Tel Aviv
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) carried out a major airstrike campaign in Iran, destroying more than 35 missile storage and launch facilities, according to an official IDF statement on Friday. Over 25 Israeli Air Force jets struck military targets in Iran’s Kermanshah and Tiberias regions early in the morning.
In a post on X, the IDF said that the operation was guided by precise intelligence and aimed at expanding Israel’s air superiority in Iranian skies. Missile systems and radar sites in Isfahan and Tehran were also hit to prevent interference with Israeli aircraft.
Later, the IDF revealed an even larger attack had taken place overnight. Over 60 fighter jets targeted Iranian sites in Tehran, including factories producing missile parts and raw materials for rocket engines. These strikes also hit the headquarters of Iran’s Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which has long been linked to Iran’s nuclear weapons development.
The IDF claimed to have eliminated three Iranian missile launchers that were aimed at Israel, along with a military commander responsible for their deployment. Israeli officials said the targeted facilities were critical to Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The wave of attacks marks a significant escalation in the conflict, which began last Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched "Operation Rising Lion" in response to growing nuclear threats from Iran. Tehran responded with swift retaliation, heightening fears of a broader war in the region.
The IDF declared it would continue to strike targets inside Iran to ensure air dominance and reduce the Iranian regime’s ability to produce and launch missiles aimed at Israel.