Israel has claimed to have successfully intercepted a large-scale drone attack launched by Iran late Friday, in what is being seen as a major escalation in the rapidly intensifying conflict between the two regional adversaries.
According to the Israeli military, over 100 drones were fired from Iranian territory toward various locations in Israel, but “the vast majority were neutralised” by the country’s advanced air defence systems.
“All Iranian drones have been successfully intercepted,” an Israeli military spokesperson said during a televised briefing. “Our forces remain on high alert for any further threats.”
The Iranian drone assault came in direct retaliation to a sweeping Israeli air campaign conducted a day earlier, which targeted key Iranian military and nuclear facilities across multiple cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Natanz, Tabriz, and Kermanshah. The strikes, which involved over 200 fighter jets according to Arab media reports, resulted in the deaths of several top Iranian military officials and prominent nuclear scientists.
Among the casualties were Major General Mohammad Bagheri, commander-in-chief of Iran’s Armed Forces, IRGC head General Hossein Salami, and Major General Gholamali Rashid. In response, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed General Ahmad Vahidi as the new IRGC chief and Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari as acting Chief of Staff.
Two leading nuclear scientists, Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi and Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, were also reported killed in the attacks. Despite concerns, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that radiation levels at the affected nuclear sites remained within safe limits.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi condemned the Israeli strikes as a “gross violation of the UN Charter” and affirmed Tehran’s right to retaliate. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will exercise its legitimate right to self-defense. Our response will be decisive and in line with international law,” he said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in a separate statement, vowed that the "brutal Zionist aggression" would not go unanswered. “The resistance of the Iranian nation is stronger than ever,” it read.
Meanwhile, Israel has placed its military on full war footing and activated emergency protocols across the country. Ben Gurion International Airport has been closed indefinitely, and underground emergency facilities have been activated in major hospitals.
“The coming hours will be tough,” an Israeli official warned, stating that Israel is prepared for the possibility of a full-fledged war with Iran. “If attacked again, we will respond with hundreds of ballistic missiles.”
The conflict has drawn strong international reactions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern, particularly over the reported targeting of Iranian nuclear infrastructure, and appealed for restraint. “The Middle East cannot afford another devastating war,” he said.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News, said Washington had prior knowledge of the Israeli operation but denied direct involvement. “The U.S. will always stand by Israel if Iran retaliates. We still hope Iran chooses diplomacy,” Trump said.
The sharp escalation has sparked fears of a wider regional conflict, with analysts warning that further strikes could draw in other actors in the region. Observers say the current standoff marks the most dangerous moment in Iran-Israel relations in over a decade.
