TEHRAN — A new exchange of missile strikes between Iran and Israel on Saturday heightened fears of broader conflict in the region. Several Israeli civilians were reported injured in the latest Iranian attacks, while Israel confirmed that it was targeting military infrastructure in Tehran in response.
The tit-for-tat attacks come amid hardline rhetoric from both sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel would strike “every target of the ayatollah regime,” while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that more Israeli offensives would provoke “a more severe and powerful response.”
As diplomatic efforts collapsed, Iran announced it was pulling out of scheduled nuclear negotiations with the United States, saying talks couldn’t proceed under fire.
Multiple Sites Hit, Dozens Injured
The Israeli military said it intercepted many of the missiles launched by Iran but confirmed that one struck a residential area in the Haifa region, injuring 14 people, with one in critical condition.
In retaliation, Israeli forces launched strikes targeting “military sites in Tehran,” according to a statement. Iranian state-run Tasnim News Agency reported that Israel had hit the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran, damaging a building—though Iranian officials have yet to comment on the claim.
Iran also said fuel depots were hit in both northwest Tehran (Shahran) and south of the capital, with one depot engulfed in flames, as witnessed by an AFP reporter.
High Death Toll in Earlier Strikes
Iran’s ambassador to the UN reported that 78 people were killed and 320 injured in Israeli attacks on Friday, which targeted nuclear facilities and military installations. Iran claimed that some of the casualties included senior commanders and nuclear scientists.
Israel, for its part, said three of its citizens were killed and 76 injured during Iran’s drone and missile barrage the previous night.
Netanyahu remained resolute in his address to the nation:
“We will hit every site, every target of the ayatollah regime,”
“In the coming days,” he added, “we will take further steps.”
He said Israeli strikes had delivered a “real blow” to Iran’s nuclear capabilities and affirmed support from former US President Donald Trump.
Diplomacy on Hold as Violence Grows
Amid the renewed fighting, Pezeshkian denounced what he called Washington’s hypocrisy:
“The continuation of the Zionist aggression will be met with a more severe and powerful response from the Iranian armed forces.”
He also criticized the United States for backing Israel while simultaneously participating in nuclear negotiations with Tehran—a position he called dishonest. As a result, the Oman-brokered talks scheduled for Sunday were called off.
Iranian Foreign Minister and chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi echoed the sentiment, warning that Israel’s attacks had severely harmed peace efforts:
“These Israeli strikes are pulling the region into a dangerous cycle of violence,” he said.
Iran continues to deny accusations from Western powers that it is working to build a nuclear weapon, even as the recent airstrikes appear to have disrupted its atomic infrastructure.
