state and a regional power.”

While urging civilians to follow Home Front Command guidelines, the IDF stated it is prepared for both offensive and defensive scenarios. Ground and home front preparations have also been initiated to ensure civilian safety.

The Israeli military emphasised that Iran has come dangerously close to achieving nuclear weapons capability and accused Tehran of fuelling regional terrorism.

As Operation Rising Lion unfolds, global observers fear a broader regional war, with Iran's retaliatory response still pending.