Tel Aviv Under Fire as Iran Retaliates for Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites

By F. Dayo Olusola | M10News.com
Category: International Affairs | Date: June 14, 2025

Tel Aviv, Israel – Air raid sirens echoed across Tel Aviv and surrounding cities on Friday evening as waves of Iranian missiles rained down on central Israel, marking one of the most serious escalations in the Middle East in years.

The attack followed Israeli airstrikes that severely damaged key nuclear and military sites deep inside Iran, with Tehran warning of “severe punishment” and vowing to “open the gates of hell.”

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that a “limited number” of buildings were hit in Tel Aviv, including a tower near HaKirya, the military’s central headquarters.

Local authorities said at least seven people were injured, with two in critical condition. Emergency services were dispatched to affected areas as residents scrambled for cover in bomb shelters.

In the nearby city of Ramat Gan, residents were evacuated from a residential complex struck by a missile.

Footage on local news channels showed debris-strewn streets and emergency responders treating the wounded amid the rubble.

Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system intercepted nearly 100 Iranian rockets launched in two waves, according to military officials. Still, the scale and precision of the Iranian retaliation prompted urgent international concern.

At an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council held late Friday, several members—including China, France, and Brazil—called for an immediate de-escalation.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged “dialogue and diplomacy,” warning that continued hostilities could plunge the region into all-out war.

Iran’s UN envoy, Amir-Saeid Iravani, condemned Israel’s initial offensive as a “chilling display of calculated aggression” and accused the United States of enabling it through military and intelligence support. “The U.S. cannot escape responsibility for this assault on our sovereignty,” Iravani said.

The Iranian retaliation came hours after an Israeli spokesperson revealed that the IDF had targeted a nuclear facility in Isfahan, a central Iranian city housing thousands of nuclear engineers.

Brigadier General Effie Defrin of the IDF said the site was still “under active engagement” as of Friday evening.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, as a preemptive strike aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

In a televised address, Netanyahu called the operation necessary to “clear the path for the liberation of the Iranian people from an evil, repressive regime.”

Addressing Iranians directly, he said, “This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.”

The address was cut short by incoming air raid alerts around 9 p.m. local time, prompting Netanyahu and his security cabinet to seek shelter as more Iranian missiles targeted central Israel.

U.S. officials confirmed that American forces helped intercept some of the projectiles. Two additional warships are being deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, according to the Pentagon.

In Iran, the fallout from the Israeli strikes was devastating. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that its nuclear enrichment site in Natanz sustained heavy damage.

Local media reported that six top nuclear scientists were killed in the attack, along with multiple civilian casualties, including children.

Among the dead were Iran’s top military chief, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and General Hossein Salami, the commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard.

The loss of such high-ranking officials is expected to provoke further retaliatory measures.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, told state media that Israel had effectively declared war. “We are urging the United Nations to immediately address this reckless aggression,” he said. Tehran formally requested a second emergency UN Security Council meeting within 48 hours.

Netanyahu reiterated that the military campaign would continue “for as many days as necessary.” In a subsequent address, he warned: “Generations from now, history will record that we stood our ground and acted in time to secure our common future.”

On the ground, the human toll continued to mount. Iranian state television broadcast scenes of bombed-out apartment blocks in Tehran. The IRNA news agency reported that “a number of people, including women and children,” were killed in a residential complex hit by Israeli airstrikes around 3:30 a.m. local time.

Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency, with heightened military readiness and reservist mobilisations. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stern warning: “The Zionist regime will face severe consequences. This is not the end—it is just the beginning.”

Speculation is now turning to Iran’s regional network of allied forces. Tehran supports an alliance known as the Axis of Resistance, which includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and various militia groups in Iraq and Syria. Analysts warn that coordinated retaliations could erupt across multiple fronts in the coming days.

Indeed, on Friday evening, Israel reported the detection of a missile launched from Yemen. The projectile, which landed near Hebron in the West Bank, was not intercepted. No casualties were reported, but it raised concerns of a widening conflict.

The White House has not issued a formal statement since the Israeli strikes began, but Israeli sources claimed they received a “green light” from Washington.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently campaigning for re-election, warned Thursday that an Israeli strike “could very well happen” if Iran continued its enrichment of weapons-grade uranium.

Netanyahu claims Iran now possesses enough enriched uranium to build up to nine atomic bombs. “If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a matter of months,” he said. “This is a clear and present danger to Israel’s survival.”

The world is now watching closely for Iran’s next move—and whether the United States will be drawn further into the conflict.

Published by F. Dayo Olusola for M10News.com
Category: International Affairs
Contact: info@m10news.com