Game of Thrones meets geopolitics: All about how Israel's 'Red Wedding' strike decimated Iran's military elite
In an audacious strike dubbed "Operation Red Wedding" by Israeli planners, inspired by Game of Thrones' infamous betrayal scene, Israel assassinated Iran's top military commanders and nuclear scientists in a meticulously coordinated June 13 assault.
The operation, reportedly years in the making, saw drones and missiles rain down on Tehran simultaneously, killing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri, and nine leading nuclear scientists critical to Iran's uranium enrichment program.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orchestrated an elaborate deception to lull Iran into complacency, even postponing his son's wedding while leaking false rifts with the U.S. over military action. This ruse ensured key targets—unaware and gathered in vulnerable locations, were eliminated in minutes. The attack leveraged decades of intelligence gathering, including smuggled explosives and drones hidden in suitcases, and built on prior 2024 strikes that disabled Iran's air defenses. As chaos engulfed Tehran, Netanyahu watched from an Israeli bunker, later declaring the mission had "shattered Iran's threat."
President Donald Trump followed Israel's "decapitation" strike with a devastating U.S. bombardment, dropping 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs on Iran's Fordow and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Trump claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, but assessments revealed a more complex reality.
While Fordow's centrifuges were destroyed by shockwaves, Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium remained intact and were likely moved before the attack . The IAEA confirmed "enormous damage" but noted inspectors were barred from sites, while Iran's Foreign Ministry admitted nuclear facilities were "badly damaged" .
The human toll soared to 1,054 deaths in Iran, including 318 military personnel and civilians, with Israel suffering 28 fatalities . Tehran retaliated with over 550 missiles, but 90% were intercepted by Israel's air defenses, though key economic hubs faced unprecedented disruption. Amid the rubble, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei emerged from hiding to defiantly vow Iran would "never surrender," even as his regime grappled with internal fractures and a bill suspending all cooperation with UN nuclear monitors .
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