Israel’s unprecedented attacks on Iran had at their core an elusive and high-risk goal: eradicating the country’s controversial nuclear program.

Israel attacked Iran in a “precise and integrated preemptive strike” against Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said in a statement that the overnight strikes were carried out with the “aim of damaging the Iranian nuclear program and in response to the Iranian regime's ongoing aggression against Israel.

Israel’s sweeping attack across Iran struck at the heart of Tehran’s nuclear program, delivering a blow to the country’s ability to enrich uranium and potentially setting its nuclear ambitions back by months or years.