Tensions between Iran and Israel continued to escalate on Monday, with Tehran launching a second wave of missile strikes on Israeli-occupied territories in the early hours. This marked the tenth such barrage since hostilities began late last week.
The latest Iranian assault followed hours of anxiety in Israeli-controlled areas, where residents remained in shelters after an earlier midnight strike and a subsequent false alarm. Videos circulating online showed a major power plant in Haifa engulfed in flames, resulting in widespread power outages. Several sites in Tel Aviv were also hit, with ambulances seen retrieving bodies from affected areas.
Iran had earlier targeted strategic locations in the Negev desert and Kiryat Gat, inflicting considerable damage to military and economic infrastructure. The Negev desert, which houses the Dimona nuclear complex and covert missile installations, has been a consistent target of Iranian strikes. Kiryat Gat is home to key semiconductor manufacturing facilities that support Israel’s defence sector.
Iran claims it has also struck Israel’s largest oil refinery and more than 150 military and intelligence sites across the occupied territories. Iranian officials have vowed to continue attacks until Israel is “left helpless.”
The conflict erupted after Israel launched a surprise campaign against Iranian nuclear and military sites, including residential areas in Tehran, early on Friday. Since then, Israeli attacks have increasingly focused on civilian infrastructure. The death toll in Iran includes at least seven senior military officials, nine nuclear scientists, and over 220 civilians.
On Sunday, Israel expanded its offensive, striking dozens of targets in Iran, including energy facilities, radar systems, missile launchers, and the country’s top intelligence officers. One notable strike destroyed a refuelling aircraft at Mashhad Airport in northeast Iran, marking one of the furthest operations conducted by Israeli forces, more than 2,000 kilometres from Israeli territory.
The Israeli military claimed it also struck surface-to-surface missile launch sites in central Iran early Monday, although one expected retaliatory barrage did not materialise.
Israel’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, described the operation as “historic and unprecedented,” aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. He added that Israeli Air Force pilots were taking significant risks to target sites deep within Iran with precision strikes.
Meanwhile, videos circulating from Tehran on Sunday showed widespread damage, including reported explosions of water and sewage pipelines, although the Israeli military declined to comment on the cause.
With both nations showing no signs of backing down, the conflict risks drawing in wider regional forces and pushing the Middle East into a broader confrontation.