Mutual airstrikes escalate Israel–Iran conflict
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the confrontation between Israel and Iran deepened as both sides traded deadly strikes, launched sophisticated drones, and issued fresh threats amid warnings of further escalation.
The commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base announced on state television that ten Israeli aircraft had been downed over various parts of the country. State media confirmed the activation of air defense systems in multiple provinces, including Tehran, Hormozgan, Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan, and Lorestan. Explosions were reported in Tehran and Urmia.
Fars News Agency reported that Iranian defenses shot down two drones over the capital, while Tasnim News Agency cited the interception of an Israeli UAV near the Natanz nuclear facility by the IRGC's 3rd Khordad system.
Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces reportedly intercepted a British destroyer in the Sea of Oman. The United Kingdom has not commented on the claim.
On the Israeli side, the military spokesperson confirmed a wave of precision airstrikes targeting dozens of missile launch platforms and underground storage sites for ballistic and cruise missiles in western Iran. "We have penetrated the heart of Iran. Our aircraft are operating in its skies," a spokesperson stated, adding that elite reserve units were deployed to frontlines near Lebanon and Syria.
In addition, Fox News quoted an Israeli official as confirming the targeting of a second gas facility near the southern port of Bandar Abbas. The Israeli military also claimed responsibility for destroying nuclear sites recently visited by senior Iranian officials and for killing nine prominent nuclear scientists.
According to the Israeli military, the opening wave of strikes also killed over 20 senior military commanders, including the head of Iranian Armed Forces intelligence and the IRGC's surface-to-surface missile division.
In Hamedan province, an Israeli drone strike reportedly killed the head of public security police and another officer in the city of Asadabad, local authorities reported. In northwestern Iran, a large explosion hit the Imam Mahdi Base in Urmia. Tasnim cited eyewitnesses who described widespread damage, while the Iranian Red Crescent confirmed two medics were killed in an Israeli strike on relief teams responding to the blast.
Initial assessments indicated severe damage to the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, with repairs expected to take weeks.
Despite the scale of the assault, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli air operations are still underway as part of a broader strategy to degrade Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Officials stated that Israeli fighter jets are now flying over Tehran—a development described as a 'strategic turning point.'
Iran vows intensified response
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of stronger retaliation if Israeli operations persist. 'If the Zionist entity dares to repeat its aggression, it will face a stronger and harsher response from our armed forces,' he said, adding that Iran had managed to shoot down 'equipment claimed to be undetectable.'
Separately, Iran's state broadcaster reported that a new wave of "destructive and intense" attacks on Israel would be launched within hours. In a related statement, Pezeshkian declared that Iran would no longer engage in nuclear negotiations if Israeli attacks continued.
Iran's drone retaliation
In response to Israel's Operation Rising Lion, Iran initiated its own offensive under the framework of Truthful Promise 3, deploying a barrage of unmanned aerial vehicles. The campaign included Shahed-129 and Shahed-136 drones, two of the most sophisticated platforms in Iran's drone arsenal.
The Shahed-129, modeled after the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, is capable of flying up to 24 hours and covering 1,700 kilometers, armed with four Sadid-guided missiles. Its advanced imaging and communications systems allow it to operate effectively in electronically contested environments.
The Shahed-136, a one-way loitering munition or 'kamikaze drone,' is designed to detonate upon impact. Despite its simplicity, it poses a major challenge to air defenses when launched in large swarms due to its low radar signature and low-altitude flight.
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