Tehran Burns | WATCH: Protests Erupt in Iran's Capital City

Tehran awoke to flames and chaos today Sunday as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) escalated its air campaign, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. The operation, launched on June 13, has struck over 170 sites across Iran, with more than 80 in the capital alone, dealing severe blows to the Iranian regime’s nuclear ambitions and military leadership, according to IDF statements and reports from Ynetnews.

Explosions rocked Tehran overnight, with eyewitnesses reporting “enormous flames and repeated blasts” near military bases and residential neighborhoods housing senior commanders, per Iran’s Fars News Agency. The IDF confirmed strikes on critical targets, including the Iranian Ministry of Defense headquarters, the Sepand nuclear project headquarters, and fuel depots used for military purposes. Iranian state media reported a fire at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, though the IDF denied targeting civilian infrastructure like the Fordow nuclear facility. Posts on X claimed power outages in northern Tehran and flames engulfing the Shahran Oil Depot west of the capital, though these remain unverified.

The IDF’s operation, involving over 200 fighter jets, including F-35I “Adir” stealth aircraft, dropped more than 330 munitions on approximately 100 targets in its opening waves, securing air superiority over western Iran. Mossad’s covert operations, including a drone base near Tehran and smuggled precision weapons, crippled Iran’s air defenses, enabling Israeli jets to operate freely, according to an Israeli official cited by The Aviationist. Among the casualties were Iran’s top military commanders, including IRGC Commander Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, and nine nuclear scientists, such as Fereydoon Abbasi, per Iranian and IDF reports.

Iran retaliated with over 300 ballistic missiles in seven salvos, killing at least 11 Israelis, seven in Bat Yam, four in Tamra, and three elsewhere, and injuring over 385, with seven in serious condition, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health. On June 15, Iranian missiles struck Haifa’s oil refineries, damaging pipelines but causing no casualties, per a Tel Aviv Stock Exchange filing. The IDF’s Iron Dome and Arrow systems, supported by U.S. THAAD interceptors, neutralized most threats, though some missiles hit Tel Aviv’s Kirya military district and civilian areas, per CBS News. Iran launched around 100 drones, most intercepted, but has withheld its heaviest missiles, like the Kheibar, signaling a potential escalation, according to Ynetnews and X posts.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, “If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at Israel’s home front, Tehran will burn,” echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that the operation targets Iran’s regime, not its people. The IDF justified the preemptive strikes, citing intelligence that Iran had amassed enough enriched uranium for up to 15 nuclear weapons, per ABC News. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no radiation spikes at Natanz, despite significant damage reported by Israeli media.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed a “severe punishment,” calling Israel’s actions a “declaration of war,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cited self-defense rights. Iranian media reported 78 deaths, including 29 children in a Tehran housing complex strike, though the BBC could not independently verify these figures. Iran canceled nuclear talks with the U.S. scheduled for June 15 in Oman, per NBC News.

In Israel, a state of emergency persists, with airspace closed, schools shifted to remote learning until June 21, and public transport limited to essential routes, per IDF Home Front Command. A hostile aircraft intrusion alert was issued in the Bekaa region at 3:21 p.m. and 3:22 p.m., covering Shadmoth Mehola, Mehola, and Rotem, heightening civilian anxiety. El Al canceled flights through June 30, and 742 citizens are homeless, per the Welfare Ministry.

U.S. forces assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles but were not involved in Israel’s strikes, per Secretary of State Marco Rubio. President Donald Trump urged Iran to negotiate, warning on Truth Social that further Israeli attacks would be “even more brutal,” though he claimed no U.S. military role. Unverified X posts speculated about U.S. involvement or Mossad false flag operations, but no credible evidence supports these claims.

As Tehran grapples with fires and disrupted infrastructure, and Israel braces for further Iranian retaliation, the region teeters on the edge of a broader conflict. The IDF’s sustained aerial dominance and Iran’s restrained missile reserves keep the world watching, with fears of escalation impacting global markets and the Strait of Hormuz.