TEL AVIV / BEIRUT / TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in coordination with Hezbollah, launched a wave of missile strikes targeting central and northern Israel, marking a significant escalation in the rapidly expanding regional conflict.
According to Iranian state-linked reports, the operation was described as a “joint” or “integrated” assault involving both long-range Iranian missiles and Hezbollah-launched projectiles from southern Lebanon.
Air raid sirens sounded across large parts of Israel as missiles were launched toward key population centers and strategic infrastructure. Targets reportedly included cities in central Israel as well as northern regions such as Haifa and the Galilee—areas that have increasingly come under fire in recent days.
Israeli defense systems intercepted many incoming projectiles, though some impacts were reported. In one of the latest incidents, a missile strike caused damage at an oil refinery in Haifa, briefly disrupting power supplies in the surrounding area.
Hezbollah has significantly intensified its involvement, launching thousands of rockets and missiles at Israel since the escalation began, with some days seeing sustained barrages exceeding 100 projectiles. The group has expanded the geographic scope of its attacks beyond border regions, with strikes reaching deeper into Israeli territory, including areas near Tel Aviv.
Iran’s IRGC has deployed increasingly advanced missile systems in successive waves of attacks, signaling both growing military capability and intent to widen the scope of the conflict.
Officials in Tehran framed the strikes as retaliation for Israeli and U.S. military operations targeting Iranian infrastructure and leadership, including recent attacks on energy facilities and military sites.
The coordinated assault underscores a shift from proxy engagements to more direct and synchronized operations between Iran and its regional allies. Analysts warn that the scale and coordination of these attacks risk pushing the conflict into a broader regional war involving multiple state and non-state actors.
Israel has responded with intensified airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon and Iranian-linked assets across the region, vowing to continue operations until the threat is neutralized.
The ongoing exchange of missile fire has placed millions of civilians under threat, disrupted critical infrastructure, and heightened concerns over global energy stability, particularly as strikes increasingly target oil and gas facilities.
With both sides signaling readiness for further escalation, diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict remain limited, raising fears that the region is edging closer to a prolonged and wider war.