Trying again at Israel and Iran’s ‘12-day conflict’: Direct battle breaks out between arch-enemies

[ad_1] The specter of direct battle between Israel and Iran had been brewing for 20 years.

All through his lengthy political profession, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had repeatedly singled out the Iranian Republic as Israel’s primary enemy, saying its nuclear program had one aim: the destruction of the Jewish state.

In the meantime Iran had lengthy referred to as for Israel’s destruction and supplied arms for its opponents in Gaza and Lebanon.

What was unclear was how a battle between the 2 adversaries – each of which have appreciable army may – might play out.

The query was answered within the early hours of June 13, 2025, as explosions have been heard within the Iranian capital Tehran and Netanyahu introduced that operation “Rising Lion” had begun.

The armed battle between the 2 arch enemies drew in neighbouring international locations Jordan and Qatar in addition to the US, whose President Donald Trump dubbed it the “12-day conflict”.

Israel: Putting the guts of Iran’s regime and its nuclear program All through 2024, Iran and Israel had been launching small-scale assaults on one another, with Tehran firing missiles and drones at Israel whereas Tel Aviv’s fighter jets focused Iran’s missile launchers and aerial defences.

However the tit-for-tat skirmishes paled compared to Israel’s shock operation launched on June 13. In a single day, 200 planes focused army websites all through Iran and the regime’s main nuclear websites at Natanz, Fordo and Isfahan.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/cdfc0704-4b92-11f0-9dce-005056bfb2b6/w:980/170625-iran-missile-tel-aviv-m.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/cdfc0704-4b92-11f0-9dce-005056bfb2b6/w:246/170625-iran-missile-tel-aviv-m.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/cdfc0704-4b92-11f0-9dce-005056bfb2b6/w:388/170625-iran-missile-tel-aviv-m.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/cdfc0704-4b92-11f0-9dce-005056bfb2b6/w:720/170625-iran-missile-tel-aviv-m.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/cdfc0704-4b92-11f0-9dce-005056bfb2b6/w:980/170625-iran-missile-tel-aviv-m.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="An explosion is seen during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> An explosion is seen throughout a missile assault in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, June 15, 2025. © Leo Correa, AP Inside a number of hours, Israel had seized management of Iranian airspace, and within the 12 days that adopted, its air power carried out operations throughout Iran’s territory.

Israel launched 360 assaults in 27 Iranian provinces all through the 12-day conflict, with a 3rd hanging Tehran, in response to US-based monitor ACLED.

A part of the success of operation “Rising Lion” got here all the way down to Israel’s use of of First Particular person View (FPV) drones, which might be operated remotely utilizing an onboard digicam. They have been flown by Mossad brokers working undercover inside Iran to focus on delicate infrastructure and high-profile members of the regime from the battle's first hours.

By the night of June 13, Israel had overwhelmed Iran’s air defence system, carried out strikes on a number of Iranian cities and eradicated at the very least twenty of the regime’s senior officers.

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<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/dc758384-484d-11f0-a6fd-005056bf30b7/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20250613-110917-111340-CS.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/dc758384-484d-11f0-a6fd-005056bf30b7/w:388/p:16x9/EN-20250613-110917-111340-CS.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/dc758384-484d-11f0-a6fd-005056bf30b7/w:720/p:16x9/EN-20250613-110917-111340-CS.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/dc758384-484d-11f0-a6fd-005056bf30b7/w:1024/p:16x9/EN-20250613-110917-111340-CS.jpg 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/dc758384-484d-11f0-a6fd-005056bf30b7/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20250613-110917-111340-CS.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px" width="1280" height="720" alt="" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> © France 24 These included Iran’s highest-ranking army officer, Mohammad Bagher, and Revolutionary Guards commander-in-chief Hossein Salami.

9 of Iran’s high scientists have been killed by focused strikes in what French newspaper Le Monde described as a “decisive blow” to Tehran’s nuclear program.

Over the subsequent 12 days, a complete of 16 scientists can be killed by Israel.

