Intense conflict: Iran fires missiles at Tel Aviv as retaliation for Israeli attack – Netanyahu vows more attacks will come.

Iran has launched ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv in revenge for strikes on its nuclear sites – with Benjamin Netantahu warning more is ‘on the way’.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei made a threatening promise to cause severe harm to the citizens of Tel Aviv, accusing Israel of initiating a conflict.

Video footage captured the Israeli Iron Dome system successfully intercepting a barrage of missiles; however, some managed to hit their intended targets. This resulted in a significant blast creating a hole in a building in Tel Aviv, potentially trapping individuals inside.

Reports on the number of casualties vary, but certain outlets suggest that up to 40 individuals have been hospitalized due to injuries such as wounds from missile fragments, smoke inhalation, and trauma.

Israel’s emergency services have since claimed 34 people in Gush Dan, or the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, have been injured in last night’s strikes – including one woman in critical condition and one seriously injured man. 

Iran claimed they fired ‘hundreds’ of missiles, however the IDF claims fewer than a hundred were launched, with most either ‘intercepted or fallen short’. 

Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netantahu promised that more attacks are ‘on the way’, adding that ‘the regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker’.

Iran’s UN ambassador said 78 people have been killed and more than 320 injured in Israel’s attacks. 

Its semi-official Tasnim News Agency later published footage purportedly showing fires raging at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport. The video shows thick smoke billowing into the night sky.

Meanwhile, as missiles rained down on Tel Aviv for hours, the PM called on Iranians to ‘rise up’ and overthrow Tehran’s ‘evil and oppressive regime’ as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.

A second wave of Iranian missiles also targeted Jerusalem early on Saturday morning, according to Israel’s military – with witnesses reporting explosions over the ancient city. 

 Tehran had earlier promised ‘painful revenge’ for Israel’s unprecedented offensive overnight that has left the region teetering on the brink of all-out war.

Israelis rushed to bomb shelters as air raid sirens rang out last night, with the Israeli military confirming their ‘defence systems are working to intercept the threat’.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump have spoken this evening about ‘the importance of diplomacy and dialogue’ to resolving the conflict, Downing Street confirmed.

The US are said to have helped Israel this evening in intercepting the missiles, with the Pentagon having moved military off the Israeli coast in the last few days.

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee said: ‘The Iranian regime launched less than 100 rockets in two salvos toward Israel.

‘Most of these rockets were intercepted or fell short. A limited number of buildings were damaged, some as a result of shrapnel from the interceptions.’

Two people are said to be in a critical condition, with 18 patients reportedly being treated at Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv.

There were 15 more allegedly being treated at Sheba hospital in Ramat Gan, including one critical patient.

Another seven patients are said to be at Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva, as well as the other critical patient.

Israel’s offensive last night was the culmination of years of research and planning by Israel’s military and Mossad intelligence agency to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. 

Israel used fighter jets and a secret drone base near Tehran to batter nuclear facilities, missile launch sites and decapitate military command – in a move that Netanyahu has dubbed Operation Rising Lion.

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote on X this evening that ‘the Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime’.

He added: ‘The Zionist regime has made a big mistake, a grave error, and committed a reckless act. By God’s grace, the consequences of this will bring that regime to ruin.

‘The Iranian nation won’t permit the blood of its valued martyrs to go unavenged, nor will it ignore the violation of its airspace.

‘Our Armed Forces are ready, and the country’s officials and all the people are behind the Armed Forces.

‘Today, we must give a strong response to the evil, despicable, terrorist Zionist identity. God willing, we will respond with strength, and will show no mercy to them.

‘Life will definitely become bitter for the Zionists.

‘The Zionist regime will not escape safely from the heinous crime they’ve committed.

‘This is a certainty that the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces will deal heavy blows to this evil Zionist enemy.

‘The Iranian people are with us. They support the Armed Forces, and the Islamic Republic will triumph over the Zionist regime, by the will of God.

‘Let the dear Iranian nation know this, be certain and assured that every effort will be made in this regard.’

Netanyahu called on Iranians in his video published shortly after the missiles reached Israel to unite against what he described as an ‘evil and oppressive regime’, telling them Israel was engaged in ‘one of the greatest military operations in history’.

He said: ‘We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion.

‘The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for almost 50 years threatens to destroy our country, the State of Israel.

‘The objective of Israel’s operation is to thwart the Islamic regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile threat to us.

