- Israel Defense Forces confirmed the launch of Operation “Roar of the Lion,” conducting coordinated strikes with United States forces against strategic targets across Iran.
- Israeli military leadership said the operation aims to counter Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities while placing national air, naval, and ground forces on heightened defensive readiness.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it has launched a large-scale military operation targeting strategic sites across Iran, marking a coordinated offensive carried out alongside United States military forces.
In a national address delivered shortly after the operation began, Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, announced that Israeli Air Force aircraft were actively striking hundreds of targets throughout Iranian territory.
“Citizens of Israel, a short time ago we launched Operation ‘Roar of the Lion.’ The Israel Defense Forces, together with the United States military, began striking strategic targets in Iran,” Zamir said. “We are at a high level of operational readiness, in defense and offense.”
Israeli military leadership framed the operation as an effort to address what it described as an ongoing existential threat posed by Iran’s military capabilities and strategic programs.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the operation follows earlier military actions conducted in June under Operation “Like a Lion,” which Israeli officials said targeted elements of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure. Zamir stated that those earlier strikes “set back the nuclear project, damaged the ballistic missile array, and undermined the plan conceived and led by the Iranian regime with its regional partners to destroy the State of Israel.”
He added that cooperation with United States forces had deepened during those earlier operations, describing joint activity conducted under an operation referred to as MIDNIGHT HAMMER. “For the first time, we created historic cooperation together with the United States military in Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER, in which American aircraft delivered a lethal blow to Iran’s nuclear facilities,” Zamir said.
The Israel Defense Forces said planning for the current operation was conducted over recent months through coordinated operational preparations involving senior Israeli commanders and U.S. military leadership. Zamir stated that the planning process included close coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commander of U.S. Central Command.
“In recent months, under the direction of the political leadership, I led, in coordination with my counterparts, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the commander of CENTCOM, a joint and in-depth operational planning process,” Zamir said. “This is close and unprecedented cooperation between the Israel Defense Forces and the United States military.”
Israeli officials confirmed that Israeli Air Force pilots are currently conducting strikes across Iran while operating under elevated risk conditions. “At this very moment, Air Force pilots are striking hundreds of targets across Iran, at great risk and in coordination with American strikes,” Zamir said.
The Israel Defense Forces also reported that multiple branches of the military have been placed on heightened readiness. Air defense systems and naval forces have been deployed to defend Israeli airspace and coastal areas against expected missile launches and aerial or maritime threats. Ground forces have been positioned along Israel’s borders to prevent infiltration attempts.