Israel Kills Iran Guards Chief, Strikes 100+ Nuclear, Military Sites

Israel launched a major preemptive military operation named Operation Rising Lion, targeting over 100 strategic sites across Iran, including nuclear facilities and military command centers, resulting in the death of Major General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Salami was a pivotal figure in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and had been sanctioned internationally for his role. The strikes demonstrated Israel's air superiority and intelligence capabilities, severely damaging Iran's nuclear ambitions and military infrastructure. Iran, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, now faces critical choices between surrender, military retaliation, or escalating toward nuclear brinkmanship, with recent Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel largely intercepted. The roots of Iran's nuclear program trace back to Abdul Qadeer Khan's espionage in the 1970s, which provided Iran with nuclear enrichment technology, linking past nuclear proliferation to the current conflict. Regional dynamics are further complicated as Iran’s influence over proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah appears to be waning under Israeli military pressure.