Israel Strikes Iran After Deadly Missile Attack Kills Civilians \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Iranian missile strikes hit central Israel, killing four and injuring many, prompting a major Israeli military response. Residents of Petah Tikva support Israel’s retaliation, recalling Gulf War fears and expressing concern over Iran’s power. Despite heavy damage and casualties, Israeli public sentiment remains largely supportive of counterstrikes against Iran.
Quick Looks
- Location & Impact: Petah Tikva, a city outside Tel Aviv, was struck by an Iranian missile that killed four and damaged multiple apartment complexes.
- Public Sentiment: Many residents, including youth and military personnel, back Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Iran.
- Military Response: Israel launched a surprise aerial assault on Iranian military leaders and nuclear facilities, killing 224 people.
- Casualties & Damage: In Israel, 24 killed, over 500 injured from more than 370 Iranian missiles and hundreds of drones.
- Historic Echoes: Residents compared this to Iraq’s 1991 Scud attacks, noting today’s stakes are higher due to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Deep Look
The atmosphere in Petah Tikva, a bustling central Israeli city near Tel Aviv, has shifted from daily routine to devastation and resilience. Over the weekend, an Iranian missile smashed into a residential complex, killing four people, injuring others, and demolishing several apartments. Survivors, including military personnel like Miryam—who was inside her family’s concrete safe room—are still grappling with the shock.
“The scariest thing I’ve ever experienced,” said Miryam, who serves in the Israeli military and asked that her surname not be used. “But the right thing is to attack Iran. I don’t want them to have this power over us.” Her sentiment reflects a growing consensus among Israeli civilians, even in areas directly hit by Iranian strikes.
The missile that hit Petah Tikva tore through four residential buildings, shattered glass, blew off doors, and gutted kitchens and bathrooms. Cars in the vicinity were burned or wrecked by debris, and families were seen hauling suitcases and personal items into emergency vehicles or taxis headed for temporary shelter. Some moved in with relatives, while others relocated to hotels financed by the municipality.
Despite the carnage, the Israeli government quickly launched a powerful counteroffensive. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, long a vocal critic of Iran’s regional ambitions and suspected nuclear weapons program, ordered a sweeping aerial campaign. The strikes reportedly targeted Iranian military leadership and nuclear facilities. The Israeli military claims at least 224 Iranians have been killed so far, with hundreds more wounded. Among the targets were locations believed to be critical components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
But Iran, undeterred, responded with further missile barrages. Since the escalation began, Iran has fired more than 370 missiles and launched hundreds of drones at Israeli targets, resulting in at least 24 Israeli fatalities and over 500 injuries. The intensity and scope of the attack mark the most severe direct assault on Israeli territory since Saddam Hussein’s Scud missile bombardments in the Gulf War of 1991.
Residents like 14-year-old Eitan Tevel, who huddled in a sixth-floor safe room before emerging to a scene of wreckage, voiced anger and resolve. “If we don’t do it [strike Iran], many people will be destroyed,” he said.
President Isaac Herzog visited the damaged neighborhoods, standing amid shattered glass and twisted steel. He called the Iranian attack “pure evil” and vowed continued support for affected families. Emergency workers were still combing through debris as of midday, clearing paths and inspecting building stability.
The Israeli public, regardless of political leanings, appears unified—at least for now. Even opposition politicians have refrained from criticizing the government’s military response. Analysts like Shmuel Rosner from the Jewish People Policy Institute note that although the attacks were terrifying, they were less catastrophic than long-feared worst-case scenarios involving mass destruction and prolonged sheltering. “We were told we might have to spend days or weeks in bomb shelters and see thousands of buildings crash. That’s not the case,” Rosner said. Still, he warned that if Israel’s counterstrikes begin to appear ineffective or overly costly, public support could erode rapidly.
What adds to the gravity of the moment is a sense of historical déjà vu. Many older residents remember the 1991 Gulf War vividly—when Israelis feared chemical weapons and carried gas masks everywhere. Back then, Israel’s air defense was rudimentary, and people sealed their homes with tape and plastic. Today, with advanced systems like the Iron Dome and David’s Sling, Israel can intercept a significant percentage of incoming threats, but the specter of a nuclear-armed Iran casts a much darker shadow.
“This is more scary,” said Nadav Shomron, 44, who was a boy during the Gulf War. “If we have a nuclear Iran, Israel can’t exist.” His voice, though calm, carried the weight of generational trauma and strategic urgency.
In Tehran, meanwhile, Israel’s message was equally unambiguous. More than 300,000 people were ordered to evacuate a key district in anticipation of future strikes. The decision signaled not only military escalation but also the possibility of prolonged conflict with significant civilian implications on both sides.
What lies ahead remains uncertain. Diplomats are scrambling behind the scenes, but the scale of damage and emotion suggests this conflict could enter a dangerous new phase. Regional players like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other Iran-backed groups have also expressed support for Tehran, adding further complexity to the conflict’s trajectory.
For now, Israelis are dealing with daily life under threat—patching up homes, comforting children, and reinforcing safe rooms. Yet beneath the resilience lies a deep unease. While past conflicts have been largely limited in scope, the current exchange between Israel and Iran appears to be crossing a historic threshold.
The broader geopolitical stakes are enormous. A sustained conflict between two of the Middle East’s most powerful nations—especially with nuclear concerns in the mix—has the potential to destabilize the region for years. And for residents in cities like Petah Tikva, every missile siren is now a reminder of that high-stakes gamble.
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