In recent months, Iran’s regime genuinely believed it was on the brink of destroying Israel. Emboldened by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and Israel’s perceived vulnerability, Tehran accelerated its nuclear weapons program, expanded missile stockpiles, and prepared for a surprise, multi-front assault it called the “Destruction of Israel” project. By early 2025, Israeli intelligence assessed Iran was only weeks from assembling a nuclear bomb, backed by thousands of missiles capable of overwhelming Israel’s defenses.
Faced with this existential threat, Israel’s security chiefs convinced political leaders to preemptively strike — ideally by June 2025, before Iran could finalize weaponization and reinforce its defenses. Coordinating secretly with the US, Israel planned a large-scale operation to cripple Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile launchers, air defenses, and eliminate key military commanders and nuclear scientists.
On June 13, Israel launched the surprise assault. Decoy operations and closely guarded planning helped catch Iran off guard. Within hours, Israeli jets had destroyed or damaged critical nuclear sites like Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo, along with missile stockpiles and underground launch facilities. Top Iranian military figures, including Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran’s missile and drone program, were killed.
Despite plans to fire hundreds of missiles in response, Iran’s first retaliation came 18 hours later, and even then, only 14% of the launched missiles struck populated areas. Damage in Israel was serious: 28 people died, thousands were injured, and vital sites like the Weizmann Institute and Soroka hospital were hit. Still, Israeli air supremacy, precise strikes, and US cooperation prevented far greater devastation.
After 12 days, Israel halted its offensive, believing further bombing would yield diminishing returns while risking higher casualties. Military leaders declared the mission achieved: Iran’s nuclear program was set back by years, its missile threat reduced, and key figures eliminated. Yet they cautioned this was not the end — Iran would almost certainly try to rebuild.
Iran’s propaganda responded with new banners in Tehran, signaling continued defiance. Meanwhile, Israel acknowledged that while it had prevented immediate destruction, Iran’s regime remained determined to wipe it out, and renewed vigilance would be essential.
Ultimately, Israel’s swift, secret, and devastating strike turned what could have been an existential disaster into a strategic, though temporary, reprieve.
