Many Causalities In Overnight Iranian Strikes On Israel
Not less than eight people have been killed in overnight Iranian aerial strikes on Israel, including four children, with more than 200 others injured, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
The ministry, in a statement on Sunday morning, said another 35 people were missing and accused Iran of having “deliberately targeted Israeli civilians as they slept.”
The barrage came in retaliation for Israel’s surprise strike early Friday on Iran’s nuclear programme. According to Israeli officials, that operation killed several nuclear scientists and high-ranking military leaders, ABC News reports.
A U.S. official told ABC News that the United States had no military involvement in the Israeli strike.
“Iran targets innocents,” the ministry said. “Israel targets nuclear and military sites — to stop the world’s most dangerous terror regime from acquiring the world’s most dangerous weapons. We will do whatever it takes to defend our people. Israel is doing what must be done.”
Missiles also struck the central Tel Aviv District, where the Israeli Police confirmed “multiple fatalities” and injuries. In Western Galilee, at least 14 people were wounded.
“At this stage, firefighters are working at the scene of a building collapse in the Galilee, and firefighter teams are searching for trapped people,” said an Israeli Fire and Rescue spokesperson.
Sirens blared across Tel Aviv on Sunday morning as more missiles were launched from Iran. The Israeli Air Force said it intercepted seven drones during the fresh assault.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had identified and struck missile launchers in Iran overnight. “Over the past hour, the IAF completed an additional series of strikes on storage and missile launch infrastructure sites in western Iran,” the IDF announced on Telegram.
The IDF further confirmed strikes on “infrastructure sites of the Iranian nuclear weapons project and fuel tankers” in Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently presiding over a political-security cabinet meeting, as the country braces for further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
