Israel’s 12-Day Air War Cripples Iran’s Nuclear Program, Kills Dozens of Senior Officials: IDF Officials
Israel’s recent 12-day aerial campaign against Iran has inflicted a severe and calculated blow to the country’s nuclear program and military leadership, Israeli defense officials said on Friday, marking the end of one of the most intense and consequential military confrontations in recent Middle Eastern history.
Speaking to reporters under condition of anonymity, a senior Israeli military official revealed that throughout the operation, Israel had eliminated more than 30 senior security officials and 11 top nuclear scientists closely associated with Iran’s atomic weapons ambitions.
The Israeli campaign began on June 13, with a massive opening strike targeting Iran’s aerial defense systems, effectively disabling their immediate response capabilities and opening the way for more than 900 precision airstrikes carried out by the Israeli Air Force.
These strikes targeted missile production sites, command centers, and key nuclear facilities across Iran.
A Decisive Blow to Iran’s Nuclear Aspirations
According to the Israeli military official, the operation succeeded in significantly degrading Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities, particularly its ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels (90%).
“Iran’s capacity to produce a nuclear weapon core has been neutralized for an extended period,” the official claimed, calling it one of the most successful strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure to date.
While Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, it has recently enriched uranium to levels far exceeding civilian requirements and has restricted international oversight, prompting widespread international concern.
Iran’s Retaliation and Its Limitations
In response, Iran launched several waves of missile attacks aimed at Israeli military installations and urban centers. Tehran claimed it had pierced Israel’s Iron Dome and other air defenses, forcing the war to end in a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
However, independent analysis tells a different story. Decker Eveleth, a satellite imagery expert from the CNA Corporation, stated that only a few of the 30 Iranian missiles that broke through Israeli defenses hit meaningful military targets.
“Iran has yet to produce missiles capable of precise strikes,” Eveleth told Reuters. “They can only reliably hit broad targets like major cities or industrial facilities such as the Haifa refinery — not precise military assets like F-35s in hardened shelters.”
According to Eveleth, Iran’s missile salvos lacked both accuracy and density, and were further limited by preemptive Israeli strikes on missile launch infrastructure within Iran.
He concluded that, at the current level of Iranian capability, there is little to prevent Israel from replicating this operation in the future.
Casualties and Information Control
The conflict left 28 people dead in Israel, according to official figures. Iranian authorities have claimed 627 deaths, though independent verification has been difficult due to strict government-imposed restrictions on media and foreign observers.
The scale of the destruction within Iran remains unclear, but satellite imagery and reports from intelligence sources suggest devastation at several high-value military and nuclear sites.
Strategic Impact and Next Steps
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated Friday that Israel’s military has been ordered to draft new operational plans aimed at preserving air superiority over Iran, preventing further missile production, and continuing to obstruct Iran’s nuclear development.
He emphasized that the latest campaign is not the end, but a strategic reset.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, speaking to Israeli troops in Gaza, said that the campaign against Iran had ripple effects that could advance Israeli goals in the Gaza Strip, particularly against Hamas, which remains heavily backed by Tehran.
Zamir also alluded to the ongoing Israeli ground offensive in Gaza — codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots” — stating that it would soon enter its final stages.
He hinted that the weakening of Iran’s regional influence might pave the way for further Israeli strategic initiatives, both in Gaza and across other regional fronts.
Iran’s Pattern of Denial
Despite the heavy losses, Tehran continues to deny seeking nuclear weapons, sticking to the narrative of peaceful nuclear energy development.
However, Iran’s continued enrichment of uranium to weapons-grade levels, refusal to allow inspections, and growing ballistic missile arsenal suggest otherwise.
Israeli intelligence sources say recent movements and activities in Iran strongly indicate renewed efforts toward weaponization, prompting fears that Tehran’s ambitions remain undeterred, albeit temporarily disrupted.
As the dust settles, analysts believe that Israel’s daring and destructive campaign has redefined the regional security landscape — but with tensions still smoldering, a lasting peace remains elusive.
(Contributed by Times of Israel)
