Attack Is Defense: Israel admits defense gaps as war with Iran intensifies

Shafaq News

a day ago

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Israel acknowledged its inability to intercept the full scale of Iranian missile attacks, signaling a shift in strategy toward intensified preemptive strikes, as both nations enter the third consecutive day of escalating cross-border assaults.
In a rare public admission, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stated, "We do not have an interceptor for every Iranian ballistic missile. The best defense is offense."
The statement comes as Israel continues its offensive operations following Iran's large-scale missile barrage, dubbed " True Promise 3", launched late Saturday in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites.
Confirmed Damage and Casualties in Israel
Israeli officials, including the army and the Oil Refineries Company, confirmed that critical infrastructure in the port city of Haifa was hit on Saturday night, particularly oil pipelines and transmission lines. While no fires were reported at the time, damage was described as structural, and engineers are conducting on-site evaluations.
Iranian media, including IRIB and Mehr News, claimed a hypersonic missile was used to strike the Haifa facility. Israel has not confirmed the weapon type, but acknowledged that several missiles penetrated air defense systems, raising serious concerns over national preparedness.
In Tel Aviv, thousands of civilians spent the night in underground parking garages amid widespread shelter shortages. The Home Front Command estimated that 40% of Israeli homes lack protection meeting current security standards.
Municipal officials also declared several buildings at risk of collapse following the direct hits. Structural assessments are ongoing.
The mayor of Bat Yam municipality confirmed that six people were killed and over 200 wounded in missile strikes. He warned that the death toll may rise as emergency teams continue search and recovery operations.
Israel's Ministry of Health reported that nearly 400 people have been killed or injured since the start of Iran's retaliatory strikes on Tel Aviv and other areas. The toll includes 385 injured, seven of them critically, and at least 13 fatalities confirmed by police earlier.
Iran Under Attack
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israeli forces would continue to 'peel the skin off the Iranian snake' by dismantling missile and nuclear infrastructure across the region. 'The Iranian dictator is turning Tehran into Beirut,' he said, accusing Iran's leadership of endangering its own people to preserve power.
On Sunday, Israel expanded its retaliatory campaign. In Isfahan, an official confirmed that a Ministry of Defense facility was hit, resulting in unspecified damage. Claims that the local oil refinery was struck were denied. The Isfahan refinery remains operational, according to the Iranian Oil Ministry. In Shiraz, Israeli strikes targeted an electronics factory, producing a large column of smoke. Damage assessments are ongoing. In Tehran, Israeli forces hit a Ministry of Defense building on Saturday night. Iranian outlet Tasnim reported minor damage.
Iran's Civil Defense Authority announced it had contained fires at oil storage facilities in Shahran and southern Tehran, which were sparked by earlier Israeli strikes. At least 104 people were killed and over 376 people were injured, according to Iranian reports.