‘The most complex operation in IDF history’ – Israeli military spokesman sums up ‘Rising Lion’ war with Iran

“Two weeks ago, on the night leading into Friday, the State of Israel launched Operation ‘Rising Lion’ to remove the existential threat from Iran to the State of Israel,” IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin began in his recent briefing on the Iran campaign on Thursday.

Israel Defense Forces summarized its historic efforts and achievements during the campaign, whose stated aim was to destroy the dual threat of Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile array.

“The operation was initiated following a buildup of unequivocal intelligence indicating that the Iranian regime planned to triple its missile arsenal within two years,” Defrin noted.

🎥Watch a full summary of Operation Rising Lion: pic.twitter.com/X6F4O2dQoh

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 27, 2025

“Simultaneously, the nuclear program had progressed to a point dangerously close to producing a nuclear weapon.”

In addition, he stressed that the regime was working on a plan to “annihilate” Israel through a “multi-front attack beginning with missile fire from Iran and its regional proxies, followed by a ground invasion into Israel.”

“Over the past year, we adjusted our force-building and accelerated the development of targets and capabilities for an operation at the farthest range we’ve ever operated,” Defrin said.

The military highlighted three main achievements of the campaign.

First, the nuclear program was significantly damaged. Iran’s capability to enrich uranium to 90% has been neutralized for a long time, as well as the capability to produce the core of a nuclear weapon.

Defrin explained that the nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz were “significantly damaged,” which prevents the regime from enriching uranium.

The nuclear site at Isfahan also sustained significant damage, along with the inactive reactor at Arak, preventing the Iranian regime from producing plutonium.

“In addition, we targeted key components supporting the nuclear weapon core production process: thousands of centrifuges were destroyed, along with manufacturing sites, research facilities, infrastructure, and command centers,” Defrin said.

“Operation Rising Lion will be remembered in history as one of Israel’s most daring and successful operations.”

🎥Watch IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir’s announcement regarding Operation Rising Lion: pic.twitter.com/dX3GWYRMsD

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 26, 2025

The second major achievement was the damage to the ballistic missile array. This will require a long rehabilitation process and severely hamper Iran’s missile production in the coming years.

“The regime’s plan to reach over 8,000 ballistic missiles was thwarted,” Defrin said.

He noted that “over 30 facilities producing missile components and raw materials that form the core of the ballistic missile production system” were struck, as well as some 200 missile launchers, “over 50% of the launchers Iran possessed.”

The IDF also reported that 40% of the missiles intended for launch against Israel were destroyed before they could be fired.

All of this was made possible by the Israeli Defense Forces achieving near-total air superiority over large parts of Iran through the destruction of approximately 80% of the regime’s air defense systems.

The opening strike alone neutralized around 60% of the strategic batteries, which allowed the operations to continue. In addition, about 70 Iranian radars were destroyed.

Other achievements included the decimation of Iran’s military command chain, with over 30 high-ranking military commanders being eliminated. In the final major wave of airstrikes hours before the ceasefire, the IDF estimates that 200-300 IRGC and Basij operatives were killed.

“This was a cumulative strike against all described elements: We removed the immediate existential threat to the State of Israel. We directly hit the head of the octopus and all its arms, both along our borders and beyond. The heads of Iran’s defense establishment were eliminated. This threat must never be allowed to rise again,” Defrin said.

Israel's air defense system achieved an 86% interception rate against ballistic missiles and over 99% against Iranian drones – only one of which managed to strike inside Israeli territory.

Another notable achievement of the campaign was the deterrence of Iran’s proxy forces, who refrained from engaging in the conflict in any meaningful way.

The regime’s “doomsday weapon,” the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, didn’t fire a single launch at Israel. The Houthi rebels in Yemen only launched 2 to 3 ballistic missiles, while Shiite militias in Iraq launched around 40 drones.

Summing up, Defrin stated: “Iran’s nuclear project was damaged across all of its components – knowledge, scientists, and infrastructure. The 90% enrichment capability was neutralized, and core production and weapons development abilities were severely impaired. The program was pushed back by years.”

“We inflicted deep damage on the missile industry, firepower arrays, and launch capabilities. In the short term, they lost hundreds of missiles. In the long term, the regime will be able to produce thousands fewer than planned.”

“The IDF met and even exceeded its objectives. In the face of the enemy’s intentions, we created a strategic opportunity for the State of Israel and for the entire Western world – the prevention of an existential threat to Israel.”

“The Iranian threat will continue to accompany us – Iran will not disappear,” the IDF cautioned, according to Army Radio.

“But we are now entering a phase of force buildup for the future, and we are prepared and ready for recurrence – to be better and more prepared for the next round of confrontation with Iran, whenever it may come.”