The long-standing hostility between Iran and Israel has exploded into one of the most intense and dangerous confrontations the Middle East has seen in years. In a dramatic escalation of the shadow war that has raged for decades, Israel has launched a series of coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, prompting fears of a full-scale regional conflict.
Massive Strikes Rock Iran
On Friday, Israeli fighter jets carried out a multi-wave assault across several Iranian cities. The strikes, according to Israeli military officials, were aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and disrupting its ballistic missile capabilities.
Confirmed targets include:
- Natanz – home to Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility, where underground centrifuge halls and electrical infrastructure were reportedly damaged.
- Tehran – the capital city, experienced multiple explosions, including in residential areas.
- Isfahan, Arak, and Kermanshah – strategic sites linked to Iran’s missile and nuclear programs.
Earlier updates reported over 70 people killed and 320 injured, while later updates placed the death toll above 220, including women, children, and top military officials. Images circulating online show widespread destruction, with damaged buildings and fires lighting up the Iranian skyline.
Assassinations and High-Level Casualties
Among the most significant developments was the killing of Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with several senior generals and nuclear scientists. These include Gholamali Rashid, Mohammad Bagheri, and five leading nuclear scientists linked to Iran’s atomic program.
Israel’s military described the operation, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” as a direct move to dismantle Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons and to “preserve the existence” of the Israeli state.
Iran’s Furious Response: A Declaration of War
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stern warning: “By God’s will, the powerful hand of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will not let [Israel] go unpunished.”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi went further, calling the Israeli strikes a “declaration of war.” In a fiery statement, Iran’s military leadership vowed to exact revenge, with newly appointed IRGC Air Force commander Maj Gen Mohammad Pakpour pledging to “open the gates of hell.”
Iran retaliated with around 100 drones and a wave of ballistic missiles, striking Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa. At least eight Israelis were reported dead, with a national state of emergency declared. Citizens were urged to stay close to bomb shelters as more attacks were anticipated.
International Reactions
UN nuclear watchdog head Rafael Grossi called the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities “deeply concerning,” warning that strikes on atomic sites could have catastrophic consequences for regional and global safety.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took “unilateral action against Iran” and that Israel advised the US that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defence.
As the international community scrambles to de-escalate the situation, Nigeria and other nations across Africa are closely monitoring developments, aware that instability in the Middle East often reverberates through global oil markets, migration patterns, and geopolitical alignments.
There appears to be no end in sight, as both nations brace for what could become one of the most destabilising conflicts in modern Middle Eastern history.
