Under the cover of darkness, at least 200 Israeli aircraft pierced Iranian skies on Friday in a surprise assault that didn’t just begin from the air, but from within. What made the strikes unlike any in recent history was not just their scale, but their surgical precision, aided by months of covert planning, smuggled weapons, and internal sabotage.Israel’s strike wasn’t just a show of military might – it was a display of staggering precision, executed with a level of planning and coordination that is only now beginning to come into focus.Here are 10 images that show how precise the strike was:
According to two Israeli security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Associated Press, the operation was aided by months of covert groundwork laid by the country’s Mossad spy agency. Ahead of the assault, Mossad reportedly smuggled drones and precision-guided weapons into Iran. These were not simply stored and left — they were positioned with surgical care, near key Iranian surface-to-air missile systems and radar installations.
As Israeli aircraft began their 2,000-kilometre journey toward Iranian airspace, with nearly 200 jets launching simultaneously, these internal strike assets were activated. Explosive drones launched from within Iran targeted missile launchers near Tehran, disrupting Iran’s ability to respond even as the first bombs fell.
Meanwhile, mobile strike systems hidden inside civilian vehicles attacked radar and air defence positions from the ground, offering air superiority to Israeli jets before they even arrived.
The result: explosions erupted almost simultaneously in multiple high-security locations, including military and nuclear sites in Tehran, Isfahan and Qom. Iran’s most fortified facilities — like Natanz and Fordo — were struck with a precision that suggested long-term surveillance and exact targeting data.
These underground enrichment sites, previously thought to be secure, suffered visible damage. Intelligence officials say bunker-penetrating munitions and internal sabotage combined to breach even their toughest defenses.
The Israeli air assault focused on disabling ballistic missile production plants, destroying launch-ready missiles, and eliminating radar networks across central Iran. Footage from the capital showed blinding flashes lighting up the night sky in unison, implying a highly coordinated strike.
Iran’s state media reported the deaths of several high-ranking officials, including the commander of its Revolutionary Guard, the head of its missile program, and two nuclear scientists. Though Iran launched over 100 retaliatory drones, Israel says the majority were intercepted.
The operation marks a major escalation in the shadow war that has simmered for years between the two nations. But what made Friday’s strike extraordinary wasn’t just the scale or speed — it was how the first wave of damage came from inside Iran itself, a testament to Israel’s deep infiltration and strategic foresight.
Officials in Israel claim the attacks were a necessary step to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, particularly after Tehran vowed to accelerate uranium enrichment following a recent censure by the UN’s nuclear watchdog.
(Image credits: AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that if left unchecked, Iran could move “within a very short time” to produce a nuclear weapon — although international experts maintain it would take months.
