Israel kicked off Operation “Rising Lion” last Friday, launching a sweeping military assault that dealt a major blow to Iran’s leadership and nuclear infrastructure. The first wave of attacks successfully targeted high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and key players in Tehran’s atomic program.
In a surprising detail, the Jerusalem Post reports, the component of the mission aimed at Iran’s nuclear scientists was codenamed “Narnia” by Israeli forces—a reference to the fantasy realm, underscoring how bold and unlikely such a strike might have seemed before it was executed.
As part of the mission’s intelligence strategy, Israeli officials created a priority system to classify Iranian nuclear scientists, ranking them by the level of threat they posed and how difficult they would be to replace. The highest-priority targets were those with the most critical military knowledge. This detailed categorization led to the formation of a kill list, prepared in advance for immediate action.
The operation’s success relied heavily on the Intelligence Directorate’s ability to gather exacting data. Those killed in the strike were veterans of Iran’s nuclear program and considered irreplaceable assets. Many were viewed as intellectual heirs to Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, widely seen as the architect of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Prominent nuclear scientists eliminated during the campaign included:

• Fereydoun Abbasi, specialist in nuclear engineering
• Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, physics authority
• Akbar Matlali Zadeh, expert in chemical engineering
• Saeed Beraji, a materials engineering professional
• Amir Hassan Faqahi, expert in physics
• Abd al-Hamid Minushahr, authority on reactor physics
• Mansour Asgari, a physicist
• Ahmad Reza Davalparki Daryani, a nuclear engineer
• Ali Bakhayi Kathehremi, mechanical expert

An Israeli military official revealed how the complex operation came together. “120 individuals from Military Intelligence and the Air Force were brought into a facility in Unit 8200 to plan the operation. By January, the pressure was mounting as no solutions had been found. The consensus was clear – we needed to develop solutions targeting air defense systems.”
The official continued, “In the past year, we began constructing a target bank, and the breakthrough came when we discovered an intelligence base and an air force base. However, the target bank did not yet contain enough targets. Each team had its own mission: killing nuclear scientists, eliminating command centers, and radar systems. That’s when Operation ‘Rising Lion’ began.”
In a surprising departure from its usual military doctrine, Israel has turned to psychological tactics, a move more commonly seen in the playbooks of its adversaries. On Wednesday, the IDF posted a message in Persian on its official X/Twitter account, encouraging Iranian citizens to reach out directly to the Mossad. The post hinted that internal elements within the Iranian government were already seeking to prevent the country from facing the kind of devastation seen in Gaza or Lebanon. The statement read: “We understand that you are in a difficult situation under the conditions imposed by the regime. In recent days, we have received messages from our loved ones who fear the uncertain future.”
It went on: “Even members of the regime’s security institutions are expressing fear, despair, and anger at what is happening in Iran and are asking us to contact the Israeli authorities – to avoid the same fate as Gaza and Lebanon. However, we must clarify that we are not the address for such requests, and we direct you to contact the Mossad. Perhaps you will find a way to improve your situation.” The message included a secure Mossad contact link and advised users to employ encrypted connections (VPN) for safety.
In response, the Mossad followed up with a post of its own: “Iran claims to have attacked a Mossad building with missile strikes. Fortunately, no one was there… everyone is in Iran.”

{Matzav.com}