Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel Friday night in direct retaliation for Israeli airstrikes earlier in the day that targeted key Iranian nuclear and military sites. The missile barrage triggered air raid sirens across the country, with several rockets breaching Israeli defenses and striking downtown Tel Aviv, wounding at least seven civilians.
According to Israeli Army Radio, approximately 150 ballistic missiles were fired in two waves. Most were intercepted by Israel’s advanced air defense systems, including Iron Dome and U.S.-supplied systems. However, multiple missiles managed to strike populated areas, including Tel Aviv, where one impact was caught on video near high-rise buildings.
Seven civilians were injured in the first wave, most with minor wounds. One person suffered moderate injuries. In a second missile wave, which targeted northern and southern Israel, no additional injuries were reported. A total of ten missiles were confirmed to have landed on Israeli territory between the two waves.
The Israeli Defense Forces stated that Iran was specifically targeting civilians, while Israel had only targeted military infrastructure in its earlier strikes. Israeli Home Front Command issued temporary shelter-in-place warnings and later allowed citizens to leave shelters but urged them to remain alert for further attacks.
Friday’s missile assault followed Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, a precision strike campaign that hit Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, and reportedly eliminated several senior members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran’s leadership responded by initiating what it termed Operation True Promise III, vowing continued retaliation.
While Israel reported fewer than 100 incoming projectiles, Iran claimed it launched hundreds. The conflicting numbers reflect the fog of war as tensions escalate. With the U.S. military assisting in missile defense and President Trump signaling openness to renewed diplomacy, international attention is now fixed on whether the crisis spirals into broader regional conflict.
