Iran and Israel targeted each other with airstrikes early on Saturday after Israel launched its biggest-ever offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iranian missiles and rockets struck Tel Aviv early on Saturday, while explosions were heard in Jerusalem, Israel’s two largest cities, as hostilities between the Middle East’s two biggest adversaries escalated. The fresh wave of airstrikes came a day after Israel launched its largest-ever offensive against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, killing top military commanders, and destroying critical infrastructure. In retaliation, Iran fired missiles at Israeli cities, while fresh Israeli strikes triggered explosions in parts of Tehran.
Iran’s assault on Tel Aviv, dubbed “Operation True Promise,” killed one person and injured around 34 others, according to Israeli police and health authorities. Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion”, which launched on Friday, and continued on Saturday, reportedly killed at least 78 people, mostly civilians, and left over 320 injured.
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Iran and Israel exchanged airstrikes early on Saturday, a day after Israel launched its largest-ever offensive aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Israeli forces said they were actively intercepting a “barrage of missiles” fired by Iran, as air raid sirens blared across multiple cities. At least 35 people were reported injured in Tel Aviv. Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem, according to news agency Reuters.
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Israel quickly launched another round of strikes on Tehran, with several explosions heard across the Iranian capital. According to local media reports, two projectiles struck Mehrabad Airport, located near key Iranian leadership sites and home to an air force base housing fighter jets and transport aircraft. Flames were reported at the site. This marked the third wave of airstrikes on Saturday, following two salvos late Friday night.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that “more is on the way,” declaring that Israel’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme are “just beginning.” In a fresh statement, Netanyahu said the offensive is directed against what he called the “murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes the Iranian people.” He asserted that the campaign is aimed at eliminating what he described as an “existential threat” posed by Iran.
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Iran’s barrage of rockets on Israel came after a televised address from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who pledged: “The armed forces of the Islamic republic will inflict heavy blows upon this malevolent enemy.” He warned the consequences of Israel’s attack “will bring it to ruin”.
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The United States said the Donald Trump administration was not directly involved in the latest escalation, though the President remarked that they “knew everything”. American ground-based air defence systems in the region were assisting in intercepting Iranian missiles. “We knew everything, and 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 added.
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The strike came as the US was urging Iran to sign a nuclear agreement. Former President Donald Trump called on Iran to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme, warning of “even more brutal” Israeli attacks if it failed to do so. Iran said on Friday the dialogue with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme is “meaningless” after Israel’s military strike. “The other side (the US) acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime (Israel) to target Iran’s territory,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Iran foreign ministry spokesperson.
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Israel said that the attack was planned way back in November 2024, shortly after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. In the current operation, Israel deployed warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to assault key facilities and kill top generals and scientists.
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Israeli strike on Friday killed three of Iran’s top military leaders — one who oversaw the entire armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, General Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
