Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday night that Iran had crossed a red line by launching missiles at civilian population centers in Israel. “We’ll continue to defend Israeli citizens and ensure the ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its criminal actions,” Katz said following the Iranian response to Israel’s massive strike on Iranian soil.
Roughly 18 hours after Israel’s preemptive assault on nuclear and military targets in Iran, Tehran launched around 100 ballistic missiles at Israel. Multiple impacts were reported in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
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IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir with Defense Minister Israel Katz
(Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry)
According to Magen David Adom emergency service, at least 41 people were injured, including one in critical condition. A source familiar with the matter said the United States assisted in intercepting the missiles. A White House official confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Addressing the Iranian public directly, Netanyahu said, “We’re in the midst of one of the largest military operations in history. The regime that has oppressed you for nearly 50 years now threatens to destroy our country, the State of Israel.”
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He added, “As I’ve said before, Israel’s fight is not with the Iranian people but with the murderous regime that represses and impoverishes you. It’s time for the Iranian people to unite around their flag and historic legacy by standing up for freedom from this evil and oppressive regime. Light triumphs over darkness.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, for his part, said Israel was the aggressor. “The Zionist regime will not go unpunished for its crimes. The response must not be measured in half-steps,” he warned.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: Oliver CONTRERAS / AFP, REUTERS/Brian Snyder, Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS)
Earlier, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken with both Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. In its statement, Moscow called Israel’s strike a “dangerous escalation” and condemned it as a violation of the UN Charter and international law.
Putin also expressed condolences to Pezeshkian over Iranian casualties and urged a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear crisis. According to the Kremlin, Putin told Netanyahu that Russia is “willing to mediate to prevent further escalation,” and that Moscow will maintain “close contact with both the Iranian and Israeli leaderships” to try to defuse the situation, warning it could have “devastating consequences for the entire region.”