Air raid sirens wailed and explosions echoed across several parts of Israel on Thursday as Iran launched multiple waves of missiles, the Israeli military confirmed, adding that most of the projectiles were intercepted by its defence systems.
Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom, reported that falling shrapnel from intercepted missiles injured seven people during the attacks. Six of the আহত victims were recorded in the central city of Kafr Qassem, while one person was injured in Tel Aviv.
The military said it detected at least seven waves of incoming missiles throughout the day, triggering sirens in central Israel, Jerusalem, Haifa, and parts of the occupied West Bank. Authorities stated that air defence systems were actively engaged in intercepting the threats as each salvo was launched.
Journalists in Tel Aviv reported hearing multiple blasts beginning early in the morning, with the first missile alert issued at about 6:49 a.m. local time. Footage from the area showed a residential building struck by debris from an intercepted missile, leaving visible damage to an apartment and scattering metal fragments across the scene. Emergency responders were deployed to assess the damage and assist residents.
In Kafr Qassem, local officials said several homes were damaged, with Mayor Haitham Taha attributing the destruction to cluster munitions. Images from the scene showed a large crater and vehicles overturned by the blast.
The latest escalation came more than 14 hours after the military last reported incoming missiles from Iran. Overnight, central Israel had also come under fire from Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed responsibility for targeting military sites. Israeli media reported that six rockets were intercepted.
In a separate development, the military confirmed that one Israeli soldier was killed during fighting in southern Lebanon. Since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict on February 28, three Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat as ground operations in southern Lebanon continue to expand.