‘As we achieve our objective we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom.

‘In the past 24 hours, we have taken out top military commanders, senior nuclear scientists, the Islamic regime’s most significant enrichment facility and a large portion of its ballistic missile arsenal.

‘More is on the way. The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them.

‘It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard. Woman, Life, Freedom.

He added: ‘Israel’s fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you.

‘The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime.’

The Israeli military said it destroyed ‘dozens of targets’ belonging to Iran’s air defence system this evening.

It added that, earlier, the IDF attacked Iranian air force bases at Hamadan and Tabriz, in the west of the country.

It said the Tabriz base was destroyed as a result of the attack and that ‘the IDF is prepared to continue to act as necessary’.

Iran have called the attacks ‘a declaration of war’ and threatened to retaliate by opening ‘the gates of hell’ on Israel. 

Protesters gathered earlier this evening in Iraq’s capital Baghdad in front of the entrance to the Green Zone, where the US Embassy and government buildings are, to show their opposition to the Israeli attacks last night.

The offensive saw top Iranian commanders killed, including Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Israel launched Operation Rising Lion just hours after a United Nations nuclear watchdog announced that Iran was breaching its obligations on transparency and testing. 

Iran have secured an emergency meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss Israel’s ‘unprovoked’ attacks. 

In a video-recorded message to millions of Iranians, Khamenei vowed: ‘The Zionist regime will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured.’ 

With Israel poised to launch further waves in the coming days, the US President urged Iran to give up on its atomic ambitions.

Mr Trump warned Tehran that if it failed to do so there would be ‘nothing left’ of its military and industrial infrastructure. 

Operation Rising Lion began at 1am yesterday UK time. Its primary aim was to degrade Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.

But a political agenda was also emerging yesterday, as regime change in Tehran appeared a distinct possibility.

In the early hours of this morning, Israel’s jets targeted the Natanz atomic facility in Ishfahan province, 140 miles south of Tehran, causing significant damage.

Then Israel targeted the Fordow nuclear site buried in the mountains of Qom.

The operation appeared to be a devastating success, with Iran’s nuclear programme set back, its air defence systems wiped out and leading scientists and military commanders eliminated.

Overall, it was the most devastating attack on mainland Iran for almost half a century, the time of the Iran-Iraq war.

President Trump, who was briefed in advance, said: ‘I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal.

‘There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter – with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal – come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.’

Last night, in a bid to pull back UK-Israel relations from the brink, Sir Keir spoke to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Downing Street sources said Sir Keir confirmed Israel’s ‘right to self-defence’ and set out the UK’s ‘grave concerns’ about Iran’s nuclear programme.

The PM also ‘reiterated the need for de-escalation and a diplomatic resolution, in the interests of stability in the region’.

Sir Keir also spoke to French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz to agree a coordinated response.

Unlike the British PM, Mr Merz was briefed in advance on Israel’s intentions.

Sir Keir declined to say whether the UK would be willing to help defend Israel from revenge attacks, as it has done in the past.

He said: ‘We’ve long held concerns, grave concerns, about Iran’s nuclear programme, and we absolutely recognise Israel’s right to self-defence.

‘But I’m very concerned about the escalation of this situation, which is why, along with Germany and France, we’re really clear that de-escalation is what is needed here.’

As recently as October, RAF Typhoons were scrambled to support Israel after Iran launched ballistic missiles – but they did not fire as the jets lacked the appropriate hardware.

In April last year, RAF Typhoons based in Cyprus shot down Iranian drones bound for Israel.

Mr Netanyahu, perhaps in a bid to justify further strikes on Iran, claimed Israel was braced for ‘waves’ of revenge attacks.

This evening, Iran’s State TV claimed a female Israeli Air Force pilot was captured after her fighter jet was downed during the operation, but the IDF has denied this. 

However, Iran have also claimed that their air defence forces ‘successfully hit and destroyed two F-35 fighter jets’ as well as a ‘large number of small drones’.

The fate of the pilots ‘remains unknown and is being investigated’, they added.

Israeli firefighters said in a statement that they were working to help civilians affected by the explosion, including some trapped in buildings that were hit.

They said: ‘Firefighting crews are handling several major incidents, mainly in the Dan region.

‘Firefighters are working in a high-rise building to rescue trapped individuals and extinguish a fire, as well as responding to two additional destruction sites.’