On June 15, 2025, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) declared it had achieved “full aerial superiority” over Tehran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict with Iran.

This announcement, made by IDF Spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin, followed a series of intense Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile sites, and military infrastructure.

Concurrently, the United States has deployed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier toward the Middle East, prompted by a stark warning from President Donald Trump to Iran, signaling heightened tensions that could reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape.

The Israeli military’s claim of air supremacy over Tehran represents a bold assertion of dominance in the escalating conflict.

According to Defrin, the IAF conducted a large-scale operation involving over 200 aircraft, including more than 70 fighter jets, which struck approximately 100 targets across Iran.

Key targets included the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, a cornerstone of Iran’s nuclear program, as well as air defense systems, ballistic missile launchers, and command centers linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Quds Force.

The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” aimed to cripple Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons and retaliate with missile strikes.

Defrin emphasized that the IAF had destroyed a third of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and disrupted significant portions of its air defense network, allowing Israeli jets and drones to operate freely over Tehran for extended periods.

“We have created aerial freedom of action from western Iran all the way to Tehran,” he stated, underscoring the unprecedented depth of Israeli operations within Iranian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced this stance, declaring in a Fox News interview that Israel had secured a “free highway to Tehran” and could now “pick off the targets we need.”

The strikes have caused significant damage, with Iranian state media reporting at least 224 deaths, including military personnel, nuclear scientists, and civilians, and 654 injuries.

In Tehran, explosions rocked the defense ministry headquarters and the Shahran oil depot, with unconfirmed reports of drone attacks on refineries.

Israel’s actions have also drawn international attention, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noting potential damage to Iran’s centrifuge capabilities at Natanz, though no direct attack on underground facilities was confirmed.

Iran has responded with defiance, launching retaliatory missile barrages on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

These attacks, which began in the early hours of Monday, June 16, 2025, resulted in at least 24 deaths in Israel, including five Ukrainian nationals in Bat Yam.

Iranian missiles damaged the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, prompting heightened security measures. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi claimed “solid proof” of US involvement in Israel’s strikes, a claim denied by President Trump, who stated on Truth Social that the US had “nothing to do with the attack.”

Iranian leadership, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and the new Revolutionary Guards commander, vowed a “more severe and powerful response” to Israel’s actions.

Tehran also threatened to target the military bases and ships of US, UK, and French forces if they aided Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles.

Additionally, Iran’s foreign ministry announced plans to introduce a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signaling a potential shift in its nuclear policy, though it reiterated its opposition to developing weapons of mass destruction.

The conflict has raised fears of a broader regional war. Iran has sought to rally allies, with reports of discussions to form an “Islamic Army” alongside other Middle Eastern nations.

Meanwhile, Pakistan reportedly warned Israel that any nuclear attack on Iran would trigger a retaliatory nuclear strike, escalating concerns about a potential nuclear confrontation.

Amid the escalating violence, the US has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East by redirecting the USS Nimitz from the South China Sea toward the region.

The carrier, originally scheduled for a visit to Vietnam, was rerouted due to an “emergent operational requirement,” according to the US Embassy in Hanoi.

The deployment follows President Trump’s warning to Iran on June 15, 2025, that any attack on US targets would be met with “the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces at levels never seen before.”

Trump’s statement came amid reports that he had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though he expressed support for Israel’s strikes and urged Iran to pursue a nuclear deal to avoid further escalation.

The US military’s role remains ambiguous, with officials emphasizing no direct involvement in Israel’s operations. However, the repositioning of refueling aircraft and the presence of US forces in the region suggest preparations for potential contingencies.

The Pentagon’s actions align with earlier deployments, such as the USS Dwight Eisenhower’s movement to the Red Sea in April 2024 to deter Iranian attacks, indicating a pattern of US military posturing to support Israel while avoiding direct conflict.