Iranian ballistic missiles rain down on Tel Aviv with skies ablaze after Iran vowed ‘revenge’ on Israel for nuclear site attacks

Israelis were ordered to take cover in bomb shelters as Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles that hit nine sites and injured several people in revenge for attacks on its nuclear sites.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed to ‘inflict heavy blows’ as he blames Israel for starting a war.

Dramatic footage shows Israel’s Iron Dome intercepting what the IDF believe to be 150 missiles, with nine sites reportedly being hit across Tel Aviv.

Footage from a local TV channel has shown a huge hole blasted into a building with people reportedly trapped inside as fires rage on.

Eli Bin, the spokesman for the Magen David Adom rescue service, added that seven people have been lightly injured in the attacks.

Israel has already vowed that ‘Iran will pay an unbearably heavy price for its fire at civilian areas’ with The Times of Israel suggesting this could refer to more attacks on Iranian energy and infrastructure sites.

Earlier today, Tehran vowed ‘painful revenge’ for Israel’s unprecedented offensive overnight that has left the region teetering on the brink of all-out war.

An Israeli military spokesman has said their ‘defence systems are working to intercept the threat’ that has arrived in their airspace after being launched this afternoon. 

A missile was seen exploding into a building in Tel Aviv after Iran launched a salvo of missiles against Israel

Footage from a local TV channel has shown a huge hole blasted into a building with fires raging inside

Israel’s Iron Dome intercepting hundreds of missiles above Tel Aviv as Iran’s Supreme Leader blames Israel for starting a war 

Earlier today, Tehran vowed ‘painful revenge’ for Israel’s unprecedented offensive overnight that has left the region teetering on the brink of all-out war 

Citizens were being urged to go to their nearest bomb shelter as hundred of ballistic missiles rain down on the city but the warning has just come to an end. 

Several blasts were also heard over Jerusalem and air raid sirens were sounding in the city as well as Tel Aviv. 

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump have spoken this evening about ‘the importance of diplomacy and dialogue’ to resolving the conflict, Downing Street confirmed.

The US are said to have helped Israel this evening in intercepting the missiles, according to the US news site Axios reported, citing an Israeli official and a senior US official.

Israel’s offensive last night was the culmination of years of research and planning by Israel’s military and Mossad intelligence agency to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. 

Israel used fighter jets and a secret drone base near Tehran to batter nuclear facilities, missile launch sites and decapitate military command – in a move that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dubbed Operation Rising Lion.

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote on X this evening that ‘the Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime’.

He added: ‘The Zionist regime has made a big mistake, a grave error, and committed a reckless act. By God’s grace, the consequences of this will bring that regime to ruin.

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said ‘the Zionist regime has made a big mistake, a grave error, and committed a reckless act. By God’s grace, the consequences of this will bring that regime to ruin’

A group gathered in front of the entrance to the Green Zone, where the US Embassy and government buildings are located in the Iraqi capital Baghdad

The group were protesting against Israel’s attacks on Iran’s various cities last night in Operation Rising Lion

Seven sites are said to have been hit across Tel Aviv, according to an Israeli military spokesperson

The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote on X that ‘the Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime’

‘The Iranian nation won’t permit the blood of its valued martyrs to go unavenged, nor will it ignore the violation of its airspace.

‘Our Armed Forces are ready, and the country’s officials and all the people are behind the Armed Forces.

‘Today, we must give a strong response to the evil, despicable, terrorist Zionist identity. God willing, we will respond with strength, and will show no mercy to them.

‘Life will definitely become bitter for the Zionists.

‘The Zionist regime will not escape safely from the heinous crime they’ve committed.

‘This is a certainty that the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces will deal heavy blows to this evil Zionist enemy.

‘The Iranian people are with us. They support the Armed Forces, and the Islamic Republic will triumph over the Zionist regime, by the will of God.

‘Let the dear Iranian nation know this, be certain and assured that every effort will be made in this regard.’

