What to know about Israel’s major attack on Iran: Explained

Israel launched a major attack on Iran, escalating tensions over Iran's nuclear program and risking a wider regional conflict.

Israel launched a major attack on Iran, drawing their long-running shadow war into the open conflict in a way that could spiral into a wider, more dangerous regional war.

The strikes early on Friday (June 13, 2025) set off explosions in the capital of Tehran as Israel said it was targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Iranian state media reported that the leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and two top nuclear scientists had been killed.

Israel's attack comes as tensions have escalated over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme, which Israel sees as a threat to its existence.

Israel strikes Iran LIVE

The Trump administration revived efforts to negotiate limits on Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But the indirect talks between American and Iranian diplomats have hit a stalemate.

The attack pushed the region into a new and uncertain phase. Here's what to know about the strikes:

Israeli leaders said the attack was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb as the country enriches uranium a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Iran long has said its programme is peaceful and US intelligence agencies have assessed Iran was not actively building a weapon.