Iran Strikes Israel’s Weizmann Institute Retaliating Nuclear Scientist Killings

Israel's Operation Rising Lion has involved extensive airstrikes and special forces operations targeting Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure, achieving rapid air superiority and crippling air defenses. Among the targets were Iranian nuclear facilities, including uranium enrichment centrifuges at Natanz and manufacturing plants in Isfahan, damaging key parts of Iran's nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles that struck the prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, causing severe damage to multiple research buildings, destroying years of scientific research and vital biological samples, though without casualties. These missile strikes mark a significant escalation as Iranian forces directly target Israeli scientific institutions, previously considered off-limits, signaling a new and dangerous front in the conflict. Israeli officials emphasize the strategic necessity of these operations to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, while analysts note the symbolic and practical impact of the attacks on both nations' scientific and military capabilities. The evolving conflict underscores the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran, with both sides sustaining significant losses in their military and scientific infrastructures.