New Delhi: A dramatic escalation of the Israeli-Iranian conflict unfolded over the weekend, marked by a brutal exchange of missile strikes and counterstrikes. The war ignited with Israel’s attack on defence infrastructure and nuclear scientists, prompting Tehran’s swift and forceful retaliation. This new wave of violence, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion” by Israel, has been the most intense and direct confrontation between the two nations in recent history.
The attacks were swift and decisive from both sides. Israel targeted key Iranian infrastructure, including the Iranian Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tehran, the headquarters of the SPND (Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research) nuclear project, and other unspecified targets. The Israeli government framed the operation as a direct response to perceived Iranian threats. Reports indicate that the strikes resulted in significant casualties on both sides, including the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian generals, among them the military intelligence chief.
“The targets included the Iranian Ministry of Defense headquarters, the headquarters of the SPND (Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research) nuclear project, and additional targets,” the Israeli ministry said in a statement as per AFP.
Iran responded in kind, with its Revolutionary Guards claiming responsibility for attacks using missiles and drones targeting Israeli energy infrastructure and fighter jet fuel production facilities. The attacks came under the banner of “Operation Honest Promise 3.” Iran specifically stated that the Shahran oil depot in Tehran was targeted in an Israeli strike, although authorities reported the situation was under control despite resulting fires at an oil refinery near the capital.
The exchange of blows ignited widespread panic and fear. Early Sunday morning, air raid sirens blared across Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with missiles streaking across the sky and interceptor rockets deployed. Explosions rocked both cities. The intense bombardment prompted the cancellation of planned nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, mediated by Oman. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the current attacks were merely a prelude to further, more significant action.
The intensity of the conflict has drawn international attention. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Israel’s previous airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility caused internal radiological and chemical contamination, although external radiation levels remained safe.
The human cost of the conflict is staggering. Israel’s ambulance service reported three fatalities and ten injuries from an earlier missile strike. Iran, for its part, claimed significantly higher casualties, citing dozens of deaths, including children, from a missile strike that brought down a 14-story apartment building in Tehran.
