Tensions in the Middle East intensified late Friday night as Iran initiated a large-scale missile assault against Israel, marking a dramatic escalation in hostilities between the two nations. According to Iranian state media, the attack involved the launch of “hundreds” of ballistic missiles, targeting multiple locations across Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the offensive, naming it Operation True Promise III.
Footage from on the ground in Tel Aviv. This strike looks massive!
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The Israeli military, officially known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), promptly acknowledged the incoming strikes and issued a nationwide alert urging civilians to take cover.
“Leaving the protected space is only permitted following an explicit directive. Continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command,”
the IDF stated in an emergency communication released shortly after the initial barrage began.
This wave of missile fire is reported to have come in two successive phases. As the attack unfolded, the IDF provided further updates indicating the scale of the operation was expanding.
“The attack is ongoing. Dozens of additional missiles were launched toward the State of Israel,”
the military said in a subsequent statement. Citizens were cautioned against sharing images or details of missile impacts to avoid compromising operational security.
“The explosions you are hearing are from interceptions or fallen projectiles,”
the IDF added, suggesting that many of the incoming missiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defence systems.
Although reports and videos circulating on social media claim to show intercepts and missile strikes over various Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Cape Flats could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. Nonetheless, early indications suggest that several of the projectiles may have breached Israeli defences, with some striking near key anti-aircraft batteries.
The Iranian military described the operation as a measured and targeted response to what it termed Israeli aggression.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps… has executed its decisive and precise response against tens of targets, military centers and airbases of the usurping Zionist regime in the occupied territories,”
read a statement disseminated by Iranian media channels.
Operation True Promise III appears to be a direct response to Israeli military actions earlier that same day. In a coordinated air campaign, Israel is believed to have targeted numerous Iranian military and nuclear sites under the codename Operation Rising Lion. The offensive reportedly resulted in extensive casualties and infrastructure damage in Iran.
Among those killed in the Israeli strikes were high-ranking figures within Iran’s defence establishment. These included IRGC commander Hossein Salami and General Gholam Ali Rashid, who served as Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff.
In addition to senior leadership losses, Iran’s air force command is said to have sustained significant damage. Reports also indicate the deaths of at least six senior nuclear scientists, further exacerbating the strategic fallout of the Israeli attack.
The IRGC’s naming of the retaliatory strike as Operation True Promise III is widely interpreted as a reference to previous retaliatory operations, reinforcing Tehran’s long-standing posture of response to perceived Israeli aggression.