Learn extra Why did Israel assault Iran in the midst of US-Iran nuclear talks?

Days after first launching the assault, Netanyahu confirmed that Israel was making an attempt to remove Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump mentioned on June 17 that the US forces knew “precisely” the place Khamenei was hiding however wouldn't attempt to remove him – “at the very least not for now”.

Finally, Israel didn't topple Iran’s longtime chief, however its 12-day assault on Iran did significantly weaken the regime’s army may.

Learn extra Ali Khamenei: Backed right into a nook, Iran’s ruthless chief faces struggle for survival

“We have now set Iran's nuclear undertaking again by years, and the identical goes for its missile program,” mentioned Israeli military chief of employees Eyal Zamir on June 25.

Iran's stockpile of two,500 ballistic missiles was lowered to a most of 1,500, and two-thirds of its missile launchers have been destroyed, in response to figures from the Israeli military.

Within the Iranian capital, strikes focused authorities buildings, state media retailers, universities and the notorious Evin jail.

Additionally they hit civilians. Iran’s well being ministry mentioned that 610 civilians have been killed and 4,700 wounded through the 12-day battle. It didn't say what number of members of the army had been killed or wounded.

Learn extra ‘It is the civilians who can pay the value’: Iranians put together for the worst after Israeli strikes

Iran: An assault on Israeli cities As Israel launched its assault on Iran, Tehran was fast to reply.

Khamenei issued a press release on June 13 assuring Iranians that Israel would “not stay unscathed from the results” of its assault and that the Iranian response would “not be half-measured”.

By the night of June 13, Iran launched Operation Trustworthy Promise 3, firing Shahed drones and hypersonic missiles in the direction of Israel.

Air raid sirens sounded throughout the nation as missiles flew throughout the sky above Jerusalem and strikes precipitated fires in buildings in Tel Aviv.

Iran fired least 150 missiles in a single day, in response to estimates from the Israeli military, most of which have been intercepted with assist from the USA and Jordan.

Main targets included Israel's “Pentagon”, the Kirya, and the nation’s nuclear services. At the very least two folks have been killed and round 60 wounded, in response to emergency providers.

Over the approaching days, the Israeli military banned the sharing of movies or pictures on social media displaying the injury attributable to Iranian bombing,

Learn extra Twelve-day conflict: Affect of Iran’s strikes censored by Israel

However missile salvos precipitated vital injury in Israeli cities and cities, an oil refinery in Haifa, energy vegetation, water therapy vegetation, Soroka Hospital in Beer-Sheva and the analysis centre on the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot.

Iran fired some 550 missiles and 1,000 drones, 90 % of which have been intercepted by Israel and its allies, in response to the Israeli military.

Some 36 direct hits on populated areas killed at the very least 28 civilians and injured 3,000, in response to ACLED.

Israeli every day newspaper Haaretz mapped the injury attributable to Iranian missiles in city centres, discovering that 480 buildings have been broken in Tel Aviv throughout 5 separate websites, “obliterating” some neighbourhoods.

Within the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan, 237 buildings have been broken throughout three websites, with round ten being severely broken.

In Bat Yam, one other Tel Aviv suburb, 78 buildings have been broken by a single strike, with 22 of them subsequently condemned for demolition.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/b2649f9a-df28-11f0-9c14-005056a97e36/w:980/AP25170509998978.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/b2649f9a-df28-11f0-9c14-005056a97e36/w:246/AP25170509998978.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b2649f9a-df28-11f0-9c14-005056a97e36/w:388/AP25170509998978.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b2649f9a-df28-11f0-9c14-005056a97e36/w:720/AP25170509998978.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/b2649f9a-df28-11f0-9c14-005056a97e36/w:980/AP25170509998978.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Israeli soldiers search through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam, central Israel." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Israeli troopers search via the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam, central Israel, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. © Baz Ratner, AP Israelis submitted 40,000 compensation claims to the authorities for injury attributable to Iran’s assaults, however the inhabitants as a complete have been overwhelmingly supportive of their prime minister's determination to assault Iran.

