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Why Israel Hit Iran Now
Why Israel Hit Iran Now
Israel has made Iran’s nuclear program a top target for more than two decades. (Ronen Zvulun via Getty Images)
The strike may be a catalyst for the collapse of the Islamic Republic altogether.
By Eli Lake
06.13.25 — Israel and Antisemitism
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The Free Press
The Free Press
Why Israel Hit Iran Now

The long-standing debate over whether there was a military solution to the threat of Iran’s nuclear program will soon be academic. We will learn in the coming days, weeks, and months whether Iran’s centrifuges and missile factories can survive the wrath of Israel’s air force and Mossad.

It’s too soon to assess the success of the first of what Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said would be a multiphase operation to destroy Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. But for now Operation Rising Lion, what Israel is calling this operation, looks ambitious and lethal.

Let’s start with the fact that Israel is going after the regime’s leadership. Already, Iranian state television is reporting the chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, has perished.

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Eli Lake

Eli Lake is the host of Breaking History, a new history podcast from The Free Press. A veteran journalist with expertise in foreign affairs and national security, Eli has reported for Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. With Breaking History, he brings his sharp analysis and storytelling skills to uncover the connections between today’s events and pivotal moments in the past.

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International
Israel
Middle East
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