Operation Rising Lion. Israel Attacks Iran.

What is real life like on the ground?

This is a historic moment. Israel has, for 25 years, more, warned of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. And, after giving diplomacy a chance, covert operations a chance, sabotage a chance, and sanctions a chance, Israel has finally said, “it’s enough,” and has taken action. It will be a real test to see not only the extent of the damage and if it will set back Iran sufficiently but also what the Iranian response will be and what the world will do going forward. Will they try to reach a deal with Iran? Will they now lift the sanctions, or will the Iranians race towards a bomb now and do it on their own? Even faster…..?

Those are the words of State of Tel Aviv regular commentator, former Jerusalem Post editor, serial author, and senior fellow at JPPI, Ya’akov Katz. Told to State of Tel Aviv, 3:20 pm. Friday June 13 2025.

Editor’s Note: This will be a dispatch to suit the moment: sharing random information and observations from an Israeli (me) on the ground. Me. This is the experience of being here at a time like this. In real time.

We’ve included below the link to an op-ed I wrote that was published Thursday evening in National Post (Canada), pulling together the strange and wild flow and pace of events in Israel yesterday and earlier in the week.

I awoke on Thursday morning and knew that something big was about to go down. And at that point, in the media, everywhere, there was zero talk or speculation. That came hours later. I wrote a column on my premonitions—which were clearly based on more than tea-leaf readings—here:

I’m a night owl. I like the quiet of the early morning hours, which is when I do a lot of reading. So when every single person in Israel was jolted awake around 3 am today (Friday) I had just dozed off an hour or so earlier.

I live on a kibbutz in the middle of nowhere in the western Negev area of Israel. My community is more or less 15 minutes from Sderot (the city of 30,000 in southern Israel that has been pounded by Hamas rockets since 2007), or, in the other direction, 10 minutes to Highway 6 (which traverses much of Israel on a north-south axis).

The kibbutz is surrounded by agricultural fields and nature reserves. This spectacularly beautiful corner of Israel is, ironically, known as the Badlands. For real. Lots of gulleys and baby cliffs and rolling hills. Not what you associate with the western Negev. It is also paradise for family picnics, dirt bikers and all sorts of sporty types. One of my neighbors on kibbutz used to operate a hot air balloon business in the area. Also, possibly the best bureka stall in the world is located in the nearby gas station. The Druse family that operates it seems to be open and busy 24/7. It’s a favorite hangout for the many soldiers based in the area.

That’s another thing. We are close to some significant air force bases. In past weeks there has been very little activity. As in - routine activity.

Now we know why.

Since 1948 that the warning sirens have blared on this kibbutz only one time. That was after October 7. The second time was today.

Immediately following the siren at 3 am today–which only sounded for a very short time–there was a message pushed through on every Israeli phone by the Home Front Command. It landed with an unusual screeching noise from the phone and warned us that we must stay near a shelter or safe room. Follow instructions.

Honestly, for a moment, I was thinking–is this a hack?

My daughter then called me. She lives and works in central Israel, near Tel Aviv. And she knows me too well. I was inclined to get back in bed. She kept me on the line as I sealed my safe room, arranged water and supplies and promised her that I would sleep on the couch in the living room. Closest place possible. And I did just that, waking at 1:15 pm on Friday.

It is now 2:15 pm and in the interim I have been immersed in news, private group information feeds and speaking with my daughters. One in Israel and another in Toronto.

Any information I share or post here is open source. If it is not verified I will make that clear. There is so much going on and we are already drowning in contradictory reports and information. It’s inevitable. I am writing this to share with you, in real time, the experience of being on the ground in the moment. This is not meant to offer probing military analysis. There’s plenty of that elsewhere and I think that we all need to resist the urge to jump on the latest bit of information and wait for reliable officials to verify it. (I will be diving into the military analysis in the coming days with relevant experts.)

Ok. Enough with the disclaimers. Back to real life.

To be honest. I kicked myself when I woke up at 1:15 - for having been too lazy and not stopping at the grocery store yesterday. I needed this and that. But I thought. “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Thing is, in Israel, we truly cannot count on tomorrow. And we live with a constant awareness of this truth. In matters cosmic and trivial.

