Buildings destroyed, 86 injured in Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel following US bombing of nuclear sites

Following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s three main nuclear sites, at least 30 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel on Sunday morning.

The IDF later said that air defense systems were able to intercept most of the missiles; however, several impacts were reported, causing significant damage in parts of the Haifa Bay area and the central region of Israel. 

According to reports in Hebrew media, security sources said that about 40 missiles were launched from Iran this morning, but around 10 failed during flight, falling outside Israeli territory.

Around 30 entered the skies over the territory of Israel. According to the reports, most of those missiles were successfully intercepted. 

Initial reports indicated that around 16 people were lightly wounded, with several others moderately wounded. After around half an hour, more incidents of mildly and moderately injured people were reported. At the time of publication, 86 people were reported with injuries from mild to moderate. 

Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv reported that five people were brought to its emergency room with minor injuries, including two children. 

Despite the low reported number of injuries, authorities said there was significant damage to many buildings in the areas of impact. 

Magen David Adom emergency medical technician Moti Nissan described damages from one of the scenes, calling it “a scene of major destruction.” 

“Several two-story residential buildings were severely damaged and some collapsed,” Nissan reported. “We arrived at the scene with large forces that included intensive care units, ambulances, and motorcycle-mounted drivers, and we immediately began searching together with firefighter forces and the Home Front Command.” 

Paramedic Adi Antonitzi said that along with apartment buildings, the missile strike hit “in an area of ​​individual houses in a residential neighborhood.” He reported “extensive destruction to several houses.” 

Antonitzi also praised the residents for obeying Home Front Command instructions, which he said, “prevented serious injuries.” 

“The residents living on the street listened to the Home Front Command's instructions and immediately entered a protected area upon the warnings and alarms, thus preventing serious injuries,” he stated. 

The fall in the Haifa Bay area is being investigated after it became clear that air raid sirens did not activate before the missile impact.

The IDF stated that, according to an initial review, the impact in Haifa was caused by a failed interceptor, which is the reason that no alarm siren was activated prior to the impact.

"The failure in the interceptor that fell there could not have been foreseen, and therefore the alarms were not activated," according to Army Radio.

The incident will be investigated further, the military said.

David Almagor, a resident of central Israel, told Channel 12 news, "We heard an alarm, went down to the shelter under the building and then heard a big boom. The whole shelter was shaking and we realized that there had been a fall close to us.” 

He said, “The shelter saved all of our lives. There was a lot of dust and darkness and then the Home Front Command came and told us to get out." 

“We were all saved, the children cried a little, but they will get through it,” he continued. 

Roy Zelinger, a resident of the Tel Aviv neighborhood hit by the missile called the situation “bizarre.” 

“It’s bizarre, this situation is bizarre,” Zelinger said. “We were in the shelter, me and my partner, Alia. There was a huge explosion, we felt the blast.” 

Zelinger said that he immediately understood that the house had been damaged significantly.  

“I immediately said that the house was gone, for sure, our house was completely destroyed, we can't go back to it.” 

Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai noted that one of the buildings destroyed in the missile strike was unoccupied due to renovations being performed. 

“There is a lot of destruction here,” Huldai said. “Luckily for us, at best, there are injured people. The wounded are being treated and evacuated, there are a lot of forces here and everyone is working.” 

Huldai also praised Tel Aviv  residents who “behaved properly, went down to the shelter and left safely.” 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran claimed the attack was carried out using "new tactics", combining long-range ballistic missiles with larger warheads, and using advanced capabilities to bypass Israeli air defense systems.

The IRGC claimed to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport, the Institute for Biological Research, several military bases, and command and control centers of the “Zionist regime.”