Waves of airstrikes in Iran and Israel as exchange of fire enters second day

Iran had no choice but to retaliate against Israel’s sweeping strikes on its nuclear facilities and targeted killings of senior officials, experts of the region said Friday, risking an escalation that could drag the United States into a spiraling conflict.

Late on Friday, loud blasts were heard throughout Israel and the public was told to take shelter after the military said it identified missiles being launched from Iran. Iran launched “hundreds of ballistic missiles,” Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency reported, adding that “the hard retaliation has begun.”

While not a surprise, Israel’s earlier attack was remarkable in its severity, with some 200 Israeli fighter jets hitting one of Iran’s main uranium enrichment sites; striking the capital, Tehran; and killing many top military leaders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed more was to come.

This left the Islamic Republic with few options, having been weakened by a succession of Israeli strikes over the past year, experts warn.

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Israeli strikes on Shahid Chamran residential complex in Tehran today have killed an estimated 60 people, 20 of them children, according to a TV report on IRNN, Iran’s state-run news agency.

The 14-floor building in Nobonyad Square, north Tehran, is a residential complex for the defense ministry.

Israeli strikes have killed at least 130 people in Tehran, after 78 people were killed yesterday, according to state media reports. Other cities have also reported casualties. No official numbers have been released.

Another round of loud explosions are currently being heard in Tabriz.

Iranian attacks will spread across “all occupied lands” and American bases in the region, according to Farsnews, an Iranian news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp.

It said the attacks would extend over the next few days, and “will be regretful and painful for the aggressors.”

Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel have killed at least three people from Friday into Saturday morning.

A woman and a man were killed by strikes near homes in the city of Rishon in central Israel, according to the the nation’s Magen David Adom emergency services.

A spokesperson from Beilinson Hospital said a woman that was injured critically yesterday was pronounced dead this morning.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded by Israeli strikes.

Across central Israel, Iranian missiles have killed three people, damaged homes and injured dozens as strikes continued through Friday night into Saturday morning.

Sheba hospital said 68 people were treated fior various shrapnel injuries and anxiety. Beilinson hospital said 19 injured people had been admitted so far, including seven in light to moderate condition from this morning’s latest barrage of missiles.

Israel’s fire and rescue services said it operated at dozens of sites overnight responding to burning buildings, and Israel’s emergency services Magen David Adom posted pictures on social media of buildings that had collapsed, with paramedics treating people in serious and critical condition

Civilian life is under heavy disruption, with transport hubs closed, including Ben Gurion international airport, and public events suspended. The IDF and MDA have asked Israelis to remain near shelters.

Israel launched an overnight strike on Tehran’s Mehrabad airport, targeting a hangar housing fighting jets, according to Iran’s state media.

The report said a fighter jet base had been hit, but that the runway and main buildings were still intact.

The United States’ ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this morning local time that he has had to shelter five times overnight as Iran has launched missiles at Israel in response to Israel’s attack on the country.

“Been rough nite in Israel. Had to head to shelter 5 times during the nite. It’s now Shabbat here. Should be quiet. Probably won’t be. Entire nation under orders to stay near shelter,” Huckabee wrote on X.

A rocket strike in Israel has injured 21 people, one of whom was in critical condition and several others in serious condition, the Israeli paramedic organization Magen David Adom said. The explosion was in Rishon Lezion.

“Update to rocket strike site in Coastal plain: MDA EMTs and paramedics treating and evacuating 21 patients, one in critical condition, several seriously injured and others in mild to moderate condition,” it said on X.

Initially, 13 had been reported injured while searches were ongoing, and at that time a post on X by Magen David Adom showed showed a collapsed building and other damage. The number of injured was later updated to 21.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres today again called for an end to the escalation after Israel struck Iran with airstrikes and Iran responded with barrages of missiles.

“Enough escalation. Time to stop,” he wrote on X. “Peace and diplomacy must prevail.”