Operation Rising Lion: ‘This will continue for as many days,’ says Netanyahu as Israel targets Iran’s top nuclear scientists, military chiefs

Netanyahu accused Iran of running a clandestine program to develop nuclear weapons and said that if unchecked, Tehran could soon be capable of producing a nuclear bomb.

In a dramatic escalation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday confirmed that Israel has carried out targeted strikes on nuclear-related sites inside Iran, marking the launch of what he called 'Operation Rising Lion,' a sustained military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons capability.

“Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu said in a televised address. “This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”

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Netanyahu accused Iran of running a clandestine program to develop nuclear weapons and said that if unchecked, Tehran could soon be capable of producing a nuclear bomb. "This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s very survival,” he declared.

The Israeli offensive reportedly struck several high-value targets, including the main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, top Iranian nuclear scientists, and key components of Iran’s ballistic missile program. “We struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program,” Netanyahu said.

Israel is also targeting senior Iranian military figures and infrastructure linked to missile development and nuclear research, according to Israeli sources as cited by CNN. A security official told CNN that some of Iran’s top nuclear scientists and military leaders were likely killed in the initial wave of strikes.

The Israeli military is said to be preparing for multiple rounds of attacks, with officials indicating this is not a one-off operation. "This is not a one-day attack,” a senior Israeli source told CNN, adding that the government had identified a strategic window of opportunity to act, both militarily and diplomatically.

Iran has not officially responded to the strikes, but Israeli officials are reportedly bracing for a major retaliatory response. Intelligence assessments suggest any Iranian counterattack could be on a larger scale than previous operations.

Amid concerns of potential reprisals, some senior Israeli officials have been moved to undisclosed secure locations, according to sources familiar with the matter.

In his address, Netanyahu framed Israel’s actions as defensive—not just for Israel, but also for regional allies. “In defending ourselves, we also defend others. We defend our Arab neighbors. They, too, have suffered from Iran’s campaign of chaos and carnage,” he said.

Tensions in the Middle East are expected to intensify in the coming days as the situation evolves.