Israel’s Precision Strike on Iran: Dramatic Hours Before the Attack Revealed

A senior Israeli official has provided a gripping account of the tense hours leading up to Israel’s meticulously planned strike on Iran, executed under Operation “With the Lion’s Might” on June 13. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was intensely focused, counting down the hours, saying to his team, “Another 48 hours… another 24 hours…” while gripped by fears of a potential leak that could jeopardize the mission. The official noted that the U.S. was informed in advance and evacuated its personnel from Iraq, a clear indicator of the operation’s imminence, which heightened Netanyahu’s alertness.

The strike, launched at 3:00 a.m., synchronized three simultaneous objectives: the elimination of 20 key Iranian figures, including scientists and senior military officials, and a devastating attack on the Natanz nuclear facility. The official revealed, “We eliminated 20 people there. Every one of them could have gone to a shelter. Fortunately, they didn’t pick up on the signs, and we caught them in their homes.” The operation’s success was critical, as failure “would have changed the entire nature of the campaign.” At Natanz, the attack targeted spinning centrifuges, a strategic move that caused catastrophic damage. “We struck Natanz while the centrifuges were spinning. When centrifuges are hit while spinning, they shatter into a thousand pieces,” the official explained. “If they had known 10 minutes earlier, they could have shut them down. That was one of the most dramatic aspects.”

The operation’s precision relied on flawless timing to prevent Iran from activating defenses or halting centrifuge operations, which would have mitigated the damage. The strikes crippled Iran’s nuclear program, already under scrutiny for 60% uranium enrichment, and targeted figures linked to missile attacks on Israel. With 53 hostages still held by Hamas and regional tensions soaring, Israel’s preemptive action underscores its resolve to neutralize Iran’s threats, despite risks of retaliation and ongoing domestic challenges, including a national airspace closure.