Iran and Israel have entered their deadliest phase of direct conflict yet, with at least 10 people killed in Israeli cities and major fires igniting at an oil depot in Tehran following reciprocal strikes on Sunday. The escalation marks the third consecutive day of military exchanges, with both governments vowing further action amid a rising humanitarian toll and growing regional instability.
Emergency services are racing to locate seven people still trapped in the rubble, though ongoing rocket fire continues to impede rescue efforts. More than 300 Israelis have been injured since Iran began its missile barrage on Friday, with hospitals across central and northern Israel operating at full capacity. Air raid sirens continued wailing across Israeli cities as smoke billowed from direct hits on residential buildings. In Bat Yam, rescue workers frantically searched through collapsed concrete and twisted metal, while in Tamra near Haifa, emergency crews worked to extract survivors from a demolished two-story home.
Six people were killed when an Iranian missile struck a building in the Israeli coastal city of Bat Yam, while four others died in the northern city of Tamra.
The Weizmann Institute of Science, a research university in Rehovot, reported damage to several of its facilities in the Iranian missile attacks.
Simultaneously, massive fires raged at Tehran’s oil facilities, sending thick black smoke into the sky as Israeli warplanes targeted Iran’s energy infrastructure.
The Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen claimed they coordinated their own strikes on Israeli targets in tandem with Tehran’s broader military offensive.
Speaking in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that if Israeli attacks cease, their responses will also stop, in his first public appearance since the Israeli strikes began.
The rising violence has already impacted diplomatic efforts. The sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks scheduled for today in Muscat was cancelled, with Oman confirming the move in light of the aggression taking place.
The conflict has drawn in other actors, with the Houthis declaring coordinated involvement, suggesting a widening regional front. The Israeli intelligence operation that triggered Iran’s retaliation resulting in the deaths of three top commanders and two nuclear scientists, has been described as one of the most significant blows to Iran in recent years.
Though no nuclear accidents have been reported, damage to sensitive sites has sparked international concern over potential radiation and chemical exposure.
Iran’s latest attacks focused on areas near Haifa and Tel Aviv, following Israel’s earlier bombardments of Iranian civilian infrastructure and energy assets. The Israeli operation, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” included strikes on Iran’s Defense Ministry headquarters and nuclear-linked sites.
Both nations have enacted military censorship and closed segments of their airspace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran has witnessed only a fraction of Israel’s full capabilities, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened a more forceful response if Israeli attacks continue.
