Day 616 - Israel strikes Iran to thwart ’imminent’ nuclear bomb

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian and diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Overnight, Israel launched a major offensive against the Islamic Republic of Iran, striking nuclear sites, military facilities, missile bases and senior leadership. Fabian describes how new intelligence indicated that the military assessed Iran currently has enough enriched uranium to build 15 nuclear bombs — as well as its ballistic missile factories and its military capabilities.

We hear details about the "Rising Lion" mission, as well as Iran’s retaliation of 100 UAVs, as of recording time mid-morning Friday.

We also learn about the behind-the-scenes cooperation between the United States and Israel and how the world is responding to this preemptive strike so far, especially the Saudia Arabia.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

After years of preparation, Israel launches major offensive against Iran and its nuclear program

‘An immediate operational necessity’: Why Israel finally attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities

Explainer: The handful of facilities at the core of Iran’s nuclear program

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: An Israeli Air Force fighter jet departs for strikes in Iran, early June 13, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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