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Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran on Friday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing what he called "Operation Rising Lion" in response to what Israeli officials described as concrete Iranian plans to destroy the Jewish state.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it had uncovered evidence of Iranian preparations for a "combined ground offensive against Israel on multiple fronts simultaneously," according to a military statement released Friday. The IDF accused Iran of manufacturing "tens of thousands of missiles and UAVs" while pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.
Netanyahu announced the operation in a video statement as Israeli aircraft began striking targets inside Iran. "We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history," Netanyahu said. "Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat."
Israeli officials said the strikes targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile production sites and military commanders, describing the action as the beginning of an extended campaign aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Israeli military officials said their intelligence analysis revealed coordination between Iranian leadership and commanders from Hamas and Hezbollah, indicating Tehran's plans to "re-arm the terrorist organisations." The IDF claimed to have discovered what it characterized as Iran's "Destruction of Israel Plan."
"The State of Israel was left with no choice," the military statement said. "The IDF is obligated to act in order to defend the citizens of the State of Israel and will continue to do so."
Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of Iranian retaliation, which materialized Friday evening when Iran launched more than 100 drones toward Israeli territory.
The escalation represents a significant intensification of the longstanding conflict between the two regional powers, marking the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged conducting such extensive operations against Iranian territory.
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