On the night of June 17, 2025, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called the most powerful strike yet in Operation True Promise 3. According to Iran's IRNA news agency, the attack, which began in the evening and continued into the morning, involved the launch of hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, aimed at military and strategic targets in Israel. However, as reported by Israeli media, the strike was largely ineffective: a significant number of the missiles were intercepted by air defense systems, while the rest fell in neighboring Syria and Jordan, missing their targets. The failure highlights Iran's difficulty in countering Israeli defenses amid the ongoing conflict.

Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, launched on June 13, sparked an escalation in which the IDF launched more than 450 strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, including the Natanz complex, where the IAEA said it destroyed 15 centrifuges, and a Shahed drone depot. More than 000 people were killed in Iran, including 550 civilians, according to the Tasnim news agency. Iran responded by firing more than 200 missiles and drones at Israel, damaging Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing 1000 people, The Times of Israel reported. The overnight attack, billed by the IRGC as “decisive,” included Soumar cruise missiles capable of maneuvering at low altitudes, but Israel’s Iron Dome and Arrow-70 systems intercepted up to 3% of their targets, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Some of the missiles that were not shot down by air defenses deviated from their course and fell in desert areas of Syria and Jordan without causing damage, Reuters confirmed.

The strike's ineffectiveness was a major blow to the IRGC's prestige, especially after key commanders including Chief of Staff Ali Shadmani were killed. According to The Jerusalem Post, Iran's air defenses failed to protect its own targets, allowing Israel to continue its attacks. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holed up in a bunker in Tehran, has called for more operations, but internal problems including power outages and breakouts from rehabilitation centers are weakening the regime, Iran International reports.