Damage and fires in Israel... Iran challenges Trump with Fatah missiles

Hebrew media reported, after midnight on Tuesday/Wednesday, that several Iranian missiles fell on Israel after defenses failed to intercept them, causing fires and damage to a building.

This came during two missile salvoes from Iran, which included approximately 30 missiles in less than an hour.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that it had used hypersonic Fateh ballistic missiles in the attack for the first time, in a message of defiance to US President Donald Trump, who he said was inciting war.

At 00:35 local time (GMT+3), the Israeli military said in a statement: "Alerts were activated in several areas within the country after missiles were detected launched from Iran towards Israeli territory."

The army added: "Meanwhile, the Air Force is working to carry out interception and attack operations at every location that requires eliminating the threat."

For its part, the privately owned Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that air raid sirens sounded in the greater Tel Aviv area, as well as in the cities of Haifa and Jerusalem, following the Iranian missile barrage, the eighth since Tuesday morning.

An Anadolu Agency correspondent monitored the sounds of loud explosions in Jerusalem resulting from the interception of Iranian missiles.

Meanwhile, the private Israeli Channel 12 reported estimates indicating that Iran launched 20 missiles at Israel in that salvo.

Israeli Army Radio said some reports indicated that a number of Iranian missiles had fallen on Israel.

The radio station did not specify the locations where the rockets landed, but the privately owned Hebrew newspaper Israel Hayom reported that initial reports indicated that at least two rockets had fallen in Jerusalem and the Sharon region near Tel Aviv.

For its part, Channel 12 reported that damage was caused to a building in central Israel as a result of the Iranian missile barrage.

She added that missile fragments fell on a building in the northern region, while several fires broke out in open areas as a result of Iranian missiles or their fragments.

** Tenth missile salvo

At 1:28 a.m. local time, the same channel reported that air raid sirens sounded in central Israel, including Greater Tel Aviv, as well as the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Rishon LeZion, and Netanya, following the detection of new missile launches from Iran. This was the ninth salvo since Tuesday morning.

She added that the latest rocket barrage included the launch of at least 10 rockets towards Israel.

She noted that firefighting teams were dealing with a fire that engulfed 20 vehicles in central Israel as a result of Iranian missile fire.

This comes at a time when Israel is imposing a strict blackout on sites targeted by Iranian missiles and drones, particularly those targeting military or vital sites, claiming that revealing these sites would "aid the enemy."

** Fatah missiles

For its part, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated that these missiles were part of the eleventh wave of Operation True Promise 3, in response to Israeli aggression.

He added in a statement that, for the first time, he used first-generation hypersonic ballistic Fatah missiles in this wave of operations, which he said "conveyed a message of Iran's power to Tel Aviv's war-mongering ally," referring to President Trump.

He continued: "This evening, the powerful and highly maneuverable Fatah missiles repeatedly shook the shelters of the cowardly Zionists after penetrating their defensive shield."

He continued, "Tonight's missile attack proves that we have established complete control over the airspace of the occupied territories, and that their residents are now defenseless against Iranian missile attacks."

According to Army Technology, a leading global website specializing in analyzing and documenting information related to defense industries and military technologies, the Fateh missile is considered one of the most advanced weapons in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's arsenal, thanks to its hypersonic speed, which ranges between Mach 13 and Mach 15.

The missile has a range of approximately 1,400 kilometers and features a movable nozzle and an advanced guidance system, allowing it to adjust its trajectory during flight and perform precise maneuvers both inside and outside the atmosphere, including lateral and rotational movements.

Since dawn last Friday, Israel, with US support, has launched an aggression against Iran, including bombing nuclear facilities and missile bases, and assassinating military leaders and nuclear scientists. The attack has left 224 dead and 1,277 wounded. Tehran has responded with ballistic missiles and drones, leaving approximately 24 dead and hundreds wounded.

The risk of an escalation of the conflict looms, with Western and Israeli reports suggesting the United States could join Israel in its aggression against Iran. This coincides with Trump's statements calling on Tehran to surrender unconditionally and threatening to target Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.