Israel’s military said Thursday that its ongoing campaign of strikes against Iran has already “shaken” the country’s clerical leadership and is continuing to inflict damage on Tehran’s command structure.
“The goal of the operation is to inflict severe damage on the Iranian terror regime until it removes the existential threat,” military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a televised briefing. “And we continue to deepen the damage to the regime.”
The remarks came as Israel and the United States pressed ahead with coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military facilities and leadership compounds. The offensive, launched in late February, has escalated tensions across the Middle East, with Iran responding through missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities and U.S. bases in the region.
Iran has also mobilized allied militias in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, intensifying clashes and raising fears of a broader regional war. Israeli officials argue the campaign is necessary to degrade Iran’s military capacity and deter further aggression, while critics warn the strikes could harden Tehran’s resolve and destabilize the Gulf.
International reaction has been mixed. European leaders have urged restraint, warning that escalation risks undermining nuclear diplomacy and disrupting global energy markets. Oil prices have already risen amid concerns about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
For Israel, the campaign is framed as a defensive necessity. For Iran, the strikes represent a direct challenge to its leadership and sovereignty. Analysts say the confrontation underscores the fragile balance between deterrence and diplomacy, with the potential to reverberate far beyond the Middle East.
