Explosions have been heard in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Tehran overnight as intense fighting between Iran and Israel continued.
Air raid sirens rang across Israel during the night as the population took shelter in bomb shelters deep under ground.
It’s still a fluid and fast moving situation in the Middle East as the Israeli air force continues bombing raids in Iran and counter-strikes with drones and ballistic missiles being launched by Iran.
Here is what we know about the events so far:
- Loud explosions have been heard in Tehran and Jerusalem as Israeli media reported 3 Israeli deaths and dozens wounded as a result of the Iranian Missile strikes.
- Air raid sirens have sounded in cities across Israel overnight.
- Iran has launched waves of missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israeli strikes which targeted Iran’s military bases and nuclear facilities across the country, leaving senior commanders and several nuclear scientists dead.
- Video footage shows extensive damage at the Kirya compound, the Israeli military’s nerve centre dubbed as the “Pentagon” of Israel.
- Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv has been closed to all arrivals and departures until further notice. There are reports that planes belonging to all Israeli airlines have been evacuated and flown to locations in Europe and Cyprus, to avoid them being struck by Iranian missiles.
- Israelis have been stocking up food and water as the authorities ordered the population to confine themselves to underground bomb shelters until further notice.
- There have been reports of ballistic missiles hitting different parts of Israel overnight.
- Apart from Israel and Iran, several Middle East countries have closed their airspace to civilian air traffic due to the rise in tensions in the region.
- Significant disruption has been caused to international travellers around the world due to delayed flights and cancellations.
- Both Israel and Iran have said that their attacks on each other will continue and experts warn that the risk of mass casualties in both Israel and Iran is increasing.
- Iran has also threatened to target American military bases in Iraq and other Arab gulf countries like Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, holding the US ultimately responsible for Israel’s daring attack on its nuclear facilities.
- Iran’s ambassador to the UN has stated that 78 people have been killed in Friday’s Israeli strikes and over 320 injured the “overwhelming majority” of whom are civilians.
( Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency )
Meanwhile, Iranian leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Iranian Armed Forces will act strongly and render the “despicable Israeli regime helpless.”
He issued a message to the Iranian nation on Friday, adding that the Israeli regime will not escape unscathed from this crime and assured the Iranian nation that there will be no negligence in this regard.
“The great Iranian people can be assured that the Armed Forces will act powerfully in support of them and will deliver heavy blows to this regime,” Ayatollah Khamenei emphasised.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
He stated that the Iranian people will not let the blood of their martyrs and the aggression against the skies of the country go in vain.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that all Iranian officials, various political factions and people from all walks of life have a common view regarding the necessity of carrying out a powerful measure in the face of the evil and terrorist Zionist regime.
There will be no compromise in the face of the Israeli regime, the Leader added.
“They (Israelis) started this work and waged the war, and we will not allow them to escape unscathed from this great crime,” the Leader pointed out.
Analysts say that Tel Aviv is betting on the view that Iran is significantly weakened after the major Israeli attacks on its allies in the region like Hizbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran’s only major international ally, Russia, has condemned the Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of the UN Charter and international law and President Putin has offered mediation to prevent further escalation.
