Israel and Iran exchanged direct missile fire for the third consecutive day on Sunday, as an Iranian barrage struck a residential neighborhood near Tel Aviv, prompting Israel to intensify its retaliation — deep into Iranian territory. The sharp escalation is heightening global concerns of a full-blown war engulfing the West Asia region.
Residential areas under fire
Israeli authorities said a residential building in Bat Yam, a coastal city just south of Tel Aviv, was struck by an Iranian missile. Emergency crews responded to the site, reporting casualties and property damage. Firefighters said multiple injuries occurred, though official casualty figures from the Bat Yam strike were not immediately released.
In total, at least 10 Israelis were killed overnight, according to government figures, bringing the death toll since Friday to 13, with more than 380 people injured across the country.
Israel’s military responded by launching coordinated airstrikes against surface-to-surface missile sites in western Iran, including deep operations in the northeast region of Mashhad.
Iran activates air defenses
As Israeli attacks intensified, Iran activated air defense systems in its capital Tehran and in Kermanshah province, according to reports from Iran’s IRNA and Mehr News Agency.
Netanyahu warns of “heavy price”
In a televised address during a visit to the Bat Yam strike site, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of targeting civilians with intent.
His comments followed reports that Iranian missile fire had specifically struck residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure.
Intelligence chief targeted, Israel claims
In a dramatic interview with Fox News, Netanyahu appeared to confirm that Iran’s top intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy were killed in Israeli airstrikes over Tehran.
Iran has not confirmed the deaths of any high-ranking officials.
Deepest Israeli strike yet
In what may be Israel’s deepest incursion into Iranian airspace, the Israeli military claimed it had struck an Iranian air refueling aircraft in Mashhad, a city over 1,400 miles from Israel.
Video footage circulating online showed black plumes of smoke rising over Mashhad, home to the sacred Imam Reza shrine, a Shiite pilgrimage site. Iran has not publicly acknowledged the reported attack.
Israel’s army stated the aircraft had flown 2,300 kilometers, indicating an unprecedented range for the Israeli strike.
Global alarm grows
The conflict, which has escalated dramatically since Friday, is the most open confrontation between Israel and Iran in decades, transforming covert cyber and proxy warfare into direct military engagement.
Regional observers and international diplomats have voiced concerns that without immediate de-escalation, the war could spiral into a broader West Asian conflict, potentially drawing in U.S. allies and Iranian-backed militias across Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.
(With inputs from agencies)
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