According to reports by The Jerusalem Post on Friday, June 13, the Israeli military has confirmed that its decision to launch Operation Rising Lion, a wide-scale air campaign against Iranian military and nuclear targets, was driven by compelling intelligence showing that Iran had significantly accelerated its nuclear weapons program.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), recent intelligence assessments revealed a “dramatic and alarming shift” in Tehran’s nuclear activities, suggesting the regime was no longer merely developing nuclear capability but had taken definitive steps toward acquiring an operational nuclear weapon. Israeli defense officials said the intelligence left the country with “no choice” but to act militarily.
In a statement issued Friday morning, the IDF said:
“The Iranian regime is actively working to obtain a nuclear weapon. Our intelligence shows a significant acceleration in the nuclear program, particularly in recent months. This forced Israel to initiate Operation Rising Lion to prevent a strategic and existential threat.”
The intelligence pinpointed a convergence of multiple developments that pushed Israel to act. These included Iran’s increased production of enriched uranium, with stocks now reportedly in the thousands of kilograms, and a shift to decentralized, fortified underground enrichment sites designed to protect the program from airstrikes and sabotage.
Military officials stated that Iran was now capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels in a short timeframe, bringing the Islamic Republic perilously close to the so-called “point of no return.”
Crucially, Israeli intelligence uncovered evidence of a “secret and comprehensive plan” by Iran to develop all technological components required for a functional nuclear warhead. This includes advances in detonation mechanisms, neutron initiators, and warhead miniaturization for missile delivery. The IDF noted that senior Iranian nuclear scientists had intensified covert efforts, with the program gaining speed since late 2024.
The threat, according to the IDF, became especially urgent following the October 7 Hamas massacre, which was linked to Iran’s broader Axis of Resistance strategy. Intelligence indicated a coordinated push by Tehran to not only arm its proxies but also finalize a credible nuclear deterrent.
“Concrete progress has been made in Iran’s efforts to manufacture weapons components adapted for a nuclear bomb,” the IDF stressed. “Diplomatic efforts by the international community have failed to halt the program. The regime has ignored every warning.”
With no viable diplomatic alternatives remaining, Israel’s preemptive strikes, officials said, were aimed at disrupting the program and sending a clear message that its nuclear red lines remain firmly in place.
