Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the IDF for what he called the “destruction of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and its missile production system.” The large-scale operation, dubbed “Am K’Lavi” (“With the Strength of a Lion”), had been conducted in secret since early May and relied heavily on advanced intelligence gathering.
During a security assessment on Thursday (July 3, 2025), Katz, alongside IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Operations Directorate Head Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, and Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, revealed key details of the operation.
Katz declared the mission a success, claiming it struck a decisive blow to the two greatest threats facing Israel: Iran’s nuclear program and missile production capabilities. He said the IDF had even operated in central Tehran, targeting regime infrastructure, command centers, and strategic facilities.
“The State of Israel is determined to lead an active defense policy against Iran and remove these threats,” Katz stated, adding that the next mission is to prepare a “blue-and-white enforcement plan” to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capacity — possibly hinting that Israel may act without U.S. support.