Israel and the United States launched Operation Roaring Lion, striking Iranian military and command targets in Tehran and western Iran, as the IDF said it was working to degrade threats to Israel’s home front.
Israeli officials said the opening wave was timed to exploit a narrow operational window and preserve tactical surprise by striking in the morning rather than overnight. Ongoing developments are tracked in The Jerusalem Post’s live updates.
A target bank built over months
Defense officials said months of intelligence collection and operational planning produced a detailed target bank, including updated locations for key commanders and senior decision-makers. They said the effort relied on close coordination with US counterparts and full intelligence sharing.
The IDF Intelligence Directorate and the Mossad led the intelligence effort, officials said, dividing strike responsibilities geographically between Israeli and US forces. They added that coordination and deconfliction were maintained across multiple levels of command.
“Every pilot had a name”
Officials said each pilot and aircrew received tailored target packages listing specific facilities and individuals, alongside timing and routing for the mission. They said the opening strikes also hit command headquarters and operations rooms linked to Iran’s security organizations.
Iran retaliates as the IDF hits missile infrastructure in the west
About two hours after the initial strikes, Iran launched attacks toward US-linked targets in the Gulf and fired missiles toward Israel, triggering widespread alerts. The escalation followed US President Donald Trump’s confirmation of US involvement.
Israel’s air defenses carried out multiple interceptions as emergency protocols remained in effect amid what was described as a heavy missile barrage across Israel. In parallel, the IAF began follow-on waves against ballistic missile launch and support infrastructure in western Iran, where officials said Iran had concentrated launch activity.
The IDF assessed the western operation would continue in additional waves for several hours as long as missile fire persisted.