TEL AVIV/TEHRAN – In a dramatic and dangerous escalation, Iran launched 30 missiles at Israel early Monday morning, just hours after US warplanes struck three of its most critical nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
The move directly challenges President Donald Trump’s stark warning to Tehran against retaliation.
The missile attack injured at least 11 people, Israeli officials confirmed, with one victim, a 30-year-old man, suffering moderate injuries from shrapnel wounds.
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said multiple people were hospitalized following direct hits in central Israel, where scenes of shattered buildings and scattered rubble dominated news broadcasts.
Missiles Rain Down, Diplomacy Burns Out
The strike—broadcast live and announced by Iranian state TV—marks a stunningly rapid response from Tehran.
There was no diplomatic pause, no delayed retribution. Iran’s reaction was immediate, calculated, and fiery, suggesting the country’s leadership is fully prepared for a direct confrontation with both Israel and the United States.
“Thirty missiles have been fired at Israel,” declared an Iranian news anchor live on air, referencing unnamed government sources.
According to KAN 11, Israel’s public broadcaster, the missiles hit multiple locations across the country, with central Israel taking the brunt of the damage. Video footage showed emergency crews sifting through debris and transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals.
Trump’s Warning Brushed Aside
Just hours before, President Trump had delivered a clear warning to Tehran after ordering bunker-busting bomb attacks on Iran’s underground nuclear sites. In his White House address, Trump cautioned Iran against “any retaliation,” hinting at even more severe consequences should Iran respond.
Yet, Iran’s leadership showed no signs of heeding the warning. Instead, it delivered its own message—one of defiance, not deterrence.
“This was no bluff. Iran is showing it won’t stay silent when struck,” said a regional analyst on Al Jazeera.
The US and Israel now face a resurgent Iran, signaling its intent to escalate the conflict, even as diplomacy continues to collapse. With both sides exchanging deadly fire and political dialogue all but dead, the risk of a broader war is growing by the hour.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied militias across the region remain on high alert.
