Iran launches waves of missiles at Israel

Iran says it has launched waves of ballistic missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a major deadly attack on Tehran’s nuclear sites and military leaders, Al Jazeera reports.

Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded across Israel on Friday night. This follows an unprecedented attack by Israel in the early hours of Friday, which targeted Iranian nuclear sites, senior military commanders and scientists.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel’s strikes had “initiated a war” and it would not be allowed to do “hit and run” attacks without consequences.

“The Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured,” Khamenei said in a statement.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran “carried out its crushing and precise response against dozens of targets, military centres and airbases” in Israel at the command of Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Three separate waves of attacks and hundreds of missiles were launched at Israel on Friday night, Iranian state media said.

However, the Israeli military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles, most of which were either intercepted or fell short.

The United States military also helped Israel shoot down Iranian missiles heading towards the country, the Reuters and Associated Press news agencies reported, citing unnamed US officials.