Iran Retaliates as Israel Pounds Nuclear Facilities in Tehran \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Iran launched more missile attacks against Israel Saturday night, following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets. The conflict’s escalation has suspended U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and drawn urgent global calls for de-escalation. Israel claims dozens of senior Iranian figures killed, while Iran vows to keep retaliating.
Quick Looks
- Iran fired a second wave of missiles at Israel late Saturday amid escalating conflict.
- Israel continued airstrikes across Iran, hitting military and nuclear targets, including Natanz and Isfahan.
- Explosions were reported in Tehran, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem; three Israelis killed, over 170 injured.
- The U.S. helped intercept incoming Iranian missiles using ground-based air defense systems.
- Oman confirmed U.S.-Iran nuclear talks set for Sunday have been canceled due to Israeli strikes.
- Iran reported over 78 killed and more than 320 wounded; Israel said it killed generals and nuclear scientists.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu warned Iran of more severe retaliation if attacks continue.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed major nuclear site damage, but no radiation leaks detected.
Deep Look
The Israel-Iran conflict has escalated dramatically over two successive nights, plunging the Middle East into one of its most perilous crises in decades. What began as a bold Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure has quickly devolved into a high-stakes military confrontation with global ramifications and the real threat of a regional war.
Late Saturday, Iran launched a second round of missile strikes on Israel, triggering air raid sirens and explosions in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and several other Israeli cities. While Israel intercepted many of the incoming projectiles, several struck residential areas, killing at least three people and injuring more than 170. One building in the north of Israel collapsed due to a direct hit, and emergency services raced to respond amid a barrage of rocket fire.
The Iranian attacks came in direct response to Israel’s unprecedented aerial offensive that began Friday night, targeting critical components of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. The Israeli campaign struck deeply within Iranian territory, including over 400 targets across the country and 40 in the capital, Tehran. Explosions were reported throughout eastern and western Tehran, Khorramabad, Kermanshah, Tabriz, and even the sensitive South Pars gas field—marking what may be Israel’s first strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
In Israel, the attacks were coordinated with meticulous precision, involving dozens of fighter jets operating across Iranian airspace with little apparent resistance. Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, said the offensive marked the deepest aerial penetration of Iran in Israeli military history. Israel claims to have eliminated key components of Iran’s missile program, destroyed advanced air defense systems, and killed multiple high-ranking military figures, including top generals overseeing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and nuclear weapons initiatives.
Perhaps most significantly, Israeli airstrikes devastated facilities at Natanz and Isfahan—two cornerstones of Iran’s nuclear program. Satellite images confirmed extensive damage at Natanz, including to power supplies and support infrastructure. The International Atomic Energy Agency later confirmed that four critical structures at Isfahan were also destroyed. While radiation leaks have not been reported, the IAEA warned of serious operational setbacks. Israeli officials say the damage will take “much more than a few weeks” to repair, and they believe Iran had begun producing enriched uranium for military purposes—an assertion Iran denies.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed to respond decisively. While the full scope of Iran’s military capability remains intact, Tehran now faces a choice: escalate further, risking direct war with Israel and potentially the United States, or shift course and return to the negotiating table. The fallout from Israel’s airstrikes caused the sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Oman to be abruptly canceled, with Iranian diplomats calling negotiations “unjustifiable” in light of Israeli aggression. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of backing the Israeli attacks, though the U.S. has denied involvement.
President Donald Trump, however, has publicly encouraged Iran to return to talks, warning that “Iran must make a deal before there is nothing left.” A senior U.S. official reiterated Washington’s openness to diplomacy but confirmed that U.S. air defense systems were used to intercept Iranian missiles during the recent attacks—highlighting America’s indirect but clear support for Israeli defense efforts.
International reaction has been swift and alarmed. China’s foreign ministry condemned Israel’s strike on nuclear facilities as a “dangerous precedent.” European Union officials have urged immediate de-escalation, fearing that continued escalation could ignite broader instability, from Lebanon and Syria to the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have increased air surveillance amid fears of missile spillover.
Within Iran, the strikes have had a profound psychological effect. State media broadcast dramatic footage of explosions and air defense activity, while images of destroyed infrastructure circulated online. Thousands have gathered in public mourning for the slain generals, while at the same time, pro-regime voices used the attacks to galvanize support for retaliation.
Meanwhile, in Israel, political leaders have largely rallied behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Once under siege politically, Netanyahu has now positioned himself as the architect of a campaign to prevent Iranian nuclear weaponization. His threat that “Tehran will burn” if Iran continues its aggression has ignited a fierce debate in Israeli society—some viewing him as a decisive wartime leader, others warning of catastrophic overreach.
If confirmed, Israel’s drone strike on the South Pars natural gas plant could signal a new strategic phase—one targeting not only Iran’s military and nuclear programs but also its economic lifelines. This move would likely provoke broader Iranian retaliation and further complicate any return to diplomacy.
The possibility of a third night of strikes remains high. Israeli jets continue to patrol over Iranian airspace, and Iranian cities remain on high alert. With each strike and counterstrike, the risk grows that miscalculation or overreach could draw in other regional actors—Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq, or even American military assets in the Gulf.
What began as a bold Israeli attempt to cripple Iran’s nuclear ambitions has now become a full-scale confrontation that threatens to engulf the region. The coming days will determine whether diplomacy can be revived—or whether the Middle East plunges further into war.
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