The war began on June 13 with a preemptive strike by Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities. The reason was simple: the ayatollah regime had simultaneously approached a critical threshold in three directions. The nuclear program reached a level very close to weapon production. The stockpile of precision-guided missiles increased from 2,500 to 8,000 units over two years. Most importantly — Tehran was finalizing a plan for a simultaneous attack on Israel from all directions.

The Israeli Air Force conducted 1,500 combat sorties, striking 900 targets in Iran. The farthest of these was the airport in Mashhad, 2,400 kilometers from the Israeli border. For comparison: this is farther than from Tel Aviv to Rome.

The main result of the operation was the neutralization of the Iranian nuclear threat for an extended period. Thousands of centrifuges were destroyed at facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran’s ability to enrich uranium to 90% — the critical level for weapon creation — was reduced to zero. Eleven leading nuclear scientists were eliminated.

The missile program also suffered significant damage: half of all ballistic missile launchers and more than 35 production facilities were destroyed. The Iranian Air Force virtually ceased to exist — 15 planes were destroyed on the ground, and six airfields were put out of action.

During the hostilities, more than 600 Iranian servicemen were killed, including 30 generals and three high-ranking commanders. The Iranian side was unable to offer serious resistance — its aviation did not even take to the air.

The cost of the war for Israel was relatively low but painful. Air defense systems intercepted 99% of Iranian drones, but only 86% of ballistic missiles. The missiles that broke through hit residential houses in Ramat Gan, Rishon LeZion, Haifa, and other cities. Twenty-nine Israelis were killed, four of them in Be’er Sheva, a minute before the ceasefire agreement came into effect.

Operation “A People Like a Lion” was Israel’s first full-scale war with Iran. Its outcomes have radically changed the balance of power in the region. The Iranian regime has lost strategic initiative and can no longer threaten the existence of the Jewish state with the same force.

As stated by the IDF, “the Iranian regime no longer has immunity.” This phrase accurately describes the new reality in the region.