Iran strikes back Israel; Netanyahu warns 'more is on the way'; what happened overnight?

A melodramatic and unsafe escalation unfolded crossed the Middle East overnight, arsenic Iran launched a barrage of retaliatory rocket strikes astatine Israel precocious Friday and aboriginal Saturday, successful effect to what it called Israel’s “criminal aggression” connected Iranian ungraded a time earlier.The confrontation began with Israel’s "greatest subject operations successful history," against Iran. In a sweeping and highly coordinated onslaught connected Thursday night, Israeli warplanes and drones, immoderate of them reportedly smuggled into Iranian territory successful advance, struck heavy wrong the Islamic Republic. Key targets included parts of Iran’s atomic infrastructure, ballistic rocket accumulation sites, and bid centers.

The onslaught besides killed apical Iranian subject commanders and atomic scientists."In the past 24 hours, we person taken retired apical subject commanders, elder atomic scientists, the Islamic regime's astir important enrichment facility, and a ample information of its ballistic rocket arsenal," declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successful a defiant video address. "The authorities does not cognize what deed them, oregon what volition deed them.

It has ne'er been weaker."Netanyahu besides addressed the radical of Iran directly: "To the arrogant radical of Iran, we are successful the midst of 1 of the top subject operations successful history, Operation Rising Lion. The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for astir 50 years, threatens to destruct our country, the State of Israel. More is connected the way."That committedness of escalation was swiftly realised — by some sides.Late Friday night, Iran responded with a salvo of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory.

Explosions thundered implicit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, arsenic sirens blared and the Israeli subject urged residents to instrumentality cover. Buildings shook nether the unit of near-simultaneous detonations, with respective of them apt the effect of Israel’s aerial defence systems intercepting incoming threats.In a uncommon and pointed statement, Iran’s almighty Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed work for the retaliatory attacks."Using a operation of precision-guided and astute systems," the IRGC said, "Iran targeted subject centers and airbases that served arsenic the root of the transgression aggression against our country." The IRGC added that its missiles struck Israeli military-industrial centers that nutrient missiles and different warfare equipment, stating that "field reports, outer imagery, and intercepted quality bespeak that dozens of ballistic missiles efficaciously deed strategical targets.""Despite claims of interception, the force failed to antagonistic the waves of rocket strikes launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran," the connection continued.But Israel maintained it had successfully intercepted a important information of the threat. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) released footage of a Navy rocket vessel intercepting 5 Iranian drones implicit Israeli waters aboriginal Saturday. "Attached is documentation of the interception of 2 drones launched earlier contiguous from Iran," the IDF posted connected societal media level X.The IDF besides published a representation highlighting areas crossed Israel presently nether menace from Iranian attacks, warning, "Israeli civilians are presently being targeted by the Iranian regime. The satellite cannot enactment silent."Inside a fortified bid center, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and defence curate Yoav Gallant conducted ongoing concern assessments. According to an Israeli authoritative who spoke with CNN, the enactment is "fully engaged successful real-time subject coordination and strategical planning."The attacks did not cease aft Netanyahu's fiery speech. Minutes aft his video was posted, much Iranian missiles were launched, with renewed explosions reported successful Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The hostility wrong Israel remained palpable arsenic citizens were urged to enactment wrong shelters.A elder Iranian official, speaking to CNN, warned that Iran is prepared to escalate adjacent further: “Iran volition intensify its attacks connected Israel and people the determination bases of immoderate state that tries to support it.”Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump issued a stern informing to Tehran portion reaffirming enactment for Israel. “Of people we enactment Israel successful its actions,” Trump told CNN. “Iran amended hold to a atomic woody earlier determination is thing left.”As the skies implicit the Middle East lit up with rocket trails and fireballs, the satellite watched anxiously, hoping the night’s unit would not spiral into a broader determination war. But with some sides promising much to come, a instrumentality to calm appears distant.