Inside Israel's midnight blitz which took aim at Iran's nuclear arsenal: 60 jets, 100 bombs, and a nuclear target in flames

Time of India

8 hours ago

Israel-Iran War: Israel has launched a sweeping aerial assault on Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure, striking key sites in Tehran, Natanz, Arak and beyond. Dubbed Operation Rising Lion, the campaign involved over 60 fighter jets and more than 100 precision munitions. The strikes hit centrifuge and missile component factories, raising alarm over radiological safety. While Iran downplays the impact, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed multiple nuclear-linked sites were struck. With civilian casualties rising and global concern mounting, tensions between the two rivals are reaching dangerous heights.
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Israel-Iran War: Heavy water reactor at Arak hit
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Parallel attack on Natanz fuel plant
Tehran's missile and centrifuge sites targeted
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Iran's SPND headquarters destroyed
Radiation and chemical contamination risks
Fordow remains untouched for now
Rising civilian toll and global fallout
No regional backing for Iran yet
In the most extensive Israeli air operation on Iranian soil to date, the Israel Defence Forces IDF ) have confirmed a large-scale strike campaign targeting Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure. Over 60 fighter jets took part, dropping around 120 precision-guided munitions on dozens of sites, including centrifuge production plants and nuclear research facilities.According to the IDF, the mission aimed to 'eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel, significantly damage Iran's nuclear programme in all its components, and severely impact its missile array.'This operation, named 'Operation Rising Lion,' marks a dangerous escalation in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries.One of the key targets was the IR-40 heavy water reactor near Arak, formally known as the Khondab reactor. Though incomplete and not operational, it has long been a focal point of international concern due to its potential to produce weapons-grade plutonium.The IDF issued a blunt statement: 'This nuclear reactor in Arak was created for one purpose: to build a nuclear bomb. It has now been neutralised.'The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which monitors Iranian nuclear facilities, confirmed the strike but said there was no immediate radiological danger. 'IAEA has information the Khondab (former Arak) heavy water research reactor, under construction, was hit. It was not operational and contained no nuclear material, so no radiological effects. At present, IAEA has no information indicating the Khondab heavy water plant was hit,' the agency said.Iranian state television insisted 'there was no radiation danger whatsoever.'At the same time, Israeli jets struck near Natanz, a site at the heart of Iran's uranium enrichment efforts. The IDF said the facility housed 'unique components and equipment used for the development of nuclear weapons.'This is not the first time Natanz has been hit. In 2021, a suspected Israeli cyberattack crippled its centrifuge halls. This time, the physical infrastructure was the focus.According to the IAEA, the enrichment halls at Natanz suffered severe damage. 'The underground enrichment halls were severely damaged, if not destroyed altogether,' the agency confirmed, noting radiation levels remained normal.In Tehran itself, Israeli aircraft struck a major centrifuge production site. The IDF said the facility was 'intended to enable the Iranian regime to expand the scope and pace of its uranium enrichment for nuclear weapons development.'Centrifuges are central to the enrichment process. These delicate machines separate uranium-235 from uranium-238 by spinning at extreme speeds. Even small disruptions can cripple their function.'The Iranian regime is enriching uranium intended for the development of nuclear weapons,' the IDF stated. It said enrichment levels 'far exceed what is needed for civilian purposes.'Another critical target was the headquarters of Iran's Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND) in Tehran. The IDF described it as a centre of Iran's nuclear weapons R&D.'Among the sites attacked were military industrial sites for the production of missile components and sites for the production of raw materials used for casting rocket engines,' the IDF said. It added that SPND's headquarters was successfully struck, along with a separate facility producing an essential component of Iran's nuclear weapons programme.SPND was founded by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, widely regarded as the architect of Iran's weapons programme. Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in 2020 in an operation also widely attributed to Israel.Despite the scale of the strikes, no major radiological event has been confirmed so far. But experts warn of potential chemical contamination.Darya Dolzikova of RUSI said the main concern lies in uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas. 'When UF6 interacts with water vapour in the air, it produces harmful chemicals,' she explained. Weather conditions could determine how far any contamination spreads.Dr Peter Bryant, a professor at the University of Liverpool , noted that low-enrichment uranium is mainly hazardous if inhaled or ingested. 'Uranium is only dangerous if it gets physically inhaled or ingested or gets into the body at low enrichments,' he said.The World Health Organization has expressed concern. 'Immediate and long-term impacts on the environment and health of people in Iran and across the region' are possible, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on social media.While Israel has hit Natanz and Arak, the Fordow enrichment facility remains intact. Built deep inside a mountain, 90 metres underground, the site is out of reach for conventional Israeli munitions. American bunker-buster bombs would be required to damage it.Fordow plays a vital role. It produces most of Iran's uranium enriched to 60%—a level dangerously close to weapons-grade.According to the US Institute for Science and International Security, 'Iran can convert its current stock of 60 per cent enriched uranium into 233kg of weapon-grade uranium in three weeks at the Fordow plant,' which could yield up to nine nuclear bombs.The attacks have led to rising civilian casualties. Human rights organisations report at least 639 deaths in Iran, though Tehran has not released official figures. Explosions in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz forced thousands to flee in the early hours of Wednesday.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has taken a hard line. In a post on social media, he wrote: 'He [Khamenei] is an easy target, but is safe there—we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' He has also rejected Iran's claim of peaceful nuclear intentions, demanding its 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.'Trump has returned to Washington from the G7 summit to confer with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but has yet to commit to direct US military involvement.Despite its strong regional ties, Iran's allies have not intervened militarily. Russia and China, though vocal in support, have not moved beyond statements. Iran's proxy forces in the region, including Hezbollah , have fired missiles at Israel, but not in large numbers.General Abdul Rahim Mousavi of Iran's army has vowed retaliation. 'The punishment operation will be carried out soon,' he said.As missiles continue to fly and diplomatic efforts stall, the possibility of full-scale regional conflict is growing by the hour.(with inputs from Agencies)