Day 5 of ‘Rising Lion’ war: Israel strikes nuclear & military sites; up to 40% of ballistic missile array destroyed

On the fifth day of Israel’s military operation to neutralize the nuclear and ballistic missile threats posed by the Iranian regime, the Air Force continues to maintain air superiority in large parts of the country, striking nuclear and military sites without sustaining apparent losses.

During a briefing on Tuesday, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin said that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) began the operation by targeting missile capabilities in western Iran, closest to Israel.

Update: https://t.co/cuotXrY4Db pic.twitter.com/QVyK7vBFqB

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 17, 2025

After hitting dozens of sites in the regions of Kermanshah, Ahvaz, and Tabriz over the past days, Defrin reported that “the regime's forces have been pushed into central Iran,” but stressed, “we are pursuing them.”

While he spoke, 60 IAF fighter jets were targeting twelve missile launch sites in the central Isfahan region, “each one of these locations houses underground infrastructure used to launch missiles,” Defrin said.

🔴RAW FOOTAGE: The IAF struck 12 missile launch sites and storage facilities in Iran aimed at Israeli civilians.

We will continue to operate to defend our civilians. pic.twitter.com/hPFtBw4JqA

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 17, 2025

“There are no more safe cities in the Middle East,” Defrin declared. “What applied to senior Hamas officials in Gaza and Hezbollah leaders in Dahiyeh now applies to senior officials in the Iranian regime and to launch squads in Isfahan attempting to fire missiles at Israeli civilians.”

He added that the IDF was striking “regime command centers, assets used by the Revolutionary Guards, including Quds Force, and the headquarters of Iran's nuclear program.”

On Wednesday morning, the Israeli military reported that 50 fighter jets had carried out another wave of strikes, destroying “a facility used to manufacture centrifuges in Tehran that was designed to enable the Iranian regime to expand the scale and speed of its uranium enrichment to develop nuclear weapons.”

Other targets included several weapons manufacturing sites, including one used to produce raw materials and components for the assembly of surface-to-surface missiles, as well as a facility for manufacturing components of surface-to-air missiles.

Iranian civilians shared footage of massive explosions overnight, after the IDF had called to evacuate Tehran's District 18 ahead of the airstrikes.

Tehran citizens sent videos to Iran International reporting a mushroom-shaped explosion in eastern Tehran following an Israeli attack in the early hours of Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/7JXtl5J4yV

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 17, 2025

IAF Commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar announced on Tuesday that over 70 Iranian aerial defense missile batteries were destroyed, ensuring that the IAF is able to operate freely and destroy all other targets..

“Iran’s air defense missile array is equipped with advanced capabilities, deployed throughout the country, and concealed within civilian infrastructure. The purpose of this array is to down IAF aircraft and disrupt their operations,” the IDF explained.

According to Army Radio, the Israeli military is highly satisfied with the war’s progress, estimating that 35–40% of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal has been neutralized to date.

The IDF estimates that strikes on all designated nuclear targets will be completed within approximately one week, though officials note that operations could extend by an additional week if necessary.

Among the largest remaining targets is the fortified underground facility at Fordow. The IDF confirmed that the site is in the “target bank,” and Defense Minister Israel Katz noting that Fordow is “an issue that will certainly be addressed.”