On June 13, 2025, Israel initiated Operation Rising Lion, triggering a series of precision strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and military command. Within a week, the United States escalated the attack, targeting deeply buried Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities with bunker-busting bombs. The coalition utilised stealth bombers and enormous 30,000-pound "bunker busters" designed to pierce rock-strengthened subterranean facilities.

President Trump announced the operation a "spectacular military success," boasting significant destruction of strategic nuclear facilities. However, US military estimates warn that the effect might be more temporary than conclusive.

Human Cost: Fatalities and Injuries

Iranian authorities, including state television IRIB and the Health Ministry, have confirmed at least 627 killed and 4,870 wounded in several cities, with 86% of the deaths occurring instantly on the scene. Other sources report different numbers, including 430 killed and 3,500 hurt, while an AP update reports over 1,000 killed. The disparity is an inevitable function of war reporting.

Victims included scores of air-defence troops, radar operators, missile technicians, and engineers, as well as possibly hundreds of civilians from attacks on urban districts.

Targets Hit: What Was Damaged?

Nuclear Facilities:

• Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were attacked by the US, with Fordow's deep tunnels reportedly "obliterated." Satellite images reveal flattened equipment and tunnel entrances, as well as destroyed uranium-conversion plants.
• Iran might have evacuated or stored enriched uranium in advance, reducing some damage.

Military Facilities:

• Israel hit over 100 military facilities, including Tehran skyscrapers, missile launchers, air-defence systems, and command centers.
• US strikes effectively put Iran's air defence out of commission.

Intelligence leaks suggest that critical stockpiles, including uranium and centrifuges, were likely damaged or survived intact, potentially setting Iran's nuclear program back a few months but not derailing it.

Death of Iran's Top Military and Science Leaders

The campaign resulted in the assassination of senior Iranian figures, including:

• Major General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, was killed on June 13.
• Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's Chief of Staff, was also killed on June 13.
• Brigadier General Ali Shadmani, newly appointed head of Khatam al-Anbiya Central HQ, struck on June 17.
• Brigadier General Mehdi Rabbani and Brigadier General Gholamreza Mehrabi were also killed in early June strikes.
• Israel additionally targeted at least 14 nuclear scientists, removing key technical personnel.

International Response and Legal Questions

The United Nations and the IAEA have urged restraint and openness. Iran reacted by suspending cooperation with the IAEA and threatening to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Human rights experts are condemning the airstrikes as possible breaches of international law.

The International Commission of Jurists has labelled certain actions, particularly those targeting civilian areas, as crimes of aggression. European officials are calling for diplomacy, cautioning that bombing alone cannot stop Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran's Counterstrike and the Ceasefire

Iran responded with waves of missile and drone assaults on Israel. Although Israel intercepted around 90% of incoming projectiles, attacks injured roughly 1,400 and killed at least 28 civilians. A ceasefire was reportedly brokered on June 25 through direct and back-channel diplomacy involving the US.

Strategic Implications and Assessment

Short-term effects:

• Iran's nuclear program is likely delayed by months, with US agencies cautiously estimating the impact.
• Iran's defence infrastructure, including air defences, missile stocks, and scientific leadership, has been significantly damaged.

Long-term threats:

• Iran may turn to covert nuclear development or move its program offshore.
• Iran's response might shift towards asymmetric operations, including cyber warfare, regional proxy attacks, and terrorism.
• Increased concerns about a legal backlash, with states potentially litigating against Israel and the US before the International Court of Justice.

Diplomacy remains crucial, with the UN calling for Iran's nuclear facilities to be granted amnesty and demanding international inspectors be readmitted. A lasting solution likely depends on negotiations between Iran and Western nations.

Conclusion

The attacks launched on June 13 have resulted in the most severe Iran-Israel battles in decades. With almost 627 confirmed killed and dozens of generals, scientists, and defence officials eliminated, the strikes have dealt a significant blow to Iran's nuclear and military framework. As the dust settles amid a tenuous ceasefire, the world waits to see whether diplomacy will take over from bombs or if Iran's remnants will break out again from underground. The effects of these attacks will likely redesign Middle Eastern security, nuclear politics, and international law — with effects that can last for years to follow.

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