Devastations caused by Iranian missiles in Israel.
The conflict between Israel and Iran intensified into its third day on Sunday, with both nations exchanging a relentless barrage of missile strikes that have now claimed hundreds of lives, most of them civilians. As explosions lit up skies in both Tehran and Haifa, international concern deepened over the possibility of a wider regional war—and growing speculation that the United States may soon be drawn in.
Iran launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities just hours after a series of powerful blasts were reported across the Iranian capital. The strikes, targeting Haifa and Tel Aviv, marked one of the most intense salvos yet. Israel’s emergency services said at least 15 people were injured in Haifa, where one missile reportedly struck near the city’s port, sending shockwaves through residential neighborhoods. In Tel Aviv, Israeli Army Radio confirmed a building was hit in the eastern district.
Iranian state media said the missile launch was in retaliation for Israeli strikes that had devastated parts of central Tehran earlier in the day. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, those attacks killed senior members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy. Missiles also struck the affluent neighborhoods of Niavaran and Tajrish, as well as busy commercial hubs near Valiasr and Hafte Tir squares.
The Iranian Health Ministry reported a rising death toll: at least 224 people have been killed since Friday, with 90 percent of the casualties identified as civilians. More than 1,400 others have been injured. Iranian officials accused Israel of indiscriminate targeting, saying entire families had been buried beneath rubble. “The idea that these are surgical strikes is a complete fabrication,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei. “What we’re witnessing is a campaign of destruction aimed at our people.”
In Israel, government figures said 13 people have died and 380 have been wounded since the fighting began. Authorities have urged residents in high-risk areas to seek shelter and stay alert as Iran continues to target key infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes stretched further into Iranian territory than ever before. The Israeli military confirmed it had struck a refueling aircraft at Mashhad Airport in the far east of the country—a move it described as its “deepest strategic hit” yet. Additional strikes were carried out in Shiraz and Isfahan, the latter home to a key military installation under Iran’s Defense Ministry. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also claimed a government building in Tehran was deliberately targeted.
The human cost continues to escalate. Iranian officials said Israel had killed 70 women and children across three separate strikes, with another 10 children still unaccounted for in the rubble. In Shiraz, residents posted images on social media of flattened homes and overwhelmed hospitals.
Amid the devastation, U.S. President Donald Trump offered conflicting messages. On social media, he suggested peace could come “soon” but warned that the U.S. was prepared to respond with “unmatched force” if Iran targeted American interests. “If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” he wrote.
Calls for a ceasefire have so far gone unanswered. Diplomatic efforts to restart U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations collapsed over the weekend, as Oman confirmed the talks had been canceled. Iranian officials reportedly told mediators they would not discuss peace terms while under attack.
With major cities under fire, regional powers bracing for fallout, and civilians bearing the brunt of the violence, the Israel-Iran conflict shows no signs of slowing—only accelerating toward a more dangerous, uncertain future.