Inside Tehran, military commanders scrambled under fire to assess the damage as plumes of smoke rose over key sites. Iranian air defenses, missile production facilities, naval assets, and leadership compounds were hit in rapid succession. U.S. and Israeli officials described the operation as a necessary strike against infrastructure posing an imminent threat—particularly Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile capabilities, and support for regional proxies. The goal, they said, was to degrade Iran’s ability to project power and prevent future attacks.
