In a dramatic escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel, a missile launched by Iran struck the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) headquarters in Tel Aviv, breaching Israel’s renowned Iron Dome air defence system.
A verified 19-second video circulating on social media shows the missile piercing through the sky, narrowly evading interception attempts by the Iron Dome before hitting central Tel Aviv, causing a fiery explosion. The impact site is near the Marganit Tower in the Kirya area, a key landmark close to the IDF command center.
This strike came in retaliation for two waves of Israeli airstrikes on Iran within a 24-hour span. Israel had earlier launched preemptive attacks on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Following the missile strike, sirens wailed across Israel, with reports of explosions over both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed widespread attacks from Iran, with missiles launched indiscriminately, prompting mass evacuations and shelter alerts across northern Israel.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, spokesperson for the IDF, blamed Iran solely for the tensions, accusing Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons and endangering civilians with reckless strikes.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded sternly, calling Israel’s preemptive strike a “grave mistake.” He vowed vengeance for what he called “the blood of Iran’s martyrs” and warned that the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces are fully prepared.
“The Zionist regime has made a reckless error… its consequences will bring that regime to ruin,” Khamenei declared on Saturday.
As the Middle East teeters on the brink of a full-scale regional conflict, global powers have urged restraint, but both nations appear committed to a path of continued military escalation.