A day after the Khamenei-led Islamic Republic struck the IDF’s military base in Tel Aviv, Israel launched a major counteroffensive on Sunday, directly targeting Tehran’s defence and energy infrastructure in a sharp escalation of hostilities between the two arch-rivals.IDF also hit Iranian Shahran oil facility in its latest series of attacks.In response, Iran fired a fresh wave of missiles into Israeli territory, killing four people and injuring several others in the northern Galilee region.The strikes come just days after Israel’s surprise launch of “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iran’s nuclear facility at Natanz. Sunday’s attacks marked the most major Israeli action yet, with targets including Iran’s ministry of defence headquarters and the SPND — an agency Israel claims is central to Iran’s nuclear weapons development.
Extensive series of strikes: IDF
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the strikes, stating: “The IDF completed an extensive series of strikes on targets in Tehran related to the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons project… including the Iranian Ministry of Defence, SPND nuclear project headquarters, and additional sites where the regime hid its nuclear archive.”
Iran warns Israel
Loud explosions were reported across eastern and western Tehran late Sunday, with visuals showing heavy smoke billowing over the city skyline. Iranian state media confirmed several areas were hit, but did not release casualty figures immediately.Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said the missiles were aimed at facilities involved in the production of fuel for Israeli fighter jets. “If Israeli aggression continues, Iran will respond with further missile strikes,” the Guard said in a statement.The latest developments come just hours after Iran’s Friday night retaliation for the Natanz strike, when it targeted Israel’s heavily fortified Kirya compound in Tel Aviv — the nerve centre of Israel’s military command and home to its ministry of defence and intelligence units.
Homes hit, fires rage: Israel confirms
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that multiple residential buildings in the coastal and northern regions were struck during the attacks, sparking fires in open areas. “Several incidents have been reported to our command centres in the Coastal and Northern Districts, including direct hits on homes and a blaze in an open area,” said spokesperson Tal Volbovitz.
Global concerns
Adding to global concern, indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States — scheduled to resume on Sunday — were abruptly cancelled. Mediator Oman confirmed the cancellation, with a senior US official saying, “We remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will return to the table soon.”World leaders called for urgent de-escalation. China’s foreign minister warned that strikes on nuclear facilities set a “dangerous precedent,” while diplomats across Europe expressed concern over a wider regional conflict.Israel claims its two-day offensive has eliminated nine top Iranian nuclear scientists and a number of senior generals. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said 78 people were killed and more than 320 injured in the Israeli attacks.
‘Tehran is burning’
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz posted a stark message on social media: “Tehran is burning,” underscoring the gravity of the current escalation.As both countries weigh the costs of further military engagement, the region teeters on the edge of a broader conflict, with diplomatic avenues rapidly closing.