Ctizens are still being urged to go to their nearest bomb shelter as hundred of ballistic missiles rain down on the city 

Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel

Several blasts have also been heard over Jerusalem and air raid sirens are sounding in the city as well as Tel Aviv

Protesters gathered earlier this evening in Iran’s capital Baghdad in front of the entrance to the Green Zone, where the US Embassy and government buildings are, to show their opposotion to the Israeli attacks last night.

The offensive saw top Iranian commanders killed, including Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Israel launched Operation Rising Lion just hours after a United Nations nuclear watchdog announced that Iran was breeching its obligations on transparency and testing. 

Iran have secured an emergency meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss Israel’s ‘unprovoked’ attacks. 

In a video-recorded message to millions of Iranians, Khamenei vowed: ‘The Zionist regime will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured.’ 

With Israel poised to launch further waves in the coming days, the US President urged Iran to give up on its atomic ambitions.

Mr Trump warned Tehran that if it failed to do so there would be ‘nothing left’ of its military and industrial infrastructure. 

Operation Rising Lion began at 1am yesterday UK time. Its primary aim was to degrade Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.

Attacks were reported at sites across Tehran as well as in cities and provinces known to host key nuclear facilities and military installations, including Isfahan – the location of the Natanz FEP – Tabriz, Kermanshah, Arak and Shiraz

Natanz nuclear fuel enrichment plant is seen trailing black smoke after Israeli airstrike

Debris and rubble are pictured at the scene of a building that was hit by an Israeli strike in Tehran on June 13, 2025

The Mossad spy agency reveals footage showing its actions against Iranian air defences

But a political agenda was also emerging yesterday, as regime change in Tehran appeared a distinct possibility.

In the early hours of this morning, Israel’s jets targeted the Natanz atomic facility in Ishfahan province, 140 miles south of Tehran, causing significant damage.

Then Israel targeted the Fordow nuclear site buried in the mountains of Qom.

The operation appeared to be a devastating success, with Iran’s nuclear programme set back, its air defence systems wiped out and leading scientists and military commanders eliminated.

Overall, it was the most devastating attack on mainland Iran for almost half a century, the time of the Iran-Iraq war.

President Trump, who was briefed in advance, said: ‘I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal.

‘There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter – with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal – come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.’

Last night, in a bid to pull back UK-Israel relations from the brink, Sir Keir spoke to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Downing Street sources said Sir Keir confirmed Israel’s ‘right to self-defence’ and set out the UK’s ‘grave concerns’ about Iran’s nuclear programme.

The PM also ‘reiterated the need for de-escalation and a diplomatic resolution, in the interests of stability in the region’.

Sir Keir also spoke to French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz to agree a coordinated response.

Unlike the British PM, Mr Merz was briefed in advance on Israel’s intentions.

Sir Keir declined to say whether the UK would be willing to help defend Israel from revenge attacks, as it has done in the past.

He said: ‘We’ve long held concerns, grave concerns, about Iran’s nuclear programme, and we absolutely recognise Israel’s right to self-defence.

‘But I’m very concerned about the escalation of this situation, which is why, along with Germany and France, we’re really clear that de-escalation is what is needed here.’

As recently as October, RAF Typhoons were scrambled to support Israel after Iran launched ballistic missiles – but they did not fire as the jets lacked the appropriate hardware.

In April last year, RAF Typhoons based in Cyprus shot down Iranian drones bound for Israel.

Mr Netanyahu, perhaps in a bid to justify further strikes on Iran, claimed Israel was braced for ‘waves’ of revenge attacks.

This evening, Iran’s State TV claimed a female Israeli Air Force pilot was captured after her fighter jet was downed during the operation, but the IDF has denied this. 

However, Iran have also claimed that their air defence forces ‘successfully hit and destroyed two F-35 fighter jets’ as well as a ‘large number of small drones’.

The fate of the pilots ‘remains unknown and is being investigated’, they added.

Israeli firefighters said in a statement tonight that they were working to help civilians affected by the explosion, including some trapped in buildings that were hit.

They said: ‘Firefighting crews are handling several major incidents, mainly in the Dan region.

‘Firefighters are working in a high-rise building to rescue trapped individuals and extinguish a fire, as well as responding to two additional destruction sites.’

This is a breaking story – more to follow.