Escalation in Middle East: Iran Unleashes Missile Barrage on Israel After Deadly Strikes

Tel Aviv, Israel – The fragile peace in the Middle East shattered on Friday night as Iran launched a significant wave of ballistic missiles towards Israel. This dramatic escalation comes in direct retaliation for what Tehran describes as a "major deadly attack" by Israel on its nuclear facilities and key military figures earlier that day. Explosions rocked cities across Israel, with sirens blaring frantically over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, painting a vivid picture of a region on the brink.

The Iranian response, described by its state media as three distinct waves involving hundreds of missiles, follows an unprecedented Israeli offensive in the early hours of Friday. That initial strike had reportedly targeted critical Iranian nuclear sites, senior military commanders, and prominent scientists, marking a severe blow to Tehran's strategic infrastructure.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, did not mince words, declaring that Israel's actions had "initiated a war." He sternly warned that the "Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime," vowing a "crushing and precise response." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) echoed this sentiment, confirming they had indeed "carried out its crushing and precise response against dozens of targets, military centres and airbases" across Israel under Khamenei's direct command.

While Iranian state media boasted of hundreds of missiles, the Israeli military presented a different picture, stating that fewer than 100 projectiles were fired, with most either intercepted or failing to reach their targets. Crucially, US military officials confirmed their assistance to Israel in intercepting incoming Iranian missiles, highlighting the broader international implications of the conflict.

Despite the interceptions, the impact was felt keenly in central Tel Aviv. Live footage from the scene showed a modern apartment block engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing into the night sky. A neighboring residential building also sustained significant damage, its windows shattered and twisted metal hanging precariously from its facade. According to Israeli news outlet Haaretz, citing emergency services, at least 40 people were injured in the assault, with early reports indicating two individuals were trapped in a severely damaged building in the greater Tel Aviv area. Residents were immediately instructed to seek shelter in "protected spaces," a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation.

"This was an extensive volley of ballistic missiles, something that Tel Aviv is not used to," observed Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman. She emphasized the profound psychological impact on the Israeli public, witnessing damaged buildings and emergency services frantically working to aid those affected.

In a reciprocal move, Iran announced the closure of its airspace until Saturday afternoon, and air defense systems were activated in Tehran, signaling readiness for further potential Israeli strikes.

Earlier on Friday, Israel's surprise attack claimed the lives of several high-ranking Iranian generals and scientists, including Major-General Mohammed Bagheri, the armed forces chief of staff, and Hossein Salami, the IRGC chief. Major-General Mohammed Pakpour has been swiftly appointed to replace Salami, and in a defiant letter to Khamenei read on state television, he promised that "the gates of hell will open to the child-killing regime," a reference to Israel.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, detailed the human cost of Israel's initial attacks to the UN Security Council, stating that 78 people, including women and children, were killed, and over 320 injured.

The Israeli military had previously claimed to have struck over 200 targets across Iran. Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, had warned that Iran possessed the "ability to significantly harm the Israeli home front" before an incoming attack cut short his televised news conference. Defrin also confirmed that the nuclear facility in Isfahan was among the targets, an operation he stated was "still ongoing."

While acknowledging "limited damage" to the Isfahan nuclear site and the Fordo nuclear site south of Tehran, an Iranian atomic energy agency spokesperson, Behrouz Kamalvandi, downplayed the extent of the destruction, attributing it primarily to warehouse fires and reassuring that there was no "extensive damage" or "cause for concern in terms of contamination." Earlier, the Natanz nuclear enrichment site was also hit, with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, noting potential damage to centrifuges and manageable radiological and chemical contamination.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had anticipated "several waves of Iranian attacks" in response to Israel's actions. During Iran's retaliatory strike, Netanyahu addressed Iranian citizens, asserting that Israel's operation was aimed at "thwarting the Islamic regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile threat" and suggesting it was an opportunity for them to seek freedom.

As tensions remain critically high, the world watches with bated breath, hoping to avoid a full-scale conflict in a region already grappling with immense instability.