Iran and Israel exchange strikes amid escalating conflict over nuclear program, Israel says attacks are ‘nothing’ compared with what is coming

Iran and Israel exchanged missile strikes and air attacks on Saturday, intensifying a volatile confrontation sparked by Israel’s sweeping aerial offensive the previous day. 

The Israeli campaign targeted nuclear facilities, military installations, and high-ranking personnel in Iran, in what it described as an effort to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the strikes had pushed back Iran’s nuclear ambitions “by years” and dismissed international appeals for restraint. In a video address, he warned, “We will hit every site and every target of the Ayatollahs’ regime, and what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days.”

Iranian state media reported that approximately 60 people, including 20 children, were killed in a missile strike on a residential complex, with additional casualties reported in other regions. Israel confirmed it had struck more than 150 targets across Iran.

On the Israeli side, sirens blared as missiles lit up the night sky and air defenses intercepted incoming projectiles. Authorities reported at least three fatalities and multiple injuries, following what an Israeli official described as four waves of around 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised Israel’s offensive and issued a stern warning to Tehran, urging immediate compliance with U.S. demands to significantly scale down its nuclear programme. Talks had been scheduled for Sunday, though their status is now uncertain.

Despite fears of regional escalation, Israel signaled the operation could continue for weeks and encouraged Iranian citizens to rise up against their clerical rulers. Two U.S. officials confirmed that American forces assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning: “If [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn.”

Iran had pledged a forceful response to Friday’s Israeli assault, which decimated parts of its military and nuclear infrastructure and killed key figures, including senior commanders and scientists. Tehran also warned that it would target military bases of Israel's allies if they assisted in intercepting Iranian missiles.

However, Iran’s ability to retaliate has been weakened by nearly two years of war in Gaza and last year’s conflict in Lebanon, which severely depleted the capabilities of its key regional allies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Gulf Arab nations, wary of Iran yet fearful of further regional instability, have called for de-escalation. The prospect of broader conflict has already impacted global energy markets, with oil prices rising by around 7% on Friday due to concerns over potential disruptions in Gulf exports.

Law enforcement officers walk as first responders work at an impact site following missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Tel Aviv (Reuters)

Iranian lawmaker and military figure Esmail Kosari said the government was reviewing the option of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments.

Explosions Rock Both Nations

The overnight Iranian attack involved hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones, according to Israeli officials. Three Israeli civilians, including a couple, were killed, and dozens were wounded.

In the city of Rishon LeZion, rescue workers pulled a baby girl from the wreckage of a home struck by a missile. Despite the chaos, life continued in parts of the country, with Tel Aviv beaches bustling by Saturday afternoon.

Linda Grinfeld, a resident of Ramat Gan near Ben Gurion Airport, described the terrifying moment her apartment was hit: “We were sitting in the shelter, and then we heard such a boom. It was awful.”

The Israeli military said it had intercepted numerous missiles and drones, and that two rockets were fired from Gaza during the exchange.

In Iran, residential buildings were destroyed, reportedly killing families and neighbors as collateral damage in strikes aimed at top officials. Iranian authorities said 78 people died on Friday, with dozens more killed Saturday when a 14-story apartment block collapsed in Tehran. State media estimated at least 60 fatalities from that building alone.

Images broadcast on state TV showed the flattened structure, debris-strewn streets, and concrete slabs dangling from adjacent buildings. “Smoke and dust were filling all the house and we couldn’t breathe,” said Mohsen Salehi, a Tehran resident, recounting the moment of an overnight strike to WANA news agency.

Iranian media also reported that two projectiles hit Mehrabad Airport, a dual-use civilian and military facility in Tehran.

With Iranian air defenses reportedly weakened, Israeli Air Force chief Tomer Bar declared that “the road to Iran has been paved.” Israel has begun deploying reservists across its territory, with troops stationed along the Lebanese and Jordanian borders.

Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Targeted

Israel said its military inflicted substantial damage on Iranian nuclear sites at Natanz and Isfahan but had not yet struck the heavily fortified Fordow facility, buried deep within a mountain.

A military official claimed that the operation had “eliminated the highest commanders of their military leadership” and killed nine leading nuclear scientists identified as key drivers of Iran’s atomic program.

Tehran has maintained that its nuclear efforts are strictly civilian, in line with its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, repeated incidents of non-compliance and lack of transparency have led to international suspicion. On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Iran was in violation of its NPT obligations.

Efforts to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomacy have faltered this year, and the next round of talks scheduled for Sunday is now in doubt. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that continuing negotiations while Israeli strikes continued would be “unjustifiable.”