Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes against Israel late Friday and early Saturday, with explosions reported in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This escalation follows what is being described as Israel’s largest-ever military operation against Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian generals.
As air raid sirens sounded across Israel, authorities urged residents to seek shelter. Missiles were seen streaking across Tel Aviv’s skyline, and the Israeli military reported that Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles, most of which were intercepted or fell short of their targets. Two U.S. officials confirmed that the U.S. military assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles headed for Israel.
Several buildings in Israel were struck during the attack, including an apartment block in the residential neighborhood of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv. Another building in central Tel Aviv sustained significant damage to multiple floors. Emergency services responded to the affected areas, working to rescue individuals trapped in high-rise buildings.
According to Israeli media reports, at least 34 people were wounded in the Gush Dan area, including a woman who later succumbed to her injuries. The exchange of missile strikes has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict, though Iran’s allies in the region, such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, have faced substantial setbacks from previous Israeli operations.
In Tehran early Saturday, heavy smoke and fire were observed at Mehrabad Airport, as local media reported explosions in the vicinity. Iran announced that it had activated its air-defense systems, with explosions heard throughout the capital. The state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the strikes on its nuclear facilities and the killing of top military commanders.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of initiating a war, with a senior Iranian official warning that “nowhere in Israel will be safe” and promising a painful revenge. Iran’s United Nations envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel’s attacks on Iran, with more than 320 wounded, most of them civilians. He also accused the United States of complicity in the attacks and held it fully responsible for the consequences.
In a televised address, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, stating that it “will continue for as long as it takes to eliminate this threat.”
The United Nations and several countries have called for de-escalation, urging both sides to exercise restraint to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
