As Israel joins the United States in an unprecedented, combined attack against Iran, an Israeli military official has revealed real-time details behind the ongoing operation that has already sparked a regional confrontation.
The Israeli military official stated that the operation would go beyond the 12-Day War commenced by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in June of last year under the title of “Operation Rising Lion” and would not rule out leadership targets, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This time, the confrontation, known as “Operation Roaring Lion,” would go on “as long as necessary.”
“Our mission is to significantly reduce and degrade the Iranian regime’s capabilities,” an Israeli military official said in response to Newsweek‘s question during an early Saturday call.
“As we are speaking right now, they are an enormous threat, existential, for the stability of the region, for the United States, for the wider world, and this is a threat that is moving forward in a dangerous space.”
“And our mission right now is to have a deep and serious and thorough operation that has larger achievements than in Operation Rising Lion, in which we stopped them at the threshold from moving forward to a place that was too dangerous for us,” the Israeli official added.
‘Bigger Change’
“Right now, we’re operating to make a bigger change, hopefully for years to come to stop them from promoting their plans as they are, and we are looking at the military targets, at their military capabilities, at their terror capabilities and proxies, all of that machine that is calling for destruction that we want diminish as much as we can.”
Amid reports that Israeli strikes have targeted positions associated with Khamenei and other top Iranian officials, the Israeli military official stated that “a lot of their leadership is involved in promoting attacks against Israel and promoting the destruction against Israel. People who are involved in the plan to destroy Israel can be targets.”
Iranian Retaliation
Since launching the strikes in partnership with the U.S., the IDF has urged Israeli citizens to seek immediate shelter and warned of incoming Iranian missile strikes. The IDF is also reinforcing brigade-level combat teams across the northern, southern and central commands.
Reports have indicated that Iranian attacks have targeted not only Israel, but also U.S. bases across the region, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, explosions have been reported in Iraq as well, indicating potential strikes on Iran-aligned militia targets in the neighboring nation.
Failed Negotiations
The outbreak of a new conflict follows a nationwide protest movement suppressed with force by the Iranian government and U.S. threats of military action in response to reports of Iranian security forces using deadly force amid the demonstrations. President Donald Trump initiated renewed talks regarding Iran’s nuclear program last month, but after three rounds indicated on Friday that the negotiations had not produced satisfactory results.
Trump, while stating he preferred a deal, ordered a massive military build-up in the region, including the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the waters near the Persian Gulf and the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford near the coast of Israel. He asserted that a new confrontation would go beyond the U.S. intervention during the 12-Day War, which saw the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities.
No Nuclear Weapons, Ever
In an address published early Saturday morning to his Truth Social account, Trump alleged that Iran “rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore,” despite Iranian officials consistently denying their advanced nuclear program was ever intended to produce a weapon of mass destruction.
“The United States military has undertaken a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” Trump said. “We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally again obliterated.”
“We’re going to annihilate their navy. We’re going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs or roadside bombs, as they are sometimes called to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans, and we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon,” The president stated. “It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump Urges Iranians to ‘Take Your Government’
Trump also issued a direct message to the Iranian people, urging them to rise up against their government and offering amnesty to members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who opted to lay down their arms.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said. “This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond.”
“America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force,” Trump continued. “Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”
Iranian media has reported on the mobilization of the IRGC’s paramilitary Basij force, tasked with internal security. The first casualties reported in Iranian outlets have been those of students at two separate sites in Abyek and Minab. The UAE’s official news agency has also reported on one death amid the clash.
A spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces was quoted by Iranian media as saying that the Islamic Republic’s retaliation had only begun and any military installation deemed to be in support of the U.S. and Israel would prove a viable target.
