IDF Spokesperson, BG Effie Defrin on Saturday briefed the public on the latest developments in Israel's "Operation Rising Lion," aimed at eliminating the existential threat Iran presented to Israel.
"This evening, we carried out a strike deep within Iranian territory using approximately 60 fighter jets guided by precise intelligence," Defrin began. "On screen is footage from the past few minutes: An Israeli Air Force aircraft struck three Iranian military F-14 fighter jets. The strike was carried out in the heart of Iran."
"We are hitting every element in the missile production chain, preventing the Iranian military from advancing its strategic capabilities. Our forces are simultaneously intensifying their efforts to degrade the launch capabilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' missile arrays. They are doing so through preemptive intelligence-based identification and the implementation of dozens of aerial vehicles that are scanning the area."
Defrin noted that now, "The Iranian regime’s missile launch capabilities are merely a fraction of what they were at the outset of the operation."
"This morning, we announced the elimination of Saeed Izadi, commander of the Palestine Corps in the Quds Force and the coordinator between the Iranian regime and the Hamas terrorist organization. Izadi was one of the architects of the October 7th massacre. Since the beginning of the war, Izadi has attempted to transfer millions of dollars’ worth of weapons to the Hamas terrorist organization. Thanks to continuous intelligence gathering, this attempt was thwarted.
"About a month ago, our forces in the Gaza Strip conducted a search in the European Hospital — the same location where we located and eliminated Mohammad Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7th, along with other senior Hamas operatives. The underground complex built beneath the hospital served as a shelter for Hamas’s senior leadership.
"Unique intelligence was found during the search, including correspondence between Mohammad Sinwar and Saeed Izadi, clearly proving the direct connection between the IRGC and Hamas. Izadi and Sinwar were engaged in the financing, rebuilding, and rearming of Hamas against Israel. We cut that connection and disrupted the arms transfer.
"Another significant elimination was Behnam Shahriyari, responsible for transferring weapons from the Iranian regime to Hezbollah and other proxies across the Middle East. These two targeted eliminations are part of the continued effort to dismantle Iran’s network of proxies, a central pillar of its campaign to destroy the State of Israel."
Defrin also confirmed that the IDF "struck western Iran using dozens of fighter jets and precise intelligence. We targeted military radar detection systems and air defense batteries as part of a broader effort to achieve aerial superiority throughout Iranian airspace. This air superiority has enabled us to strike missile command centers, UAV infrastructure, and to destroy military storage facilities and launch tunnels for rockets and missiles — as well as close the loop on launchers that had fired at Israeli territory."
"This morning, alerts were triggered in several areas following the infiltration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran. No injuries were reported.
"Over the past week, over 1,000 UAVs were launched from Iran toward Israel. Only a small number penetrated Israeli airspace. Helicopters, fighter jets, naval vessels, and aerial defense systems continuously surround the State of Israel, working in coordination to intercept and prevent these intrusions. The majority of UAVs were intercepted outside Israel’s borders — a remarkable operational achievement.
"In addition to these defensive operations, the IAF continues to systematically target the UAV command chain. These strikes have disrupted planned barrages and destroyed approximately 950 explosive UAVs before they could be launched. The operational achievements of this campaign are the result of precise and determined work by our forces."
Regarding the war against Hezbollah, he added, "In the northern arena, the Israeli Navy struck a military structure belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan force in southern Lebanon. Yesterday, a Hezbollah terrorist was eliminated, and military sites containing rocket infrastructure and missile launchers were struck. These strikes followed intelligence indicating Hezbollah's attempts to rebuild its capabilities. Northern Command forces, both in Lebanon and Syria, remain on forward defense, serving as a barrier between any threat and Israel’s civilian population."
"Let me reiterate: the campaign is not over, and the enemy still possesses capabilities and intentions. Personal responsibility is of utmost importance — please adhere to the instructions issued by the Home Front Command. As the Chief of the General Staff said yesterday: 'Our enemies fail to understand that the Israeli home front is the source of the IDF’s strength — not its weakness.' I will continue to provide updates as developments unfold."