Why are Iranian missiles hitting Israel? What to know about Iron Dome and other defence systems
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Defence systems known as David's Sling and The Arrow are also both helping Israel to intercept and destroy long-range missiles fired from Iran. But even Israel's vaunted missile defence system can't stop everything.
The Iranian missile attacks began June 13 after Israel launched what it called a pre-emptive strike to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Operation Rising Lion targeted Iranian nuclear sites and military installations, killing hundreds, including several of the country's top military leaders.
'Iran retaliated by firing waves of ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions flared in the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below,' the Associated Press reported Saturday.
The Jerusalem Post reported Monday that the Israeli Defence Force 'provided its first statistics of the war on its shoot down success against Iran's ballistic missiles, setting it at 80-90 per cent, with only about 5-10 per cent of ballistic missiles hitting actual residential areas.'
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Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
The Latest: Trump calls for ‘a real end' to the conflict between Israel and Iran
In the span of about eight hours Monday, President Donald Trump went from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained 'achievable' to urging Tehran's 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut his visit to the international G7 summit short to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team. Trump expressed frustration with Iranian leaders for failing to reach an agreement, adding that he wants 'a real end' to the conflict and a 'complete give-up' of Tehran's nuclear program.
The Province
2 hours ago
- The Province
Vancouver's Jewish and Iranian communities on edge as Israel and Iran go to war
Many Iranian Canadians in Vancouver support regime change in Iran, but are dismayed at the loss of civilian lives in both Iran and Israel Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, holds a fuse for a Katyusha rocket retrieved after the rocket was launched into Israel killing an Israeli. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG An escalating conflict in the Middle East has members of Vancouver's Jewish and Iranian communities on edge. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors On Friday, Israel launched missile strikes on Iran and the two countries have exchanged attacks since then. The Associated Press reported Monday that at least 224 people had been killed in Iran since Friday, and 24 people killed in Israel. Early Monday, Israel issued a public warning for hundreds of thousands of people living in Tehran to leave the city before new airstrikes. Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, has been glued to his television and phone in recent days, looking for updates about the situation overseas. 'Travel is shut down, and we have people over there trying to get back here. And we have people over here trying to get back there,' Shanken said. An Israeli security guard stands at the entrance of a residential building hit by a missile launched from Iran, in Petah Tikva, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025. Photo by Baz Ratner / AP 'And we're standing with our friends in the Persian community during this moment,' he said. 'We know that there's obviously an incredibly strong Persian community here, and they've been a victim of this regime. I hope that this brings us together.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Is it a challenging moment? Incredibly. And am I worried for the people on the ground in Iran? Absolutely. But I think we're coming together in a beautiful way to support those who believe in a free and fair Iran and a safer Middle East.' Farid Rohani, a Vancouver businessman who immigrated from Iran as a young boy more than 50 years ago, said the vast majority of Iranian Canadians who he has spoken with are 'not happy with this (Iran) regime and would like to see it change.' But he is dismayed to see 'innocent people slaughtered' in both Iran and Israel. 'It feels like a frightening time in that it might escalate and get out of hand, that is what worries everybody,' Rohani said. 'The general population of both countries want peace.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Farid Rohani, a Persian Canadian business person, in Vancouver. Photo by Jenelle Schneider / PNG Rohani received a text message over the weekend from a friend who still lives in Iran, who said he was 'happy that this is the beginning of the end of this regime.' The latest conflict began Friday, when Israel launched an assault on Iranian military leaders, uranium enrichment sites, and nuclear scientists. Israel has said these actions were needed to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. People involved with two different Vancouver-area Iranian community associations declined to be interviewed Monday on the record about the conflict while tensions are so high. Many Iranian Canadians in B.C. are opposed to the Iranian government, they said, but are worried about speaking publicly for fear of reprisal for them or their families. They said they are scared about the loss of civilian lives in both Iran and Israel, and hope the fighting will end soon. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo) AP Rabbi Dan Moskovitz, senior rabbi of Temple Sholom in Vancouver and a past-president of the Reform Rabbis of Canada, said Canada should be supporting Israel in its fight against Iran, especially after the Canadian government last year designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity. 'I believe in what Israel says, that the war is not with the Iranian people, but with its Islamist radical leadership that has a death wish for Israel and the Jewish people,' Moskovitz said. Shirarose Willensky, a member of the Vancouver chapter of Independent Jewish Voices, an organization that has been highly critical of the Israeli government, said to her group, the recent assault on Iran 'feels like an expansion, an escalation of the genocide in Gaza.' 'We have seen that residential buildings have been targeted and destroyed in Iran, similar to the way that civilian infrastructure has been destroyed in Gaza. The reality is that whether or not a regime is what's being targeted, it is innocent civilians who are being killed and are suffering,' Willensky said. with files from The Associated Press dfumano@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Sports News Vancouver Canucks News
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
How Israel used spies, smuggled drones and AI to stun and hobble Iran
