Iran has launched waves of missile strikes against Israel in a dramatic response to an earlier Israeli air offensive that targeted key Iranian nuclear facilities and military leaders. The retaliatory attacks, which began overnight and continued into Saturday morning, mark the most direct confrontation between the two regional adversaries in decades and have triggered widespread international alarm.
Air raid sirens rang out across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, forcing millions of civilians into shelters as Iranian ballistic missiles rained down in successive waves. Israeli air defences intercepted many of the projectiles, but some penetrated the shield, causing significant damage and casualties. At least three Israelis were killed and dozens were injured as apartment blocks collapsed under the impact.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed ongoing aerial operations in response to the strikes, while Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed that Iran’s leadership had “crossed a red line” and would “pay a heavy price”.
Iran’s state news agencies reported explosions in Tehran, including a strike on the capital’s Mehrabad airport, which houses military aircraft and lies near key government infrastructure. Iranian officials have stated that more than 320 people were injured and at least 78 were killed in the initial Israeli attacks on Friday, the majority of them civilians.
The unprecedented escalation follows Israel’s targeted airstrikes on 13 June, which struck the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites and killed six Iranian nuclear scientists and several senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran’s military has since activated its air defences and launched what it described as “hundreds” of ballistic missiles under the operation name True Promise 3.
While Iranian officials have framed the response as proportionate retaliation, the strikes have heightened concerns of a broader regional conflict. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused Israel of launching a war and warned that “nowhere in Israel will be safe”. He pledged that Iran’s enemies would face “bitter and painful consequences”.
US role under scrutiny
The United States has come under increasing scrutiny following comments by President Donald Trump acknowledging that Washington was informed in advance of Israel’s initial offensive. Speaking to American media, Trump described Israel’s actions as “excellent” and said the strikes had delivered a “very successful attack, to put it mildly”.
While the US administration maintains that American forces were not directly involved, two defence officials confirmed that US military personnel assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles aimed at Israel. A senior official, McCoy Pitt, told the UN Security Council that any attack on American assets by Iran would result in “dire consequences”.
Trump’s shifting stance has drawn criticism at home and abroad. Having long campaigned on a promise of “no new wars”, Trump’s support for Israel’s military actions risks alienating parts of his domestic base, particularly as the US heads into a contentious election cycle.
Despite the escalating violence, Trump suggested that diplomacy remains possible, claiming Iran still has a “second chance” to negotiate a new nuclear deal. Talks were due to resume in Oman on Sunday, but Tehran has indicated it may not attend.
“You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time allow the Zionist regime to bomb our territory,” said an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson. “Dialogue under fire is meaningless.”
Wider regional fallout
The situation has had immediate regional repercussions. A missile fired from Yemen by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement reportedly struck the occupied West Bank, killing five Palestinians, including three children, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The attack has intensified fears that Iran’s network of regional proxies could be drawn into the conflict.
In Tehran, Iranian media broadcast images of celebratory crowds following the missile launches, but there were also reports of panic as citizens confronted the reality of sustained Israeli strikes on urban areas.
Israel, for its part, continues to press its claim that Iran was on the verge of producing weapons-grade nuclear material. At the UN, Israeli ambassador Danny Danon stated that intelligence had confirmed Iran was “days away” from acquiring enough fissile material for multiple nuclear warheads. He called the Israeli operation an “act of national preservation”.
Meanwhile, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that Israel’s strikes had destroyed the above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz and damaged additional facilities in Isfahan and Fordow. The agency reported no radiation leak but expressed deep concern over the escalation.
Global leaders urge restraint
World leaders have issued urgent appeals for de-escalation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, stating, “Enough escalation. Peace and diplomacy must prevail.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed the call for restraint, with Starmer emphasising the need to “step back from the brink”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned Israel’s actions as a “clear provocation”, while Saudi Arabia and Oman issued statements warning of the potential for uncontrollable regional spillover.
Despite these appeals, both Israel and Iran appear determined to continue their campaigns, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warning that “more is on the way” and Iranian commanders pledging continued strikes.
