A Deep Dive into Iran’s Nuclear Hubs: The Story of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion🎯

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Operation Rising Lion: Israel Strikes Deep Inside Iran

In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israel launched a series of pre-dawn airstrikes deep inside Iranian territory on Friday under an operation it has named Rising Lion. Dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets struck multiple high-value nuclear and military sites, including Iran’s principal uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, where thick black smoke was seen rising for hours after the initial wave of attacks.

Assassination of IRGC Commander🕵️‍♂️

Iranian state television later confirmed the assassination of Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), describing it as a “direct operation by Zionist forces.” Salami, a key architect of Iran’s regional proxy warfare, was one of the country’s most influential military figures. Iranian media also reported the deaths of another senior IRGC commander—whose identity remains undisclosed—and two prominent nuclear scientists associated with Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The government has declared a period of national mourning. 🏴

Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Core⚛️

At the heart of the assault was the sprawling Natanz complex in Isfahan province—long viewed as the centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Parts of the facility are buried deep beneath Iran’s desert plains to shield them from attack.

Footage on Iranian state media and satellite images show fires near the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP). While the main underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) is more resilient, even surface-level damage could hamper operations at this fortified site.

This is Israel’s most direct assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure since the Stuxnet cyberattack over a decade ago. 💻

Iran’s Nuclear Infrastructure: A Snapshot🧪

Iran has advanced its uranium enrichment program significantly, shrinking its estimated “breakout time” to produce a nuclear bomb to mere weeks, down from over a year under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates Iran holds enough 60% enriched uranium which, if enriched to 90%, could yield nearly four nuclear warheads. Iran maintains its program is for peaceful purposes only.

Key Nuclear Facilities Targeted or at Risk📍

  • Fordow: Iran’s most fortified site, buried deep inside a mountain near Qom. Houses over 1,000 centrifuges, including advanced IR-6 models capable of enriching uranium to 60% purity.
  • Isfahan: Contains the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) where yellowcake is turned into uranium hexafluoride gas for enrichment.
  • Khondab (Arak): Originally a heavy water reactor for plutonium production, now redesigned to limit this capability under the JCPOA.
  • Tehran Research Reactor: Used for research and medical purposes; trains Iran’s next generation of nuclear scientists.
  • Bushehr: Iran’s only operational civilian nuclear power plant, fueled by Russian-supplied uranium returned to Russia after use.

Tehran Under Fire🚨

Residents in Tehran reported being jolted awake by explosions and air raid sirens early Friday. Smoke was seen rising from Chitgar in western Tehran, though no nuclear facilities are located there.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority closed the country’s airspace, while Israel locked down its own airspace and put its borders on high alert. 🔒✈️

What’s Next?⚔️

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed responsibility for the strikes and warned: “Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.” 🎯

Stay tuned for more updates as this crisis unfolds.

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