Missiles, Fire, and Fallout: A Weekend of War Between Israel and Iran
Tehran and Israeli cities reel from attacks that have killed dozens, crippled infrastructure, and sparked fear of wider war
By Steven Ganot/The Media Line
Israel and Iran traded devastating strikes over the weekend, plunging the region into one of the most direct and deadly confrontations in their decadeslong hostility. Beginning early Friday, Israel launched a wave of attacks on Iranian nuclear, military, and energy infrastructure. Iran retaliated with massive barrages of ballistic missiles, killing at least 13 civilians in Israel and injuring nearly 400.
Israeli airstrikes struck deep inside Iran, targeting top military leaders, nuclear scientists, and strategic assets including fuel depots and missile launch facilities. According to Israeli defense officials, at least 170 targets were hit, affecting more than 700 specific sites. A massive fire engulfed Tehran’s main gasoline depot and parts of the Shahr Rey oil refinery. Iran’s state media reported dozens killed, including six senior military officials.
The Israeli military also reportedly struck the highly fortified Natanz nuclear site, one of the pillars of Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Satellite images reviewed by Western intelligence sources show craters at entrances to underground facilities and damage consistent with precision-guided munitions. Although Iranian authorities have yet to confirm the full extent of the damage, local media reported power outages in nearby towns and disruptions in water and communication infrastructure.
Iranian officials acknowledged the attacks but accused Israel of striking civilian infrastructure as well. The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement confirming that several weapons research and missile development centers were hit in Isfahan and Mashhad. Fires were reported at chemical and petrochemical plants in Ahvaz, while damage was also confirmed at a suspected uranium conversion facility near Arak. More than 100 people were killed in Iran, among them top security officials, engineers, and nuclear scientists. Eyewitnesses in Tehran described explosions that shook entire neighborhoods and ignited fears of a wider war.
Iran’s response was swift and punishing. More than 200 ballistic missiles were launched in waves from Friday night into early Sunday, many targeting densely populated cities in central and northern Israel. Although most were intercepted, some evaded Israel’s air defense systems. In Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, a missile leveled part of a residential building, killing six, including two children. Dozens more were injured or trapped beneath the rubble. In the Arab city of Tamra, near Haifa, another strike killed four members of a single family. Additional fatalities occurred in Ramat Gan and Rishon LeZion.
Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, chief of the IDF Home Front Command, described the Bat Yam attack as the worst civilian strike of the war, involving a warhead with hundreds of kilograms of explosives. Rescue operations continued into Sunday, with multiple people still missing. “Difficult days lie ahead,” Milo said. “But we are determined. We have the spirit, the strength to act together with you to protect you and continue to save lives.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had made major strides in degrading Iran’s missile-launch capability and nuclear infrastructure. Senior IDF officials estimated that before the conflict, Iran possessed around 1,000 missiles capable of reaching Israel. With hundreds already launched or destroyed in Israeli strikes, Iran’s capacity for sustained attacks may be reduced but not eliminated.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, stating that Iran was approaching the “point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. He said Iran aimed to produce up to 300 ballistic missiles a month and warned that without decisive action, Israel would face a future under constant threat. “Each missile is like a busload of explosives,” Netanyahu said. “We had to act.”
In Tehran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Israel’s assault a crime and promised severe consequences. “The Zionist regime will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime,” he said. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to continue attacking Israeli targets, warning of escalating retaliation if Israel did not halt its strikes.
US President Donald Trump stated that the United States was not involved in the Israeli offensive but pledged overwhelming retaliation if Iran attacked American interests. “We will respond with force if Iran targets the United States in any way, shape, or form,” the US president said. An American defense official confirmed limited US assistance in intercepting Iranian missiles.
In Israel, the effects of the bombardment were deeply felt. Nearly 400 people were injured over the weekend, with dozens in critical condition. The Weizmann Institute for Science in Rehovot sustained major damage, including fires in laboratories. In Rishon LeZion, a missile strike killed two residents and injured over 20 others. Emergency services rescued a three-month-old baby from the rubble.
