Iran initiated a third round of missile attacks against Israel on Friday night, according to sources. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it had identified a new wave of ballistic missiles launched from Iranian territory toward Israeli cities.
Air raid sirens rang out across wide regions of the country as Israel’s missile defense systems scrambled to intercept the incoming threats. Authorities instructed civilians to remain inside bomb shelters until further notice.
The United States played a direct role in helping Israel defend itself during the assault. Axios, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that American forces were assisting in the interception efforts. According to Army Radio, U.S. THAAD anti-ballistic missile batteries successfully took down several incoming projectiles, citing an Israeli source.
IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said that fewer than 100 missiles were fired from Iran in each of the Friday night salvos. He noted that most were either destroyed in the air by the Israeli Air Force or failed to reach their targets. However, several buildings sustained damage, either from direct missile impact or from debris caused by interceptors.
Following the wave of missile fire, sirens continued to blare throughout Israel, and the IDF issued early warnings urging residents to take cover as Iranian missiles approached.
Emergency medical teams from Magen David Adom treated 21 individuals. Among them, one person suffered serious injuries, two were moderately hurt, and 18 others experienced minor injuries or anxiety-related symptoms.
In response to the Iranian attack, the IDF announced it had carried out a broad counterstrike, hitting dozens of Iranian military sites. These included the Tabriz and Hamadan air bases, missile launchers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and key elements of Iran’s air defense infrastructure.
{Matzav.com}