Now, we are being told that this period of intense–war?–will likely continue for two weeks.

My afternoon plan? I’ll bake a few challahs, fill up more water bottles than I can drink in a year and keep my powder dry. Those are the things I can control. Oh. And I’ll bake extra challot for my neighbors. Kibbutz life.

Yes. In the same moment I am keeping my eye on the clock and very mindful of the fact that reports indicate that swarms of drones were launched from locations in Iran and Iraq and headed towards Israel. Some reports say they could hit any moment. Most say we should expect them to arrive by 3 pm. That is 40 minutes from now. The hope is that they will all be intercepted. Apparently, some exploded over Jordan. I cannot verify that.

Based on my network of contacts, intel and security chat groups in which I am a member, open media and other sources, here’s my best rendering:

Oops. I forgot to mention that when my daughter in central Tel Aviv called right after the 3 am alarm and warning, she told me that her partner–a highly trained combat medic–was called up to reserve duty. Immediately. Like put on your uniform and get to your base. Now. Tens of thousands of reservists across Israel received those call up notices and left their loved ones to serve. There is also an emergency blood drive ongoing, but all of the donation centers are too far from my home for me to get there and back safely. There’s a particular call for O blood types. No surprise–it’s the most common one.

My kibbutz is frozen in the moment. No signs of life. Everyone is inside, staying close to their safe rooms and with their families. Not even the dogs or little kids are running around. A very unusual stillness and quiet. It is Friday. That is a weekend day in Israel. The kibbutz pool is open for the summer. The weather is perfect. Not a soul in sight.

All week, there have been little signs that something is up. And off. Last night, when I drove home from a trip to the drugstore in Sderot, the kibbutz gate was down. Unusual. We always have an armed guard at the entrance who checks everyone entering. I asked her–Is this because of the “matzav”? (“Matzav” means “situation” in Hebrew and is one of those words that applies to everything from “how are you” to “Is this because of a high military alert and fear of imminent attack”?)

To which my fellow kibbutznik, a gorgeous 20-something woman with a fierce looking weapon slung over her shoulder replied, with a neighborly smile: Yes.

This, following a day of bizarre internet and navigation app bugs, a lot of bad energy in the air–you know those negative ion days.

Also days of very high drama in the Knesset–with the coalition government squeaking through a vote that would have dissolved Parliament and necessitated an election. (The putative issue was the refusal of the ultra-orthodox parties to accept a law requiring that all men be drafted into IDF service – even the haredim (ultra-orthodox) who currently are legally exempt or shirking their duty, depending on who you ask.

The head of one of the major ultra-orthodox coalitions resigned from the government. Oh. And Argentinian president Milei wrapped up a jocular visit to this country–his second since taking office in November, 2023–by attending in the Knesset for speeches and accolades as he sat in the Chair of Honour–the place of the Speaker of the Knesset.

Very shortly after Milei’s departure from Israel things really got going. This–in addition to the matters I wrote about in my National Post piece yesterday seem to all have been part of a genius psy ops diversion. (Psychological operations intended to distract/confuse/divert the enemy’s attention.)

And yes, add to that all the scuttlebut about the upcoming marriage of PM Netanyahu’s youngest child, Avner, on June 16. Gutter stories about how angry some senior Likud ministers are by the decision taken to have it be a private affair. No political people will be invited. National Enquirer level stuff. This is what pops up in the news just as the most spectacular military operation–perhaps ever–is being launched by Israel.

I mean–we have plenty of trash talk and politics here all the time–but I cannot help but think that these last few days were staged. And they worked because they were so authentic. We turned our legendary argumentativeness into an asset.

This is the kind of stuff that was in the air on the eve of what may turn out to have been the most daring, brilliant military operation staged yet by Israel.

As one wisecracker commented on one of my chat groups earlier today: “And I thought the beeper thing couldn’t be surpassed!”

Here’s what we think we know at this time. (Israeli TV channel 12 is on as I write):

This Israeli operation has been meticulously planned with a staggering range of precise intelligence and operational capability. There are clearly invaluable intelligence assets providing information from within Iran and the Israeli capability is jaw-dropping.