Cities across central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, enforced emergency protocols. Schools remained closed and gatherings were banned. Israel’s airspace remains shut, stranding citizens abroad. The National Security Council has warned against reentering via Egypt or Jordan, citing Level 4 travel risks.
The Iranian public, too, is facing growing hardship. Fires at energy facilities caused rolling blackouts in parts of Tehran and neighboring provinces. The Shahran gasoline depot, struck on Saturday night, supplies a significant portion of Tehran’s fuel. The Iranian oil ministry said more than 8 million liters of fuel stored at the site were lost. An attack on the Shahr Rey refinery disrupted the supply of liquefied petroleum gas, used for heating and cooking in households and businesses.
Witnesses described a terrifying night in Tehran as flames lit up the sky. “It felt like an earthquake,” said a resident near the depot. Others reported windows blown out across residential blocks and children traumatized by the noise and confusion. Emergency services struggled to contain fires at multiple locations. Officials warned that the full environmental and economic impact of the strikes may take weeks to assess.
The Israeli Air Force has expanded its target list to include critical economic infrastructure. On Sunday, Israeli jets hit a section of the South Pars gas field, one of the largest in the world. According to Iranian sources, the strikes caused significant damage to compressor stations and pipeline networks. Independent analysts suggest the move could reduce Iran’s gas exports by as much as 15% in the short term.
In response to the crisis, NGOs such as Brothers and Sisters in Israel—the civilian arm of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, which spearheaded the mass protests against Netanyahu’s judicial reform plan and has called for his resignation due to corruption charges—have mobilized to supply evacuated civilians and soldiers with essentials including clothing, food, and temporary shelter. The group also played a key role in civilian support following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is expected to approve the declaration of a “special situation on the homefront” during a closed session Monday. Meanwhile, Iran claims to have arrested two individuals it accuses of being Mossad agents in Alborz province. Tehran also warned that the United States would be held responsible for Israel’s attacks.
While the Israeli Air Force has maintained a high operational tempo, striking up to 80 targets per night, military officials caution that unlike Hezbollah, Iran’s long-range capabilities mean Israel cannot sustain daily high-volume attacks indefinitely. Aircraft require hourslong round trips, and drones often lack sufficient range.
The humanitarian toll is rising. In Tamra, where an Iranian missile killed four women from one family, residents voiced grief and frustration. Volunteer Hisham Diab said, “We want peace, we want coexistence.” He and others condemned social media videos showing Israeli civilians mocking Tamra’s suffering, deepening wounds in Israel’s already fragile social fabric.
International efforts to de-escalate appear stalled. Planned US-Iran nuclear talks in Oman were canceled. Israeli officials have made clear they will not stop until Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure is neutralized. Iran, for its part, has declared that it will not tolerate “hit and run” attacks without severe retaliation.
While the IDF says the damage to Israel’s homefront is less than expected, the psychological strain is mounting. In cities like Rehovot and Ramat Gan, shattered windows, burned-out cars, and bloodied sidewalks paint a grim picture. The IDF has warned residents not to share images of missile impacts, citing the risk of aiding Iranian targeting.
In Iran, cleanup and recovery efforts have been complicated by fears of follow-up Israeli strikes. Civil defense sirens sounded in Tehran again Sunday afternoon, sending thousands back into shelters. Fuel shortages have triggered panic buying, and social media videos showed long lines at gas stations in multiple provinces.
Israeli forces on Sunday said they had destroyed several mobile missile launchers in Iran’s western regions and inflicted damage on radar and anti-aircraft systems guarding the country’s interior. Still, officials cautioned that Iran retains significant capacity to strike Israel, and the situation remains fluid.
With both sides entrenched, regional powers anxious, and civilian casualties rising, the Israel-Iran conflict has entered uncharted and dangerous territory. What began with a surprise Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites has become the most direct and far-reaching confrontation in the two countries’ history.
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