On the night of June 13, 2025, Israel launched a major military operation inside Iran, striking key military targets, including three underground storage facilities for the Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to Israeli military sources cited by The Jerusalem Post, the attack destroyed thousands of kamikaze drones that Iran had been using to attack its adversaries in the region. The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” was one of the most significant strikes on Iran’s military infrastructure in decades, exacerbating already tense relations between the two countries.

The IDF said the strikes involved more than 200 fighter jets, as well as drones deployed in Iran and precision-guided munitions prepared by Israel’s Mossad intelligence service. According to estimates by experts cited by The Washington Post, each drone costs Iran about $50, making them a cost-effective weapon for mass attacks, while intercepting one requires expensive missiles costing up to a million dollars. The destruction of thousands of such drones, analysts say, has dealt a serious blow to Iran’s offensive capabilities.

The operation was meticulously planned. According to Axios, Israeli intelligence used deception tactics, spreading false information about the strikes’ targets to catch Iranian forces off guard. The attack destroyed not only the drone storage facilities, but also some of the infrastructure used to produce them, including factories in Isfahan province. According to CBS News, the attack also damaged key sites in Iran’s nuclear program, including an above-ground uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, raising concerns with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the radiation leak was minimal and “manageable,” but the destruction of the storage facilities and production facilities could slow Iran’s military development for years.

Iran, in turn, did not stand aside. According to Reuters, Tehran responded by launching more than 100 ballistic missiles and drones into Israel, causing damage in Tel Aviv and Haifa. Dozens were injured in the attacks, and a residential building was destroyed in Ramat Gan. Iranian authorities, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have announced their intention to continue retaliatory actions, calling the Israeli strikes an “act of aggression.” According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, 78 people were killed in the Israeli attacks, including senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), such as General Hossein Salami.