'Significant damage': Iran breaches Iron Dome, strikes Israel's 'Pentagon' in Tel Aviv
Iran launched a powerful retaliatory strike late Friday night, targeting one of Israel's most heavily guarded military sites, the Kirya compound in Tel Aviv, following Israel's Operation Rising Lion, which targeted Iran's nuclear facility at Natanz.
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The Kirya, often referred to as Israel's version of the Pentagon, houses the Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) general staff, the ministry of defence, and critical military command and intelligence units.
It also includes Camp Rabin, named after former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and is considered vital for Israel's national security operations.
According to reports, Iran fired a barrage of missiles at the Tel Aviv-based military complex, striking deep into Israel's defence infrastructure.
Israel's well-known Iron Dome air defence system failed to stop the targeted attack launched by the Khamenei-led Islamic Republic.
The New York Times verified alarming social media footage showing a missile slamming into the area, causing what was described as "significant damage."
"This is Israel's version of the Pentagon, the Kiryat, and the building on this compound was just hit," Fox News reported. "There is significant damage."
The dramatic videos showed Israel's air defence systems firing interceptors into the night sky moments before a large explosion lit up central Tel Aviv. One of the warheads appears to have penetrated Israel's defences and struck a sensitive command site.
Fox News correspondent on the ground described the incoming attack as a "massive amount" of Iranian ballistic missiles, forcing them to take cover during the live report.
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"These ballistic missiles make the rockets that were being fired from Gaza look like toys," the correspondent said, adding that Iran used around 150 ballistic missiles to hit residential areas and military facilities in and around Tel Aviv.
The IDF has not officially confirmed that its headquarters were struck but released footage showing Iran firing waves of ballistic missiles into Israeli territory.
"The IDF cannot, and will not, allow Iran to attack our civilians," the military said in a post on X.
Iran's targeting of the Kirya marks a major escalation in the ongoing conflict, as the site is one of the most sensitive and strategically important in the country, coordinating military planning, intelligence, and operational command.
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