Israel Vows Retaliation as Iran Issues Threats — Red Lines Crossed and Strikes to Continue
Israel has vowed retaliation against Iran for crossing its “red lines,” while a senior Iranian military official warned that the strikes “will continue.”
On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israeli forces would continue targeting Iran and its strategic sites, according to prearranged military plans.
“Iran crossed the red lines by launching missiles at urban centers in Israel,” Gallant said in a statement. “We will continue to defend Israeli citizens and ensure the Ayatollah regime pays a heavy price for its vile actions,” he added, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The statement followed an Iranian missile attack on a residential area in central Israel that left two civilians dead. Magen David Adom emergency services reported that a woman in her sixties was found dead and a 45-year-old man died after being critically injured. Nineteen others were wounded.
Strikes ‘Will Continue’
Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars news agency reported Saturday, citing senior military officials, that Iran’s strikes on Israel “will continue.” An unnamed official said: “This confrontation will not end with last night’s limited operations. The Iranian strikes will continue and will be extremely painful and regrettable for the aggressors.”
The Israeli military confirmed that its air force had targeted Iranian air defense systems in a series of overnight strikes near Tehran. “The Israeli Air Force hit dozens of targets overnight, including surface-to-air missile installations, in an operation aimed at crippling Iran’s air defense capabilities in the Tehran area,” the army said in a statement.
It marked the first time since the start of the conflict that Israeli forces struck air defense systems near Tehran — over 1,500 kilometers from Israeli territory.
The army also confirmed that it was continuing to strike dozens of surface-to-surface missile launch platforms in Iran.
Fresh Missile Salvos
On Saturday morning, Iran launched fresh waves of missiles at Israel in retaliation for unprecedented Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites inside Iran — heightening fears of broader regional escalation.
As new powerful explosions rocked Tehran overnight, Israeli civilians — especially in the Tel Aviv area — endured repeated air raid sirens and sought shelter, as missiles from Iran rained down in response to Israeli attacks.
Iran confirmed that it had targeted Israeli “bases” and “military infrastructure.”
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yehiel Leiter told CNN that Iran had launched “about 150 ballistic missiles in three waves since Friday,” adding that the launches were unlikely to stop, as Iran possesses an arsenal of roughly 2,000 missiles.
On Friday evening, Israeli fire services reported “several major incidents” in the Tel Aviv area. Footage from AFP showed smoke and flames rising from a residential building, where an explosion left a massive hole in its lower floors.
Shane Gabizon, 29, told AFP that he rushed into an underground shelter after hearing sirens: “A few minutes later, we heard a massive explosion. Everything shook. Smoke, dust — everything was scattered. It was terrifying. I just hope everyone is okay,” he said.
‘A Declaration of War’
At dawn on Friday, Israel launched a wide-ranging assault on more than 200 Iranian military and nuclear sites, killing senior commanders and nuclear scientists. Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran’s nuclear program is approaching the “point of no return.”
The strike comes amid growing tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. While the West and Israel suspect Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, Iran insists its program is entirely civilian.
The assault also comes just two days ahead of new indirect talks between the United States and Iran, scheduled for Sunday in Oman — though their fate is now uncertain.
Despite international calls for de-escalation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that “more is coming,” while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the operation as a “declaration of war.”
