Iran has unleashed a wave of missile strikes against Israel, directly targeting civilian areas in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The attacks come in retaliation for Israel’s operation earlier that day against Iran’s nuclear facilities and senior military leadership. But instead of striking back at military targets, Iran chose to hit residential neighborhoods, causing fear, injuries, and widespread damage.
Iran Fires Missiles at Israeli Cities
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that they launched a “crushing and precise response” against Israel on Friday night. Air raid sirens echoed across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as dozens of missiles approached. Explosions were seen over both cities, and multiple buildings were hit. Iranian state media claimed hundreds of missiles were launched in three waves. However, the Israeli military said the number was under 100 and most were intercepted or fell short.
A modern apartment building in central Tel Aviv was hit directly, with smoke pouring from its upper floors. A nearby residential building also suffered heavy damage, with blown-out windows and twisted metal hanging from its frame. “This was an extensive volley of ballistic missiles, something that Tel Aviv is not used to,” reported Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh. “The sight of damaged buildings and rescue workers pulling people from rubble has had a strong psychological impact on the Israeli public.”
The Israeli paramedic service Magen David Adom confirmed that 34 people were injured, including five from shrapnel wounds in Tel Aviv. Two victims were in critical condition, including a woman trapped under debris. Haaretz reported that emergency services pulled people from the wreckage while fires raged inside several apartments.
Israel’s Earlier Attack Struck Iran’s Military
These civilian attacks came after Israel’s massive pre-dawn strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military leadership. Israeli warplanes targeted the Natanz nuclear enrichment site, the Fordow facility south of Tehran, and the Isfahan facility. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the attack damaged centrifuges and caused radiological and chemical contamination inside Natanz, although it was described as manageable.
In the same wave of attacks, Israel eliminated several high-ranking figures in Iran’s security structure. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was confirmed dead, along with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces. Iran’s United Nations envoy told the Security Council that 78 people were killed and more than 320 injured, many of them civilians living near military sites.
A senior Israeli official said the goal was to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons and to damage the infrastructure that supports its missile program. “This was a decapitation strike,” the official said. “We hit the brain of Iran’s military and nuclear leadership.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as necessary to protect Israel’s future. “Generations from now, history will record our generation stood its ground, acted in time and secured our common future,” he said.
Iran Vows to Keep Hitting Civilians
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the Israeli attacks amounted to an act of war and warned that Iran’s response would be severe. “The Zionist regime will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime,” he said. “The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured.”
Khamenei’s words were backed by Iran’s missile barrage, which avoided military installations and focused instead on urban areas. In a letter read aloud on Iranian state television, newly promoted IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour promised, “The gates of hell will open to the child-killing regime.”
Iranian ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the United Nations that the United States was also responsible for the Israeli attack, saying, “The U.S. shares full responsibility for the consequences.” He accused Israel and its allies of escalating the conflict and warned that no place in Israel would be safe.
Trump Urges Iran to Choose Peace
Former U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he was aware of Israel’s plans and had attempted to convince Iran to avoid war. “We knew everything,” Trump told Reuters. “I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out. They can still work out a deal, however, it’s not too late.”
Trump also issued a direct warning on social media, saying, “There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter come to an end.”
Israel’s Defenses Hold, But Public Shaken
Israel’s missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome, operated at full capacity throughout the night. Several missiles were shot down with help from the United States military. Brigadier General Effie Defrin of the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that all aerial defense systems were active and that Israel had gained control of the situation by early Saturday morning.
According to the Israeli military, Iran fired fewer than 100 surface-to-surface missiles at Israel in two major waves, with most of them intercepted by Israel’s defense systems. A significant number of the missiles were either shot down or fell short of their targets. The United States military also assisted in intercepting incoming missiles, helping to prevent further damage. Despite Iran’s claims of launching hundreds of ballistic missiles, Israeli defense officials reported that many were either inaccurate or failed to reach Israeli territory.
Several missile did indeed hit, including a modern apartment building in central Tel Aviv was struck, and another nearby residential building suffered significant damage
Still, the damage and injuries caused by the missiles that got through left a deep impression. In Jerusalem, hospitals shifted services to underground emergency zones, canceled non-urgent procedures, and released stable patients to prepare for further attacks. The Israeli airline industry moved planes out of Ben Gurion Airport to safer locations, and authorities advised the public to shelter in place and avoid hoarding supplies.
Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s National Security Advisor, said the airstrikes were part of a larger effort to create the conditions for a long-term agreement led by the United States. He noted that military action alone would not destroy Iran’s nuclear program but could slow it down significantly.
What sets this conflict apart is the clear difference in tactics and values. While Israel focused its attacks on nuclear sites and military personnel, Iran responded by firing missiles at apartment buildings, shopping centers, and neighborhoods where families live.
Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people directly, saying, “Our operation is to thwart the Islamic regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile threat. As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom. The regime does not know what hit them or what will hit them. It has never been weaker.”