File image.
Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel early on June 16, causing some 300 casualties and some heavy material losses.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that some 40 missiles were fired and that air defense systems intercepted most of them. Still, multiple impacts were reported in the north, center and south of Israel, with Hebrew media reporting casualties.
Four people were killed in the central city of Petah Tivka and another in the city of Bnei Brak, located in the same region. Three more were killed in the northern city of Haifa, where a power plant was allegedly hit. Damage was also reported at the United States embassy in the central city of Tel Aviv.
The Israeli Health Ministry also said that 287 people were hospitalized nationwide as a result of the Iranian missile attack. One person was listed in serious condition, and 14 were moderately injured. The remainder were lightly injured or suffered acute shock.
While the IDF didn’t acknowledge any losses, videos posted to social networks showed the explosion of what appear to be air defense systems in Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel.
Later, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the latest missile strike “disrupted the enemy’s multilayered defense systems by employing new methods. Iranian media said that more hypersonic ballistic missiles were used.
Iran has one known hypersonic ballistic missile in service, the Fattah-1. The missile can travel at 15 times the speed of sound and has a range of up to 1,400 kilometers.
Amid the Iranian strike, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen targeted Israel with a single ballistic missile. The IDF said, however, that the missile fell short.
Beside the missiles, the IDF announced the interception of multiple suicide drones over the last 24 hours. Video footage showing warplanes and warships shooting down several were released by the military, which didn’t provide any specific number.
Iran has launched some 350 ballistic missiles at Israel since the start of the confrontation on June 13, according to the IDF, which said that the barrages consist of some 30-60 missiles each, adding that the majority of the missiles were intercepted.
The IDF also revealed that the Israeli Air Force has so far intercepted more than 100 Iranian drones. The Israeli Navy intercepted 25 additional dornes, some using LRAD interceptor missiles, part of the Barak MX air defense system installed in Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, according to the military. The range of the radar-guided LRAD is reported to be around 70 kilometers with an altitude of 20 kilometers.
Video footage shared by Iranian media revealed that the IRGC has began to use Arash-2 suicide drones in attacks on Israe. The drone has a 2,000 km strike range and carries a 150 kg warhead.
In all, 24 people have been killed in Iranian strikes, so far. That number is expected to rise, as one person is still missing and presumed dead.
Iranian strikes, part of a retaliatory operation codenamed True Promise 3, are clearly becoming more effective. Israel likely planned for its attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, to be a quick one, but recent developments suggest that this confrontation could go on for weeks, or even months.
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