Key Point Summary – Iran Strikes Back

• Iran launches over 100 missiles after Israeli airstrikes on Tehran
• Israeli cities like Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan take direct hits
• Iron Dome defense system overwhelmed in parts of central Israel
• Supreme Leader Khamenei vows Israel will “not escape unscathed”
• US Embassy in Jerusalem orders staff to shelter in place
• Israeli airport Ben Gurion closes amid fears of further retaliation
• Shock, panic, and fury ripple through both nations as war ignites

---

Missiles Rain Down After Operation Rising Lion

It didn’t take long.

Just hours after Israeli jets roared over Tehran in a massive overnight raid—targeting nuclear labs, military bases, and top commanders—Iran fired back.

Hard.

More than 100 missiles were launched Friday morning. Some broke through Israel’s famed Iron Dome, slamming into neighborhoods around Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan. Streets erupted into chaos. Smoke billowed from city centers. And terrified civilians had just 90 seconds to reach shelter.

The war that many feared had now begun.

Iran Strikes Back With Vengeance

At 10:42 a.m. local time, the first wave of Iranian ballistic missiles lit up the sky.

“The IDF identified that missiles were recently launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said in a somber statement.

Air defense systems sprang into action. Sirens screamed across Israel. Families grabbed children and sprinted into basements and bunkers. But not every threat was stopped.

Officials confirmed several projectiles struck residential zones. In Tel Aviv alone, five to seven impacts were recorded, with some areas suffering shrapnel damage. Casualty reports remain unconfirmed, but the damage is real.

And the fear is growing.

Khamenei’s Threat: ‘We Will Bring Ruin’

As missiles soared, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to national television.

His message was unflinching.

“The Zionist regime won’t escape unscathed from this crime,” he warned. “We will bring ruin upon them. The Iranian people can be sure of our response.”

Those words landed just minutes before the bombs did.

For many in Israel, this wasn’t just a response. It was a declaration of war.

City in Shock: Central Tel Aviv Smolders

Footage from Tel Aviv showed smoke drifting through the skyline.

Residents shared video clips of wreckage in city streets, shattered windows, and collapsed walls. One witness reported hearing “a whistling sound, then a boom that shook the entire building.”

A mother holding her child told local reporters: “We didn’t make it to the shelter in time. We hid behind a couch.”

Israelis are used to conflict—but this was different. The speed and scale of Iran’s counterattack rattled even the most hardened citizens.

And now, every siren is a question of survival.

Airport Empty, Airspace Closed

Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main gateway to the world, is shut down.

Flights canceled. Terminals evacuated. Rental car counters deserted. A silent, chilling image of a country on lockdown.

The departure board shows a sea of red cancellations. For Israelis hoping to flee the violence, there’s nowhere to go.

And there’s no word on when flights will resume.

The message is clear: This isn’t over.

US Orders Shelter in Place

In Jerusalem, the United States Embassy took swift action.

All American diplomats and their families were ordered to shelter in place indefinitely. No evacuations are planned. No outbound flights available. The embassy warned American citizens to “remain indoors and monitor official alerts.”

For Americans in Israel, help may be far away.

And with Tel Aviv under fire, even the most secure locations feel exposed.

Israel’s Gamble: Was It Worth It?

Just one day earlier, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion.

The goal? Cripple Iran’s nuclear capabilities before they reached a “point of no return.” Airstrikes hammered targets in Fordow, Isfahan, and Arak—suspected to house enrichment facilities and weapons programs.

Intelligence reports suggest Israeli operatives were on the ground days in advance, guiding missiles to high-value targets.

Prime Minister Netanyahu had greenlit the mission in secrecy, hoping for a swift, decapitating blow.

Instead, he may have triggered something far worse.

Public Reaction: From Rallying Cries to Sheer Panic

In Israel, the mood is a volatile mix of defiance and dread.

Some call it justice. Others say it’s madness.

“I support defending our people,” said one man waving an Israeli flag outside a bomb shelter. “But we should’ve prepared better for this.”

Social media exploded. Hashtags like #TelAvivUnderAttack and #IranStrikesBack trended globally. Footage of missile trails lit up TikTok and Telegram, sending shivers across the world.

In Iran, state-run channels framed the retaliation as “divine retribution.”

Crowds gathered in Tehran, chanting “Death to Israel” as fireworks mimicked the real explosions miles away.

The line between patriotism and propaganda blurred.

Wider War Looms?

The big question: What comes next?

Will this remain a tit-for-tat fight between two bitter enemies? Or will it spiral into a wider regional war?

Lebanon’s Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has already signaled support. In Gaza, Hamas issued a statement praising Iran’s “heroic defense.”

Meanwhile, U.S. warships in the Mediterranean have gone on high alert. Defense officials say American forces are prepared to protect key allies, but Washington is still urging de-escalation.

Inside the White House, President Trump is said to be in continuous contact with Israeli leadership.

According to senior officials, “All options remain on the table.”

Civilians Pay the Price

As always, ordinary people are trapped in the crossfire.

Hospitals in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan are bracing for more casualties. Volunteers are distributing water and blankets at shelters. Schools are closed. Roads are blocked.

“It’s like the world stopped,” said one teenager taking cover in a stairwell.

Even those not hit by missiles are shaken by the psychological assault. For every siren, every shadow in the sky, comes the fear that this is just the beginning.

And it may well be.

The Next 24 Hours: Crucial and Unpredictable

Military analysts say both sides are now in a window of extreme vulnerability.

Israel’s leadership must decide: strike again or pause and assess?

Iran, too, must weigh its next move. Was this a message—or the start of a broader campaign?

Satellite images show mobilization of Iranian missile batteries near the Persian Gulf. Israeli jets remain in the air. And U.S. intelligence confirms chatter of further attacks—possibly from proxy militias across Syria and Iraq.

For now, no one sleeps.

The Middle East is holding its breath.