Iran fires 30 missiles at Israel after the US. Strikes nuclear sites; Khamenei vows ‘more punishment’
Iran launched a furious missile attack on Israel Saturday night, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a devastating strike on three of Tehran’s most critical nuclear facilities. The spiral of violence triggered global alarm, as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Israel would face continued “punishment.”
The Iranian barrage, which saw roughly 30 missiles fired into Israeli territory, injured at least a dozen people. The Israeli Defence Forces scrambled to intercept the rockets, while warning systems blared across the country. The attack marked a significant escalation, igniting fears of a broader regional war despite U.S. efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump, speaking from the White House on Saturday, claimed that Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities were “totally obliterated.” He confirmed five to six massive bunker-busting bombs had directly hit the Fordow site, buried deep beneath a mountain. In parallel, 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from U.S. submarines slammed into Natanz and Isfahan, two other key hubs in Iran’s atomic network.
In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump detailed the strike: “We took out Fordow with precision. Massive hits. Total obliteration. Natanz and Isfahan were dealt with using cruise missiles. We sent a message.”
The operation—executed overnight—was designed to paralyse Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Yet, within hours, Tehran retaliated.
Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, posted a chilling message on the social media platform X: “The punishment continues. The Zionist enemy has made a big mistake, committed a big crime; it must be punished and it is being punished right now.”
That “punishment” came swiftly. Explosions were reported in multiple Israeli cities. Sirens blared in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and northern Israel as Iron Dome systems intercepted several incoming threats. But the damage was done—injuries were confirmed, and residents were sent scrambling into shelters.
The Pentagon has not yet confirmed the extent of the damage inflicted by U.S. strikes, though early reports from military sources suggested a “strategic success.” Trump called on Iran to return to negotiations and insisted the U.S. does not seek a broader war.
“We want peace,” he told reporters. “But if Iran keeps choosing violence, they will face consequences unlike anything they’ve seen.”
World leaders have echoed similar sentiments, urging restraint on both sides. However, Iran’s leadership remains defiant. Tehran held mass protests Sunday morning, with thousands waving banners and chanting anti-Israel and anti-U.S. slogans. A photograph from Tehran showed a demonstrator holding a large poster of Ayatollah Khamenei, symbolising the regime’s unshaken grip.
The missile exchanges follow a string of tensions dating back to Israel’s June 13 strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. That operation—launched following the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah—was cited by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a necessary response to Iran’s rapid weapons buildup.
With Iran reportedly producing up to 300 ballistic missiles per month before the latest strikes, Israeli and American officials argue that military action was the only viable option left.
As of Sunday, both Israeli and Iranian officials suggest the strikes are ongoing. While the full extent of destruction to Iran’s nuclear facilities remains unverified, the conflict appears far from over.
In a volatile and fast-changing situation, the world watches anxiously—hoping the worst is behind, but fearing it’s only the beginning.
