3 dead, 70 wounded as launches massive missile barrage at Israel

Iran unleashed three waves of ballistic missile attacks on Israel overnight, killing three people, injuring around 80, and sending civilians scrambling to shelters as explosions lit up the skies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported intercepting most of the estimated 200 missiles, though several struck central Israel, causing significant damage in Ramat Gan and Rishon Lezion.

Among the victims were Etti Cohen Engel and Yisrael Aloni, killed in separate strikes. A three-month-old baby was miraculously rescued from the rubble of a shattered home in Rishon Lezion, sustaining light injuries. "I pulled her into my arms amid complete destruction," said Fire and Rescue Service Captain Idan Chen.

Avi Gatenio, a Rishon Lezion resident, recounted rushing his children to a safe room after sirens woke them. “We heard a muffled boom, then saw our neighborhood in ruins,” he told Channel 12, noting glass shards that “could kill a child.” He helped an elderly couple escape collapsing debris.

“The whole building teetered,” said Tali Horesh, a Tel Aviv high-rise resident, recalling the deafening explosion that filled her apartment with smoke. Trapped in their safe room for two hours, her family awaited rescue amid “massive destruction” on lower floors, with flooded halls and a obliterated lobby. “It was terrifying,” she told Ynet.

Col. (res.) Michael David, leading the Home Front Command in Tel Aviv, called the event unprecedented. “We’re combing high-rises to ensure no one’s left behind—a grueling task,” he said.

Iran’s state media claimed "hundreds" of missiles were fired in retaliation for Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility and other military targets, which killed top Iranian commanders and scientists. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed Israel would face "grave consequences," while the Revolutionary Guards confirmed targeting dozens of Israeli sites.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned Iran’s attacks on civilian areas, promising a “very heavy price.” A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that escalated strikes on Iranian energy and infrastructure are under consideration, warning, “Iran will pay an unbearably heavy price.”

The IDF reported minimal structural damage, with some impacts caused by interception fragments. The U.S. confirmed assisting Israel’s missile defense but denied involvement in Israel’s prior strikes on Iran. Tehran, however, insisted the U.S. was complicit and would face consequences.

The UN Security Council is set to convene an emergency meeting at 10:00 PM Israel time to address the escalating conflict, with ambassadors from Iran and Israel attending.

As tensions soar, Israel remains on high alert, with the IDF preparing for further Iranian retaliation while asserting that its operation will eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat. “The world only understands strength,” said an Israeli official, echoing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s call for public resilience.