By Eelaththu Nilavan | Tehran –
Over 150 Targets Hit in Historic Iranian Retaliation; Hypersonic Missiles From Houthis Signal Birth of Direct Axis Warfare
■.Prologue to a Firestorm
In a stunning escalation, Iran has unleashed Operation True Promise III, launching over 200 ballistic missiles and drones against Israeli military infrastructure on the night of 14 June, marking one of the largest direct assaults in modern Middle Eastern history.
The attack, described by Tehran as a legitimate act of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, was carried out in response to an Israeli decapitation strike that killed over 70 high-ranking Iranian officials, including top nuclear scientists, and, most notably, Ali Shamkhani, Supreme Leader Khamenei’s closest security advisor.
■.Strike Details: Precision Retaliation or Proxy War Transcended?
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that 150+ Israeli targets were hit, including:
Ramon and Negev Airbases
Missile storage bunkers in Ramat David and Palmachim
Cyber-defense facilities in Haifa and Be’er Sheva
Command & control nodes near Tel Aviv and Ashdod
Despite Israel’s Iron Dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling intercepting the majority, multiple impacts were confirmed in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, and Haifa, killing at least 10 civilians and soldiers, and injuring over 140.
■.Death of Ali Shamkhani: The Breaking Point
The killing of Ali Shamkhani, former IRGC Navy commander and architect of Iran’s strategic alliances with Hezbollah, Syria, and Yemen’s Houthis, is a strategic earthquake.
Shamkhani was not just an advisor—he was Iran’s de facto geopolitical architect, credited with rebuilding Iran-Saudi ties and managing proxy networks across the region. His death, reportedly by precision-guided drone strike near Tehran, shattered Tehran’s strategic command structure and triggered immediate retaliation.
■.Houthis Enter With Hypersonics: A New Phase in Axis of Resistance
In a dramatic twist, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis fired two hypersonic missiles, dubbed “Palestine 2”, targeting “sensitive Israeli military installations” in Tel Aviv.
This is the first-ever use of hypersonic missiles by a non-state actor and marks a dangerous new military threshold:
Speed: Mach 15+
Range: ~1,600 km
Targeting: Precision coordinates synced via Iranian satellite assistance
More shocking, the Houthis publicly admitted that the launch was carried out in “full coordination with Iranian command.” The Axis of Resistance—once deniable—has now declared itself a formal war coalition.
■.Operation Rising Lion: Israel’s Surgical Response
Israel responded with Operation Rising Lion—a wave of stealth airstrikes on Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan. The IDF confirmed:
Destruction of missile launch facilities in Kermanshah
Elimination of IRGC aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Precision bombings of Iran’s underground nuclear centrifuge hubs
Israel’s intelligence arm Mossad, played a key role. Israeli sources say Mossad infiltrated drone components and GPS jammers weeks earlier, crippling Iranian missile accuracy by 40% before the conflict even began.
■.Global Reaction: War Clouds or Diplomatic Openings?
UN Security Council held an emergency session. Russia backed Iran’s right to self-defense; the U.S. urged restraint but defended Israel’s “right to neutralize existential threats.”
Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar remain silent but have increased border alert levels.
Turkey condemned both sides but offered to mediate.
India and China urged an immediate ceasefire, fearing disruption of the Gulf oil corridors.
Oil prices jumped 9% overnight, with Brent Crude nearing $108/barrel, and regional airlines suspending routes over Iraq and Iran.
■.Deeper Analysis: What’s Next?
◆. Decentralized Warfare Expanding
The Axis of Resistance—from Hezbollah to the Houthis—is now operating in tandem, suggesting Iran may no longer hide behind proxies. Expect more hypersonic and cyber strikes.
◆. Israel Won’t Stop
Israel’s doctrine, shaped by Netanyahu and Mossad director Barnea, will continue targeting Iran’s strategic brain centers, aiming to neutralize leadership more than infrastructure.
◆. The Nuclear Wild Card
Experts fear Iran may accelerate uranium enrichment toward weapons-grade levels as retaliation. If confirmed, it could force direct Western military action—a nightmare scenario.
■.Conclusion: The Region Stands on a Knife’s Edge
The death of Shamkhani has removed a crucial backchannel architect. With command decapitation in Tehran and missiles falling on Tel Aviv, the Middle East is witnessing a shift not seen since the 2006 Lebanon War—or perhaps even the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
What began as covert strikes has now evolved into an open war theater between Iran and Israel. This is no longer proxy warfare—it is joint military confrontation, the likes of which the world hasn’t seen in decades.
Either the next few days will bring urgent diplomacy…
Or the world may watch as two ancient civilizations drag the region into a 21st-century inferno.
□ Eelaththu Nilavan □
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Amizhthu’s editorial stance.
