Missiles intercepted over Haifa
Israel and U.S. launch strikes as Iran vows response
Israeli air defenses intercepted missiles over Haifa after the military said it detected a retaliatory strike launched from Iran. Explosions were reported in the Haifa area and air-raid sirens sounded across multiple Israeli regions as the army identified missiles headed toward the country; Israel declared a “special and immediate” state of emergency and closed its airspace to civilian traffic. Israel said the operation, named “Lion’s Roar,” was a preemptive action to remove threats to Israel.
Concurrently, U.S. forces launched major combat operations against Iran, with the U.S. president saying the strikes aim to eliminate imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime and to degrade Iran’s missile, naval and nuclear-related capabilities. The US President Donald Trump also confirmed "major combat operations" in Iran aimed at defending the American people by "eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
Also Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran launched "will allow the brave Iranian people to rid themselves of the burden of this murderous regime."
Explosions were reported in Tehran and other Iranian cities including Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah; eyewitnesses described panic, long queues at gas stations and residents fleeing the capital. Iranian state media and officials said several government ministries in southern Tehran were attacked. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported moved to a secure location, and Iranian officials warned of a devastating counterstrike.
The strikes followed heightened tensions after recent U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva and a large U.S. military buildup in the region. Both Israel and the U.S. framed the operations as aimed at neutralizing long‑range missile threats, attacking elements of Iran’s military infrastructure and disrupting proxy networks.
