Published on: June 13, 2025 5:09 pm
Operation Rising Lion – Israel’s Largest Strike on Iran in Decades
In the early hours of June 13, 2025, Israel launched a massive coordinated military strike on multiple Iranian facilities. The operation, named “Operation Rising Lion,” reportedly involved over 200 Israeli fighter jets, targeting more than 100 Iranian military and nuclear sites. Among the dead are six high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientists, marking one of the most significant escalations in the region in recent history.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike was aimed at halting Iran’s advancing nuclear weapons program, which Israel views as an existential threat.
👨🔬 Who Were the Nuclear Scientists Killed?
🧠 Key Figures Targeted in the Israeli Airstrikes
According to Iranian media outlets, the following nuclear scientists were killed:
📌 1. Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi
Former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and a high-ranking member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Abbasi had long been on Mossad’s radar for his alleged role in covert nuclear weapons development.
📌 2. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi
President of Islamic Azad University and a noted theoretical physicist involved in nuclear fusion research.
📌 3. Abdulhamid Minouchehr
Senior engineer at the Fordow uranium enrichment facility.
📌 4. Ahmadreza Zolfaghari
A nuclear safety expert who oversaw Iran’s internal enrichment inspections.
📌 5. Seyyed Amirhossein Faqhi
Physicist involved in high-speed centrifuge development.
📌 6. Motlabizadeh
A nuclear technician involved in laser isotope separation.
These individuals were allegedly killed when bunker-busting missiles hit the Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear research centres.
🔗 Related: Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Program: A Timeline of Tensions
🌍 Global Reactions and Geopolitical Fallout
🗣️ Iran’s Immediate Response
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei called the strike a “declaration of war”, promising “severe consequences”. Iranian state TV aired footage of destroyed facilities and mass funerals for the deceased scientists.
Tehran temporarily shut down its airspace, and military units have been placed on maximum alert.
🛑 U.S. and International Community Call for Restraint
The United States officially denied any involvement in the operation but emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that nuclear diplomacy with Iran would continue as planned in Oman on June 15.
Meanwhile, the European Union, Turkey, China, and Russia urged both countries to avoid further escalation. Oil prices spiked nearly 6% following the attack, indicating global economic repercussions.
🔗 Read more: How Oil Prices Respond to Middle East Conflicts
🛡️ Why Did Israel Strike Now?
Israel claims that Iran was weeks away from “breakout capability” — the point at which it could produce a nuclear bomb. The operation was reportedly greenlit following IAEA warnings about hidden uranium enrichment sites and new IRGC missile movements.
The strike reflects a shift from Israel’s usual strategy of covert sabotage and targeted assassinations to full-scale preemptive strikes.
☢️ What the IAEA and Experts Are Saying
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that radiation levels remain normal at all affected sites. However, the destruction of key centrifuge facilities could set back Iran’s nuclear timeline by years.
Nuclear expert Dr. Hans Kriegler told Public Scoop:
“This strike was not just military — it was surgical. The targeting of specific scientific personnel shows a clear objective: decapitation of Iran’s nuclear brain trust.”
🧭 What Comes Next? Risks of Broader War
There is growing concern that Iran may retaliate via proxy groups in Lebanon (Hezbollah) or through cyber warfare. The Israeli military has raised alert levels in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and along the northern border.
Additionally, analysts warn that this could trigger a broader regional war, involving the Gulf States, U.S. forces in Iraq, and even Russia, which maintains intelligence-sharing ties with Tehran.
🔗 Also read: Israel and Iran: A History of Shadow Warfare
📌 Conclusion
The deaths of six senior nuclear scientists in Israeli airstrikes mark a pivotal moment in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. As global powers urge de-escalation, the risk of a full-blown regional conflict looms larger than ever. The next few days may determine whether this was a one-time precision strike or the opening move in a prolonged war.