Israeli security forces look on as a digger clears the rubble of a destroyed building at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv. AFP
The latest escalation follows the US bombing of Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites amid rising regional tensions.
Iran’s Red Crescent reported no fatalities from the US strikes. “Fortunately, we did not have any martyrs in last night's events of the US aggression against Iran's nuclear facilities,” said Pir Hossein Kolivand, the organization’s head, according to state television and reported by AFP.
The Israeli military said the Iranian assault began around 7:30am local time, with two waves of missile launches—22 in the first salvo, followed by five in the second.
Air raid sirens were activated across central and northern Israel, including Jerusalem. The military later confirmed it had targeted and destroyed the launchers responsible for the attack.
Iran’s armed forces said the missile barrage targeted several sites, including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, and involved long-range missiles with “devastating warhead power,” according to AFP.
Israeli security forces and first responders gather at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv. AFP
Israeli media reported that emergency services responded to at least 10 impact sites, with damage recorded in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Carmel.
In Tel Aviv’s Ramat Aviv neighbourhood, residential buildings suffered significant structural damage, and streets were strewn with rubble as rescue teams searched for survivors.
In Haifa, a public square and nearby buildings sustained heavy damage. Shopfronts were shattered, air conditioners were torn from facades, and debris littered residential areas. Police units were also deployed to Ness Ziona, south of Tel Aviv.
An Israeli air defence interceptor malfunctioned during the barrage and crashed in Haifa, slightly injuring three people. Sirens did not sound in the city. “The possibility of a malfunction with the interceptor is under investigation,” an army spokesperson told AFP.
Visiting one of the damaged sites in Tel Aviv, Mayor Ron Huldai said: “Houses here were hit very, very badly… The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay,” according to AFP.
Despite Israel’s air defences intercepting more than 450 missiles and around 1,000 drones over the past week, officials confirmed at least 50 direct missile impacts.
Iran has carried out near-daily missile attacks since Israel’s 13 June strikes on Iranian territory as part of an ongoing campaign targeting nuclear and military infrastructure as well as densely populated civilian areas.
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