TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Friday it launched a military operation against "tens of" targets, military centers, and aerial bases in Israel.

The IRGC said that the "crushing and precise" response was in retaliation for Israel's "aggression" against areas in Iran and the killing of high-ranking Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, including children, according to the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.

According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran's air defense has downed two Israeli Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets as well as a large number of micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), capturing a female Israeli pilot.

The operation began after Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed in a televised message that the Iranian armed forces would make Israel "miserable."

Early Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC's Chief Commander Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Following the attacks, the Iranian leader said in another message that Israel must wait for a harsh punishment for its "crime" against Iran.