June 13, 2025. A dramatic escalation in Middle East tensions unfolded on Friday as Israel launched a large-scale aerial assault against multiple strategic targets across Iran, including nuclear facilities, air defense systems, and high-ranking military and scientific figures tied to Tehran's nuclear program.

Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of several top commanders, including Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff; General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; and General Gholam Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam ol-Anbiya airbase.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the mission targeted Iran’s uranium enrichment plant in Natanz and its ballistic missile program. The operation reportedly involved around 200 fighter jets and is being described as the most extensive assault on Iranian soil since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the attack as “an act of war,” promising a retaliation with “no limits.” Shortly after the airstrikes, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israeli territory. Israeli media reported that most had been intercepted.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised the attack as “excellent” and claimed Iran had brought this upon itself by refusing a new nuclear deal. The U.S. government denied direct involvement in the operation.

The price of crude oil surged by nearly 9% amid fears of a wider regional conflict threatening global energy supplies.

Israeli intelligence sources confirmed that Mossad operatives were active inside Iran ahead of the strikes, conducting covert missions against Iran’s strategic missile facilities.

The world now watches with growing concern as the prospect of full-scale war looms between the two regional powerhouses.