The US: ‘Bunker buster’ bombs and a ceasefire As Israel and Iran traded strikes, the US delayed becoming a member of the conflict alongside Tel Aviv. “I'll do it, I'll not do it,”Trump mentioned on June 18 – day 5 of the battle. “No person is aware of what I will do.”

In earlier months Trump had urged Netanyahu to not assault Iran as he sought to succeed in a nuclear cope with Tehran, however was fast to reward Israel’s strikes on the primary day of the conflict as “wonderful” and “very profitable”.

In the meantime, Israel was urgent Trump to offer it with “bunker buster” bombs to ship a deadly blow to Iran's nuclear programme.

The US lastly deployed its GBU-57 bombs – 13-ton laser-guided munitions designed to destroy underground bunkers – in a single day on June 21 as a part of operation "Midnight Hammer".

Seven B2 stealth bombers carrying the munitions took off from the US state of Missouri and entered Iranian airspace, the place they focused the 2 predominant websites for the manufacturing and storage of enriched uranium buried dozens of metres underground on the Fordo and Natanz websites.

Hidden in desert areas in central Iran, defences on the two websites had already been weakened by Israel's air strikes.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/a7dbbc4e-4d1e-11f0-acf3-005056a90284/w:980/190625-b2-spirit-m.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/a7dbbc4e-4d1e-11f0-acf3-005056a90284/w:246/190625-b2-spirit-m.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/a7dbbc4e-4d1e-11f0-acf3-005056a90284/w:388/190625-b2-spirit-m.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/a7dbbc4e-4d1e-11f0-acf3-005056a90284/w:720/190625-b2-spirit-m.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/a7dbbc4e-4d1e-11f0-acf3-005056a90284/w:980/190625-b2-spirit-m.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="US fighter jets fly over New York City." style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> File picture: US fighter jets fly over New York Metropolis on July 4, 2020. © Mike Segar, Reuters At Fordo, 12 bunker-buster bombs have been dropped successively on two air flow shafts, in response to the US army. Two different bombs have been dropped on the Natanz web site, whereas US Navy submarines fired two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Nuclear Know-how Heart in Isfahan.

Trump introduced that Iran's predominant nuclear websites had been “utterly and completely destroyed” by the strikes, though US intelligence later contradicted this declare.

Two days later, Iran retaliated by bombing the biggest US base within the Center East, Al-Udeid in Qatar.

However Tehran had warned Washington upfront of the strikes, and the dozen missiles precipitated no American casualties.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/db5a1430-4fbc-11f0-8a97-005056a97e36/w:980/Apre%CC%80s-Fordow.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/db5a1430-4fbc-11f0-8a97-005056a97e36/w:246/Apre%CC%80s-Fordow.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/db5a1430-4fbc-11f0-8a97-005056a97e36/w:388/Apre%CC%80s-Fordow.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/db5a1430-4fbc-11f0-8a97-005056a97e36/w:720/Apre%CC%80s-Fordow.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/db5a1430-4fbc-11f0-8a97-005056a97e36/w:980/Apre%CC%80s-Fordow.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="A satellite view of the Fordo underground complex after the US struck the underground nuclear facility on June 22, 2025." style="max-height:603px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> A satellite tv for pc view of the Fordo underground complicated after the US struck the underground nuclear facility close to Qom, Iran, on June 22, 2025. © Maxar Applied sciences by way of Reuters Claiming the US had achieved its targets by stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, Trump took to his social media community on June 24 to declare an finish to the conflict.

“It has been totally agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there can be a Full and Complete CEASEFIRE… an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR can be saluted by the World,” he wrote on Reality Social.

Israel and Iran continued to launch assaults on one another for a number of hours, with closing strikes concentrating on the Iranian capital and Beer-Sheva in southern Israel, earlier than preventing stopped – and each side claimed victory.

Netanyahu claimed a "historic" triumph for his nation and warned that Israel would “thwart” any future makes an attempt by Iran to revive its nuclear program.