Israel wins 12-day war against iran

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#Iran 

In a stunning operation called “Lion Rising,” Israel, with the support of the United States in “Operation Midnight Hammer,” managed to neutralize Iran’s nuclear program and weaken its allied terrorist groups that surrounded the country

This victory humbled Iran, once considered the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, bringing more stability to the Middle East.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire, and Israel emerged as the big winner in what he called the “12-Day War” against Iran.

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A war that started much earlier

In fact, the conflict began almost two years ago, on October 7, 2023, when the Hamas group, coming from Gaza, attacked Israel by surprise during a Jewish holiday, killing 1,200 people, injuring thousands and kidnapping more than 250 hostages.

This forced Israel to launch a major military operation in Gaza.

Soon after, other Iranian-allied groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, began firing rockets and missiles at Israel.

Israel succeeded in destroying the Hamas leadership in Gaza, leaving the region in ruins.

During lulls in the fighting, agreements were made to release 147 hostages alive and recover bodies.

In addition, Israel carried out daring rescues of hostages, both dead and alive.

Operation “Death Beep”

Even more impressive was the action against Hezbollah.

Israel prevented a planned ground attack by the group, pushed its forces away from the northern border with Lebanon, and destroyed more than 80 percent of its long-range missiles, which posed a serious threat to the country.

In a historic operation, called “Death Beep,” Israel detonated some 3,000 beepers (pagers) with explosives, eliminating thousands of Hezbollah commanders.

It then eliminated the group’s entire leadership, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Israel also assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at a military facility in Tehran during the inauguration of the new Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

It also attacked Iranian commanders in Damascus, Syria.

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Iran’s first direct strikes

These actions provoked Iran into directly entering the conflict.

In April and October 2024, Iran launched major ballistic missile strikes against Israel.

In response, Israel destroyed Iranian air defense systems, demonstrating that it could hit targets more than 1,000 miles away.

These strikes set the stage for the 12-Day War.

After the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israel destroyed Syria’s military forces within days, cutting off the ground link between Iran and Hezbollah.

Israel also attacked the Houthis in Yemen, destroying key infrastructure such as the airport in the capital Sanaa and ports in Hodeidah.

The United States, for its part, conducted a two-month air campaign against the Houthis, striking more than 1,100 targets, many of which were supplied by Israel.

These strikes were a response to the Houthis, who attacked commercial shipping in the Suez Canal and American military vessels.

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Direct confrontation with Iran

The high point of the conflict was Israel’s campaign against Iran itself, called “Operation Rising Lion.” In 12 days, Israel launched a surprise attack with two objectives: to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and to end its production of ballistic missiles.

The Israeli Air Force conducted more than 1,000 flights, striking targets such as the nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, missile factories, military bases and even Evin prison, where Iran holds political prisoners.

Israel did not lose a single plane or pilot.

More than 200 aircraft, including F-35, F-16 and F-15 fighters, attacked targets and returned to refuel.

In addition, 900 Israeli drones destroyed Iranian infrastructure, and ground agents disabled air defenses, allowing safe strikes.

The US “Operation Midnight Hammer”#Y#

The climax of the war came with the US “Operation Midnight Hammer.” Two B2 bombers from Missouri dropped 14 giant bombs on the underground nuclear facility at Fordow.

At the same time, US submarines fired 30 Tomahawk missiles at Natanz and Isfahan, destroying what remained of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

All this went undetected by Iran’s defenses.

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Iran’s Weak Response

During the 12 days, Iran, which had between 2,000 and 3,000 ballistic missiles, managed to fire less than a quarter of them at Israel.

The Israeli Air Force destroyed 60 percent of the missile launchers, limiting Iran’s capabilities.

In addition, Israel’s air defense system, with technologies such as Arrow 3, Arrow 2 and David’s Sling, intercepted about 90 percent of the 500 missiles launched.

American THAAD systems, positioned in the region, also helped.

Some 25 Iranian missiles hit Israel, causing serious damage, including to an oil refinery, a port, electrical installations and even near the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Some hit civilian areas, including residential buildings, a center for disabled children and a hospital.

Resilience and miracles in Israel#Y#

As in all its wars, Israel has shown impressive protection.

In one case seen as a miracle, the Soroka hospital in Beersheba evacuated a vulnerable building less than a day before it was hit by a missile.

Air raid shelters and accurate warnings saved thousands of lives, with fewer than 30 people killed, despite the intense attacks.

The Israelis have once again proven themselves to be an extremely resilient people, following orders to take shelter and remaining calm, which has allowed the country to continue its military campaign.

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Diplomatic challenges

During more than 600 days of war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced major diplomatic challenges.

The conflict began at the end of Joe Biden’s administration, which was showing signs of mental decline.

Although he initially supported Israel by sending ships to the Mediterranean, the Biden administration began to hamper Israel’s military actions, limiting ammunition shipments and pressuring Netanyahu to change his strategy.

There was even a campaign to try to remove Netanyahu from power, something unusual for a US ally in wartime.

Even so, Netanyahu stood firm and gained political strength.

International pressure#Y#

Israel has also faced pressure from European governments and international institutions.

The International Court of Justice has considered trumped-up charges of genocide in Gaza, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, making it difficult for them to travel abroad.

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The turnaround with Trump

Donald Trump’s election changed the scenario.

He released the munitions blocked by Biden, provided diplomatic support and removed pressure for Israel to stop its campaign in Gaza.

Trump also sanctioned judges from the International Criminal Court who issued the warrants against Netanyahu.

The most important thing was to convince Trump of the need to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, which were weeks away from producing up to 10 nuclear weapons, a deadly threat to Israel.

Despite rumors of disagreements, Trump and Netanyahu worked in harmony, especially after “Operation Midnight Hammer”.

A landslide victory#Y#

Two days after the American strikes, Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

It is not yet known whether it will be maintained, but the result is clear: Israel won.

The Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis groups were neutralized, and Iran suffered devastating blows, losing its nuclear and military capabilities.

The Iranian regime has been humiliated, and the population, which already rejects the government, may be inspired to seek change.

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Change in Iran?

The defeat could prompt the Iranians to try to overthrow the “Islamic Republic” regime, which has oppressed the people since 1979 and reversed the country’s modernization.

Israel and the US have suggested that regime change may be near, although it was not a stated aim of the war.

The role of Netanyahu and Dermer#Y#

Netanyahu and his minister Ron Dermer have shown great skill in using Israel’s military, economic and diplomatic power.

They have understood how to leverage the country’s influence and have projected Israel as not only a regional but a global power.

Now they plan to move forward with peace agreements, such as the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations with countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Saudi Arabia and even former enemies such as Lebanon and Syria are expected to follow suit.

This could bring historic peace to the Middle East, something that Iran’s terrorist groups have tried to prevent.

A Nation That Rises Like a Lion#Y#

Netanyahu and Dermer have faced internal crises, international pressure and a war on multiple fronts, proving themselves to be indispensable leaders in one of Israel’s most difficult times.

But the victory belongs to the entire nation, which, as the article says, “rises like a lion.”

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Published in 06/24/2025 22h18

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Portuguese version

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Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.

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Reference article:

• https://www.jns.org/israel-wins-stunning-12-day-war/

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