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level targets with precision. Guided by spies and artificial intelligence, the Israeli military unleashed a nighttime fusillade of warplanes and armed drones smuggled into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of its air defenses and missile systems. With greater freedom to fly over Iran, Israel bombarded key nuclear sites and killed top generals and scientists. By the time Iran mustered a response hours later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was greatly diminished. This account is based on conversations with 10 current and former Israeli intelligence and military officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss clandestine operations. It was not possible to independently verify some of their claims. But the former head of research at Israel's spy agency, the Mossad, confirmed the basic contours of the attack, saying she had inside knowledge of how it was planned and executed. 'This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to target Iran's nuclear program,' said Sima Shine, the former Mossad research director who is now an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies. Israel's element of surprise was enhanced by Iranian officials' apparent assumption that Israel wouldn't attack while talks over its rapidly advancing nuclear program were ongoing with the U.S. A sixth round of talks had been planned for last Sunday in Oman, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu activated 'Operation Rising Lion' on Friday – after his country first notified President Donald Trump. Netanyahu has for years said neutralizing Iran's nuclear program was vital for Israel's security, and Israel had previously taken steps to set back Iran's ability to enrich uranium to weapons grade. But Netanyahu said a more aggressive attack proved necessary, as Iran kept advancing its enrichment program despite U.S. diplomatic efforts and warnings from U.N. watchdogs. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction. Iran's political leaders say their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it was the only country without the bomb to enrich uranium close to weapons-grade levels. Smuggling drones into Iran The Mossad and the military worked together for at least three years to lay the operational groundwork, according to a former intelligence officer who said he had knowledge of the attack. This person spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the subject. The attack built off knowledge Israel gained during a wave of airstrikes last October, which 'highlighted the weakness of Iranian air defenses,' said Naysan Rafati, an Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. To further diminish Iranian air defenses and missile systems at the start of last week's attack, Mossad agents had smuggled precision weapons into Iran that were prepositioned to strike from close range, according to two current security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the missions. Those weapons included small, armed drones, which agents snuck into the country in vehicles, according to the former intelligence officer. Mossad agents stationed weapons close to Iranian surface-to-air missile sites, Shine said. The agency works with a mix of people, both locals and Israelis, she said. Using AI and human intelligence to select targets To analyze information gathered from various sources, Israel used the latest artificial-intelligence, or AI, technology, said an intelligence officer involved with selecting individuals and sites to target. He said AI was used to help Israelis quickly sift through troves of data they had obtained. That effort began last October according to the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media; it was one month before Netanyahu said he had ordered the attack plans. An investigation by The Associated Press earlier this year uncovered that the Israeli military uses U.S.-made AI models in war to sift through intelligence and intercept communications to learn the movements of its enemies. It's been used in the wars with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The intelligence officer involved in identifying the possible targets said options were first put into various groups, such as leadership, military, civilian and infrastructure. Targets were chosen if they were determined to be a threat to Israel, such as being deeply associated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard — a paramilitary force that controls Iran's ballistic missiles. The officer was tasked with putting together a list of Iranian generals, including details on where they worked and spent their free time. Among the high-level military officials killed since Friday's attack were Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and Gen. Mohammed Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces. In addition to AI, the Mossad relied on spies to identify top nuclear scientists and members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, according to one security official. At least eight members of the Guard, including the head of its missile program, were killed in a single Israeli strike on an underground bunker. Targeting Iranian vehicles Another facet of the attack was to strike Iranian vehicles used to transport and launch missiles. Shine said the strategy was similar to a Ukrainian operation earlier this month in Russia. In that operation, nearly a third of Moscow's strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged with cheaply made drones snuck into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian officials. In an interview with Iranian state-run television, the country's police chief, Gen. Ahmadreza Radan, said 'several vehicles carrying mini-drones and some tactical drones have been discovered.' He added: 'a number of traitors are trying to engage the country's air defense by flying some mini-drones.' How far back does this go? The Mossad is believed to have carried out numerous covert attacks on the Iranian nuclear program over the years, including cyberattacks and the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists. But it rarely acknowledges such operations. In the 2000s, Iranian centrifuges used for enriching uranium were destroyed by the so-called Stuxnet computer virus, believed to be an Israeli and American creation. In 2018, Israel stole an archive of Iranian nuclear research that included tens of thousands of pages of records, said Yossi Kuperwasser, a retired general and former military intelligence researcher who now directs the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. In July 2024, Israel killed a senior leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, with a bomb in a bedroom of a government guesthouse in Tehran. Israel's blistering attack last week on the heart of Iran's nuclear and military structure didn't come out of nowhere, said retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, who heads the Israel Defense and Security Forum think tank. It was the result of 'Israeli intelligence working extensively for years in Iran and establishing a very strong robust presence,' he said. ___ Mednick reported from Tel Aviv. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
