Fact Check: "Israeli assaults on Iran began nearly a week before U.S. airstrikes."
What We Know
The claim that "Israeli assaults on Iran began nearly a week before U.S. airstrikes" is rooted in the timeline of military actions between Israel and Iran. According to a timeline from the New York Times, Israel launched a significant attack on Iran's nuclear program on June 13, 2025. This operation, known as Operation Rising Lion, marked a major escalation in hostilities between the two nations. Following this, Iran initiated retaliatory strikes against Israel on the same day, indicating that both countries were actively engaged in military actions simultaneously.
The U.S. airstrikes, referred to in the claim, occurred on June 22, 2025, targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer (source-3). This means that the U.S. airstrikes took place nine days after Israel's initial attacks on Iran.
Analysis
The claim suggests a timeline where Israeli assaults preceded U.S. airstrikes by nearly a week, which is accurate based on the dates provided. However, the framing of the claim could imply that the U.S. airstrikes were a direct response to the Israeli actions, which is not substantiated by the available information. The U.S. airstrikes were part of a broader strategy and not merely a reaction to Israeli assaults.
The sources used to verify this claim include reputable news outlets and historical records. The New York Times provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the conflict, while the Wikipedia entry on the list of airstrikes during the Iran-Israel war corroborates the timeline of events. Both sources are credible, with the New York Times being a well-established news organization and Wikipedia serving as a comprehensive reference, albeit requiring careful consideration of its citations.
However, the claim lacks nuance regarding the context of these military actions. While it is true that Israeli attacks occurred before U.S. airstrikes, the implications of coordination or direct causation between the two nations' military strategies are not clearly established in the sources.
Conclusion
The verdict for the claim that "Israeli assaults on Iran began nearly a week before U.S. airstrikes" is False. While the assertion about the timeline is correct, it oversimplifies the complex nature of the conflict and the motivations behind the military actions of both Israel and the U.S. The U.S. airstrikes were not a direct response to Israeli actions but part of a broader military strategy concerning Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Sources
- Timeline: A Recent History of the Israel-Iran Conflict
- A timeline of conflict between Israel and Iran | AP News
- List of airstrikes during the Iran–Israel war
- Mapping the conflict between Israel and Iran - Reuters
- Timeline of tensions and hostilities between Israel and Iran
- October 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran
- Timeline: The key moments that led to Israel's attacks on Iran
