ISRAEL HITS OVER 1,100 IRANIAN TARGETS, INCLUDING NUCLEAR SITES, IN OFFENSIVE SWEEPING

Jerusalem, Israel – In an unprecedented and devastating offensive, Israel has announced that its forces have struck over 1,100 Iranian targets since launching its major military operation, "Operation Rising Lion," last Friday. This relentless campaign marks the most significant direct assault on Iran in decades, aiming to cripple its nuclear program and degrade its military capabilities.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, confirmed the extensive scope of the strikes in a press conference this morning. He stated that the targets hit since the early hours of Friday morning include a wide array of Iranian assets, encompassing nuclear facilities, missile launch and storage sites, military bases, command centers, and even elements of Iran's energy infrastructure and state media.

Defrin highlighted the intensity of the offensive, noting that the Israeli Air Force has launched hundreds of sorties, deploying fighter jets, bombers, and drones deep into Iranian territory. He emphasized that the operation is ongoing and not nearing its end, with the primary objective being to remove the "existential threat" posed by Iran's nuclear program and its extensive missile arsenal.

According to the IDF, the strikes have achieved significant results:

 *Nuclear Facilities: While some of Iran's deeply buried nuclear sites, like Fordow, are reportedly difficult to damage with conventional munitions, significant damage has been reported at the Natanz nuclear facility, a key enrichment site. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz, and thousands of centrifuges are believed to have been damaged or destroyed. Other parts of the Isfahan nuclear site have also sustained damage.

 *Military Infrastructure: Israeli forces have targeted and reportedly eliminated roughly one-third of Iran's ballistic missile launch systems. Strikes have hit missile complexes near Tabriz and Kermanshah, and military bases and IRGC facilities across the country. The IDF also confirmed the assassination of Major General Ali Shadmani, Iran's wartime chief of staff, in a Tehran airstrike, and other top military leaders, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, and Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, have also been reported killed.

 * Air Defense Systems: Israel has methodically targeted Iran's air defense network, claiming to have destroyed over 70 Iranian air defense systems since the beginning of the operation. This concerted effort has enabled Israel to establish significant air superiority over western Iran and Tehran, facilitating deeper and more effective strikes.

 * Other Targets: The offensive has extended to other strategic targets, including oil refineries in Tehran and Isfahan provinces, aiming to exacerbate Iran's ongoing energy crisis. In a highly symbolic move, Israel also struck Iran's state television broadcaster after warning specific neighborhoods in Tehran to evacuate state installations.

The Israeli government has framed "Operation Rising Lion" as a preemptive and necessary measure, asserting that Iran was "closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon" and has publicly vowed to destroy Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that these strikes are "nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days."

While Israel claims to be striking the "terror regime, not the people," Iranian state media reports have indicated significant civilian casualties. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has stated that over 224 people have been killed in Iran since Friday, with many being civilians. Reports from the ground describe widespread destruction, and thousands of Iranians are reportedly fleeing Tehran, creating traffic jams and fuel shortages as they seek refuge in other parts of the country or even in neighboring Armenia.

This unprecedented scale of direct military action against Iran marks a new and dangerous chapter in the Middle East, with profound implications for regional stability and global security.