There have been waves and waves of Israeli air force attacks. It seems that initial targets were individuals in positions of critical importance to the Iranian regime: scientists, nuclear experts, air force, army and political leadership. Numerous individuals who are key to the Iranian war effort and threat to Israel have been confirmed in various forums to have been killed. Many others are critically injured. The decision makers were taken out. Brilliant. That ensures a high degree of operational chaos.

The Iranian regime has reportedly shut off all internet access within the country.

(Elon Musk: This is your cue to step in and activate Starlink.)

“Taking out” decision makers seems to have been the initial goal. That was followed by hits on military targets throughout Iran, including known nuclear weapons sites. There are multiple reports of significant targets having been hit. And coming in now are reports of numerous secondary explosions at military sites, clear indications that targets were hit.

There are reports backed up with verification that civilian aircraft in Israel were being flown to a safe country in the region in order to avoid having such critical assets destroyed. No, I will not name the country here. But do send them boundless thanks.

Other reports that the brand-new airplane dedicated for use by the Prime Minister and other top officials has been circling in international airspace. This has not been confirmed by official sources but was reported in a high-level forum with accompanying evidence. (Memories of President Bush running America from the air on 9/11.)

Everything, it seems, is on the highest of high alerts. TV reports are speaking of the vulnerability of Israeli targets abroad, including diplomatic missions. I would add to that all Jewish institutions and sites. That’s me speaking. Not the government of Israel. But, I mean, let’s get real here.

It is now 2:51 in Israel and still not a single drone or ballistic missile has landed within our borders. I have no idea how many may have been intercepted. There was concern about Israel’s air defence systems being overwhelmed if Iran launched a massive drone or missile attack – as it did on April 13-14, 2024. Based on reports it is clear that Israel pre-emptively targeted that capability from the earliest stages of the attack.

This X post is just so great that I have to post it - an information interlude:

TV break: At the moment yet another expert is speaking about how resilient Israelis are. Honestly, I’m so done with hearing about how resilient we are. What choice do we have?

Having said that–we are anything but passive. And apparently our action-oriented society is our greatest power. At the end of the day, for all our differences and “broygas” (great Yiddish word for “blood feud”…the Hatfields and McCoys got nothing on the Jews) we pull together.

As someone commented earlier today in one of my many chat groups. “This is what ‘Never Again’ looks like.”

Simple. To the point. Bullseye.

At the risk of sounding a bit maudlin, I have always said that if I am going to meet my end because of a major attack on Israel and the Jews, then let me be right where I am. Head held high. Not hiding in a crevice or a sewer somewhere. Not pretending on the streets of Toronto that I am not Jewish. Not waiting for law enforcement to protect me. And waiting…Not quaking with fear. Not helpless. My late father was a Holocaust survivor. I learned the most important life lessons from him, just by virtue of him having persisted.

His survival taught him the paramount value of dignity. What a profound legacy.

Ok. Another key element of the deceptive psy ops, as mentioned earlier, was the noise around the talks between the US and Iran – again, which I covered in my Nat Post piece, above. President Trump issued a 60-day ultimatum to Iran back in April. “Make an agreement. Or else”. A participant in one group pointed out that yesterday, Thursday, was Day 61.

And today, here’s what President Trump said to ABC news in recent hours regarding this operation:

“I think it was excellent. They (Iran) were given a chance and they didn’t take it. They were hit hard–very hard. They were struck with near-maximum force. And more is coming. Much more.”

Israeli TV is reporting now that Trump has since posted on social media that he is willing to return to the negotiation table with Iran and give them one last chance.

I think it’s highly unlikely that Iranian leadership will take the olive branch. And by last count six Israeli pundits are yelling over one another and arguing over what may happen and I won’t even pretend to be able to follow them. It’s chaos on TV at the moment. Sometimes, this country…

We will be covering this ongoing……crisis? Situation? Globally seismic event? We will be covering it religiously……even through shabbat. Thanks for being here. Please like, comment, you know the drill.

And for those of you enjoying our content I ask, again, that you consider supporting our work with a paid subscription. We deeply appreciate and need the resources to deliver. Thanks, as always, for being here.