The joint American-Israeli military operation against Iran has advanced into its sixth phase and entered a second stage, according to Reuters. Fighter jets are now striking ballistic missile sites concealed deep underground. Sources familiar with the campaign indicate that Jerusalem’s objective is to completely deprive Tehran of its ability to conduct aerial attacks and to neutralize the leadership of the Islamic Republic.

The intensity of the bombardment surged on Thursday, with residents in Tehran reporting massive explosions in the northern part of the capital. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed overnight raids on underground infrastructure used to house missiles intended for strikes against aviation and ballistic projectiles.

Military officials previously reported the destruction of hundreds of surface-level launchers. The focus has now shifted to fortified bunkers. Israeli and U.S. officials noted a decline in the frequency of Iranian launches, attributing the drop to successful strikes on key logistical hubs.

Inside Iran, a sudden political crisis has emerged following the cancellation of a three-day mourning period for the killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This move disrupted government plans for a swift transfer of power to his son, who holds radical views. In response, Tehran has vowed to retaliate anywhere in the world following a U.S. attack on a vessel thousands of miles from the immediate conflict zone.

The conflict has now reached a regional scale:

  • Iran: Israeli and U.S. aircraft control a significant portion of the country's airspace.
  • Lebanon: Israeli jets are striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut, frequently conducting "double missions" by hitting targets in Iran on the outbound flight and Lebanon on the return.
  • Neighboring Countries: Iranian attacks have been recorded in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region.

Estimates of Iran’s remaining arsenal vary between 2,500 and 6,000 missiles. Experts from the British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) believe Tehran still possesses stocks of high-precision cruise missiles capable of evading radar detection.

Eran Lerman, a former Israeli deputy national security adviser, emphasized that hopes for a rapid collapse of the Iranian regime have not yet materialized. "Until that happens, the system must be suppressed more and more forcefully," Lerman concluded.