Operation Rising Lion has brought Israel to the brink of dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared Sunday that the campaign is “very, very close” to achieving its war goals. Netanyahu vowed, “We also will not end this action—this historic operation—before we achieve all our objectives.”
The campaign gained massive momentum after President Donald Trump authorized B-2 bombers to strike Iran’s fortified Fordow uranium enrichment facility. Trump hailed the mission’s success, posting, “Obliteration is an accurate term!” Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that Iran’s nuclear program had been “set back by years.”
Israeli forces continue pounding Iran’s military infrastructure. According to Israeli military sources, airstrikes have already destroyed several hundred ballistic missiles and eliminated more than 40 percent of Iran’s missile launchers.
“We still have 300 launchers for ballistic missiles that are threatening Israel,” said Ohad Tal, a member of the Religious Zionism party’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Israeli Knesset. “And we’ve seen what even one missile can do to Israeli cities.”
Former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror emphasized the risk Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile poses. “That might be a basis for a future bomb,” he warned.
Netanyahu remains committed to the campaign’s end goal. According to former Israeli defense analyst Yossi Kuperwasser, Israel’s doctrine is now clear: “We finish striking all the targets… and don’t even think about resuming these programs or else we are going to come back.”
Despite diplomatic overtures from U.S. officials, President Trump has not minced words. “Remember, there are many targets left,” he warned, hinting at a broader strategy should Iran persist.
Operation Rising Lion has fundamentally altered the regional balance. With Iran’s nuclear ambitions in ruins and Israel asserting a zero-tolerance doctrine, the message is clear: threats against the Jewish state will be met with decisive force.
