Multiple killed, dozens wounded in Israel after Iran launches new wave of missile strikes
Iran Launches Missile Attacks on Israel, Killing Eight
Original Article Source: Fox News
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Iran initiated a fresh wave of missile assaults on Israel early Monday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and leaving dozens injured, as reported by Israeli emergency services.
Among the casualties were four individuals in their 70s, including two men and two women, who perished in the series of missile strikes that targeted four locations in central Israel, according to the Israeli Magen David Adom emergency service.
The MDA stated that over 100 individuals were evacuated and taken to hospitals, with a 30-year-old woman in critical condition. Rescue operations are ongoing to locate individuals trapped under collapsed buildings, with a six-day-old infant being among those rescued.
The assaults have raised Israel’s death toll to a minimum of 24, with over 500 people wounded since the conflict commenced on Friday with an Israeli offensive against Iran.
The Israeli military retaliated to the attacks on Monday by targeting 10 command centers in Tehran affiliated with Quds Force, an elite division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responsible for military and intelligence operations.
Explosions, likely from Israel’s defense systems intercepting Iranian missiles, were felt in Tel Aviv shortly before daybreak.
A missile struck near the U.S. Embassy branch in Tel Aviv, causing minor property damage from the blast’s impact, as confirmed by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Fortunately, no U.S. personnel sustained injuries.
Iran stated that it launched approximately 100 missiles and vowed further retaliation against Israel’s assaults on its military and nuclear facilities.
As of now, Iran has reported at least 224 fatalities and around 1,300 injuries since Israel’s offensive began, with a majority of the casualties being civilians, according to Iran’s Ministry of Health.
Rights organizations, like the Washington-based Iranian advocacy group Human Rights Activists, suggest that the Iranian government may be underestimating the death toll, with the group documenting over 400 fatalities, including 197 civilians.
Authorities in Petah Tikva, a city in central Israel, disclosed that Iranian missiles struck a residential structure, causing extensive damage.
During a prior wave of missile attacks on central Israel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed willingness to cease strikes if Israel halted its offensive actions.
Following a day of intensive Israeli airstrikes that targeted not just military sites but also oil refineries and government buildings, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared that subsequent strikes would be more forceful and precise.
Israel contends that its strikes on Iran’s military leaders and nuclear facilities were essential to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, a stance supported by U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News’ Yael Rotem-Kuriel and The Associated Press.
