Israel bombarded Tehran, the Iranian capital, with a new wave of strikes Sunday afternoon, as both sides warned of more to come in a conflict that is rapidly expanding in scope and intensity.
The rare daytime assault came as Iran and Israel were still assessing the damage from deadly overnight attacks that left many fearful and sleepless.
The strikes have been some of the fiercest and most prolonged in the history of the decades-long enmity between Israel and Iran, raising fears of a wider war that could draw in the United States and other powers.
As Iranian state news media outlets shared photographs and videos of damaged residential buildings and smoke billowing from the center of Tehran, Israel’s military refused to comment on what it described as “potential ongoing operations.”
Overnight, Israeli fighter jets bombarded Tehran, setting the sky ablaze with flames from burning fuel reservoirs from the country’s vital energy industry, while Iran launched volleys of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which eluded the country’s air defenses.
Iranians and Israelis have been bracing for further violence, with both sides warning of a protracted fight and dismissing international calls to de-escalate the conflict.
On Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that it would escalate its attacks if Israel continued carrying out strikes on Iran, according to state news media.
Not long after, Israel’s military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, said Israel was not ceasing its attacks on Iran “for a moment.”
“At this hour, too, we continue to strike dozens of additional targets in Tehran. We are deepening the damage to Iran’s nuclear program and its military capabilities,” he said in a televised address, without elaborating.
The path to diplomacy appears limited after officials called off talks set for Sunday between Tehran and Washington on the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
The fighting began Friday in a surprise Israeli attack that aimed at the Iranian regime, targeting Tehran’s nuclear program and killing top military officials.
Since then, Israel has struck more than 250 targets in Iran, and Iranian forces have fired more than 200 ballistic missiles at Israeli territory, in addition to scores of drones, according to the Israeli military.
The strikes have killed at least 128 people in Iran, according to the country’s Health Ministry. Six top Iranian security chiefs were among the dead, and more than 900 people have been injured.
Iran has countered with a barrage of missiles, trying to overwhelm Israel’s sophisticated aerial defenses. Just south of the coastal city of Tel Aviv, Israel, a missile tore up much of a multistory residential building.
At least 10 people were killed during the Iranian barrages beginning overnight Saturday. Scores more were injured, some seriously. In all, at least 13 people, identified as civilians, have been killed in Israel since Friday.
Here’s what else to know:
Expanding scope of attacks: Israeli strikes, initially focused on nuclear sites, air defenses, and military targets, are also now targeting the energy industry that underpins much of Iran’s economy.
The Israeli military’s chief spokesperson said its forces had achieved “freedom of action” in the skies over Tehran, indicating they could strike targets without expecting major interference.
Israeli attack on the Houthis: In an apparent bid to cripple one of Iran’s strongest remaining proxy forces in the region, Israel targeted a meeting of Houthi leadership in Yemen on Saturday night.
An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with army rules, said the airstrike targeted Mohamed Al-Ghamari, the Houthi military’s chief of staff.
Nuclear talks scuttled: The salvos of missiles scuttled talks between the United States and Iran on the future of Iran’s nuclear program. The talks had been scheduled to resume Sunday in Oman, but U.S. and Omani officials said they had been canceled.
Washington’s view: The United States’ possible role in the spiraling conflict remains unclear. While Israeli officials had hoped the Trump administration would participate in a joint attack, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied U.S. involvement in the strikes. But President Donald Trump also did not call for Israel to rein in its assault.
(Miami Herald)
