Tel Aviv, Jun 27: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday announced that its 12-day military operation against Iran resulted in significant damage to three of the country’s main nuclear facilities, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, dealing a major blow to the Iranian regime’s nuclear infrastructure.

The IDF asserted that Israel launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’ on June 13 intending to damage the Iranian nuclear and missile projects following the identification of progress in the three programmes whose ultimate goal was to “destroy the State of Israel”.

According to the Israeli military, to thwart the future of the program, 11 senior nuclear scientists who were central knowledge centres in the Iranian weapons group were eliminated, and the inactive nuclear reactor at Arak was also attacked to prevent its future use.

“The key building blocks of the missile manufacturing industry were attacked. More than 35 sites were attacked, 200 launchers and 50 per cent of all the Iranian regime's launchers were completely destroyed. In total, more than 1,500 components, 15 enemy aircraft, more than 90 targets 80 surface-to-air missile launchers and 6 airfields were attacked. Hundreds of Iranian military forces were eliminated, dozens of commanders were attacked and more than 30 senior members of the Iranian regime's security apparatus were thwarted,” read a statement issued by the IDF.

The IDF noted that throughout the operation it created increasing achievement and complete freedom of aerial action in the heart of Iran and fully met the objectives defined for the operation.

“Throughout the entire operation, high-quality and accurate intelligence, along with operational, technological and aerial capabilities, were evident. And alongside the entire offensive effort, the defence systems operated day and night,” the IDF stated.

Furthermore, the Israeli military mentioned that creating air superiority in Iranian skies, “the Israeli Air Force carried out 1,500 sorties and about 600 refuellings were made en route to Iran.”

“In the entire operation, 1,400 strikes were carried out by the fighter formation and 500 by the UAV formation, and the furthest of them was carried out at Mashhad airport, about 2,400 km from Israel, by a fighter jet. In addition, hundreds of interceptions of anti-aircraft missiles and drones were carried out. In total, 99per cent of the drones launched from Iran were intercepted,” said the IDF.

The Israeli military noted that during the 12-day operation, the Home Front Command, rescue and recovery forces operated in more than 170 locations across the country.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel has accepted a ceasefire proposal with Iran, marking the end of 12 days of intense hostilities between the two regional rivals.

In an official statement released by the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu declared that Israel had met all strategic goals of its military campaign, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, and even exceeded expectations.

“Israel had achieved all the objectives of Operation Rising Lion, and even far beyond that. Israel has removed a dual immediate existential threat – both in the nuclear domain and in the ballistic missile domain,” the statement read.

(IANS)

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