Operation ‘Rising Lion’ Targets Tehran’s Nuclear Program, Escalates Regional Tensions
Etawah Today International Desk | June 2025
In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel launched a powerful military operation early Friday morning, striking deep inside Iranian territory. The airstrikes — dubbed Operation ‘Rising Lion’ — reportedly targeted key nuclear and military installations in Tehran and surrounding areas.
According to Israeli officials, the goal of the operation was to disrupt Iran’s nuclear capabilities, especially amid rising concerns over Tehran’s uranium enrichment efforts. The timing is notable, as the strikes occurred just before nuclear talks were scheduled between Iran and the United States in Oman.
Iranian state media has confirmed the death of Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami, along with two prominent nuclear scientists: Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. The US, while denying any involvement, acknowledged the regional instability. Former President Donald Trump warned a day prior that “it could be a dangerous place.”
🔥 From Revolution to Retaliation: A Timeline of Hostility
The Israel-Iran rivalry spans decades, rooted in deep ideological and strategic divisions:
- 1979 – Iran’s Islamic Revolution ousts the Shah, ending ties with Israel and labeling it an enemy.
- 1982 – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard aids in founding Hezbollah during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.
- 1992–94 – Bombings in Argentina, allegedly linked to Iran and Hezbollah, target Jewish sites.
- 2002 – Iran’s covert nuclear enrichment program comes to light, drawing global concern.
- 2006 – A month-long war erupts between Israel and Hezbollah, ending in a stalemate.
- 2010 – The Stuxnet cyberattack (attributed to US-Israeli intelligence) cripples Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.
- 2018 – Trump exits the Iran nuclear deal; Israel supports the move and increases regional strikes.
- 2020 – US drone strike kills Iranian General Qassem Soleimani; Israel supports the action.
- 2021 – Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh assassinated; Tehran blames Israel.
- 2022 – US-Israel sign “Jerusalem Declaration,” pledging to prevent Iran from going nuclear.
- 2024 (April) – Suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus triggers direct Iranian missile attacks on Israel.
- 2024 (October) – Iran launches 180 missiles following assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders; Israel retaliates with strikes on Tehran.
- 2025 (June) – ‘Rising Lion’ marks Israel’s boldest operation yet, signaling a new phase of direct confrontation.
