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As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning on Saturday, declaring that “Tehran will burn” if Iran persists in launching missile attacks on Israeli territory. His statement followed intense Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and top military officials, which reportedly killed at least 78 people and left more than 320 injured, according to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Speaking after a high-level security meeting with the Israeli army chief of staff, Katz cautioned, “If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn”, news agency AP reported. Meanwhile, officials say Israel's main international airport will remain closed until further notice.

Two Iranian generals were killed in an Israeli attack, news agency AFP cited state media as reporting.

The offensive, which included Israeli warplanes and drones that officials said were smuggled into Iran in advance, hit key defence sites and killed several senior Iranian military and scientific figures. According to state television in Iran, air defence systems were activated in cities including Khorramabad, Kermanshah, and Tabriz, where videos posted by state-affiliated outlets showed smoke billowing above the skyline.

Among the dead were top Iranian commanders: Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who headed the armed forces; Gen. Hossein Salami of the Revolutionary Guard; and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who led the Guard’s ballistic missile division. Iran also confirmed the deaths of two more senior officers—Gen. Gholamreza Mehrabi and Gen. Mehdi Rabbani.

Israel’s airstrikes also reportedly damaged key nuclear sites in Natanz, Fordo and Isfahan. The UN’s nuclear watchdog head, Rafael Grossi, informed the Security Council that the above-ground structure at Natanz had been destroyed, while damage to underground centrifuge facilities could not yet be fully assessed due to power outages.

Iran Responds With Missile Barrages; Strike In Rishon Lezion Kills 2

In response, Iran launched successive waves of drones and ballistic missiles late Friday into early Saturday, with explosions lighting up skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Israeli military advised civilians to take shelter, as buildings in multiple cities trembled from the impact. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, in a recorded message, vowed, “We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed.”

A missile strike on a residential area in Rishon Lezion killed two people and wounded 19 others, according to Israeli paramedic service Magen David Adom. Another woman was reported dead in Tel Aviv, where a hospital treated several others with injuries. In total, 34 people were wounded in the barrage around the Tel Aviv area, with some homes severely damaged, and others reduced to rubble, AP reported.

The Israeli military stated that it had struck dozens of targets overnight, including air defence sites in and around Tehran. Residents of Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, described the blasts as so forceful they shook the doors off their shelters. “We thought, that’s it, the house is gone, and in fact half of the house was gone, it fell apart,” a resident, Moshe Shani, told the AP.

Global Alarm As Israel-Iran Conflict Threatens Middle East Stability

The escalating conflict has raised fears of a broader war across the Middle East, with countries in the region condemning Israel’s airstrikes. Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza, now stretching into its 20th month, has already destabilised the region. At least 27 people were reported killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza overnight Friday, as per local hospitals cited by AP.

The situation has also jeopardised nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, with negotiations scheduled in Oman on Sunday now in doubt. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, told state television: “The U.S. did a job that made the talks become meaningless.” While he did not confirm whether the talks were cancelled, he added, “It is still not clear what we decide about Sunday’s talks,” as reported by Iran’s Mizan news agency.

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a nuclear agreement with the U.S., writing on his Truth Social platform: “Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.”

Meanwhile, disruptions were reported in regional air traffic. Jordan briefly closed its airspace but reopened it early Saturday, as per the state-run Petra news agency. Lebanon also announced the reopening of its airspace.

The situation remains volatile, with Israel reportedly prepared for an operation lasting up to two weeks, according to unnamed military officials quoted by the AP. Israel’s Mossad is said to have placed drones and precision-guided weapons inside Iran in advance, aiming to degrade its air defence capabilities and pave the way for deeper strikes.