Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to retaliate hard against Iran after missile strikes killed Israeli civilians, including children and women. “Iran will pay a very heavy price for the premeditated murder of civilians,” Netanyahu said on Sunday while touring a missile-struck residential building in Bat Yam, close to Tel Aviv.
The fighting, which is already at its third day, has grown even fiercer. Israel hit Iran’s Defense Ministry in Tehran and other facilities that are reportedly connected to its nuclear program. Iran retaliated by firing a salvo of missiles that broke through Israeli air defenses and hit targets deep within the country.
A minimum of 10 Israelis were reported killed in the new round of Iranian attacks, raising the national death toll to 13. Israeli airspace and its principal international airport were still closed for the third day. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened an even tougher response if Israeli attacks persisted.
Iran’s ambassador to the UN said that 78 Iranians were killed and more than 320 were wounded in early Israeli attacks on Friday. Even though newer data were not made public on Sunday, Iranian officials verified the deaths of top military officials and nuclear scientists.
To respond to the mounting violence, Iran decided to use mosques, metro stations, and schools as public shelters.
At the same time, the Israeli military asserted that it had attacked more than 80 targets in Tehran, including a defense site at Isfahan and two fuel depots. Long lines occurred at petrol stations throughout Iran due to concerns about shortages.
US President Donald Trump disassociated the US from Israel’s airstrikes but threatened that if Iran attacked any American interest, it would face “full strength and might.” Iran accused the US, however, of supporting the Israeli strikes and said it had proof to substantiate its contention.
