Israeli Commandos Conduct Covert Operations Deep Inside Iran During 12-Day Conflict

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir publicly confirmed that Israeli commando forces operated covertly deep inside Iranian territory during the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. These ground operations, combined with air force coordination and tactical deception, granted Israel full control over Iranian airspace and operational freedom to strike key targets, including Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Zamir described the damage inflicted on Iran's nuclear project as systemic and severe, setting back Iran's ambitions by years and undermining their existential threat to Israel. This marks the first formal acknowledgment by a senior Israeli official of ground commando missions in Iran, previously only hinted at in media reports. Zamir emphasized that the campaign, code-named Operation Rising Lion, aimed to neutralize Iran's critical threat to Israel's existence, and that the conflict is not yet over, with ongoing vigilance required. Both sides have claimed victory since the ceasefire, but Israel's military leadership underscores the continued challenges ahead.