‘We Are Not Pausing for a Moment’: Israel Strikes Iranian Ballistic Missile Infrastructure

Latest Developments

• Targeting Missiles: The IDF announced on June 15 that it had begun a wave of strikes against dozens of ballistic missile launchers in western Iran during the third day of Operation Rising Lion. The announcement followed earlier IDF statements that it had destroyed armed surface-to-surface missile launchers ready to fire at Israel. Additionally, the IDF targeted air defense systems, radars, and drone and missile manufacturing facilities as it continues working to achieve air superiority throughout Iran.
• IRGC Intel Chief Killed: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on June 15 that Israel killed Brig. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, the chief of intelligence of Iran’ Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his deputy, Gen. Hassan Mohaqiq, in a strike on Tehran. Earlier, the IDF conducted its “most distant strikes since the start of the operation,” bombing an Iranian refueling plane at Mashhad Airport in northeast Iran, nearly 1,500 miles from Israel. Overnight, the IAF hit 80 targets in Tehran, including fuel depots, the Iranian Defense Ministry Headquarters, the headquarters of Iran’s SPND nuclear project, and others related to Iran’s nuclear program.
• Strikes Not Pausing: “We are not pausing for a moment,” said IDF spokesman Effie Defrin. The IDF’s international Arabic language spokesman, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, and Persian language spokesperson, Reserve Master Sgt. Kamal Penhasi, issued a statement for Iranians to immediately evacuate and avoid all areas around “military weapons manufacturing facilities and their supporting institutions.” Iranian state media reported traffic snarling roads leading out of Tehran as citizens fled the capital.  

FDD Expert Response

“Israel needs to rapidly work its way through the Iranian missile supply chain, making it hard for Iran to generate repetitive missile attacks. They need to hit fuel production, missile assembly, and missile storage forces. This requires persistent, well-informed attacks.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“Israel’s message to the Iranian people has been consistent: you are not our enemy — the regime is. With the Islamic Republic’s military infrastructure weakened and the focus shifting toward targets who suppress dissent, a rare moment of shared momentum has emerged — one where Iranians and Israelis find themselves aligned against a common adversary. This convergence has placed Washington in a uniquely powerful position to pursue a policy of maximum support for the Iranian people at a time when the regime’s foundations are increasingly fragile.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Israel’s Air Defenses Stand Firm Under Iranian Fire,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Hit Every Site and Every Target’: IDF Strikes Iran’s Critical Energy Sector,” FDD Flash Brief

“Elaborate ‘deception operation’ orchestrated by Trump and Israel’s Netanyahu to decapitate Iran’s leadership and cripple nuclear program,” by Mark Dubowitz

“Israel Confirms Mossad Teams Operating Inside Iran,” FDD Flash Brief