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More than 200 people were killed or wounded in the early hours of June 15 when Iran launched two more missile strikes at Israel.
The missile strikes triggered sirens and sent millions to shelters in the city of Tel Aviv, much of central Israel, the city of Ashdod and parts of the city of Jerusalem. Later, multiple impacts were reported in the cities of Bat Yam, Rehovot and Ramat Gan.
Six people were killed and more than 200 others were wounded in Bat Yam, where a missile slammed right into a residential building, causing a part of it to collapse.
Seven people were also considered missing, and soldiers of Israel’s Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade continued to operate at the site of the impact in an effort to locate and extract them, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
In Rehovot, at least 42 people were wounded, including two who were reported to be in a serious condition. A building belonging to the Weizmann Institute for Science, a prestigious public research university, was also struck.
Just before midnight, an Iranian missile strike targeted northern Israel, killing four and wounding at least seven others in the town of Tamra, close to the port city of Haifa.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the deadly overnight attacks were a part of Operation True Promise 3, which was launched in retaliation to Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. According to the guards, ballistic missiles and suicide drones were used.
Some 70 missiles and dozens of drones were launched at Israel during the three waves, the IDF announced, without clarifying how many were intercepted.
Video footage released by the military did show several drones being shot down, but it appears that many of the missiles were able to penetrate Israeli air defenses.
The overnight attacks were a major step up from Iran’s initial response. Tehran will likely escalate even further in coming hours, if Israel went on with Operation Rising Lion. While President Donald Trump rejected any accusations of United States involvement, he didn’t deny arming the IDF for the operation. Thus, there is a strong possibility that the situation could escalate further with Washingotn joining the fight.
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