26 injured, heavy damage caused in Israel by new round of attacks from Iran
JERUSALEM/TEHRAN -- Ballistic missiles fired from Iran into central and northern Israel on Sunday morning wounded 26 people, two of whom in moderate condition, Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom reported.
The Israeli police said that the strike, including two barrages of a total of about 30 missiles, directly hit the cities of Tel Aviv and Ness Ziona in central Israel and Haifa in the north, causing heavy damage to residential buildings, roads and vehicles.
It was the first missile strike from Iran towards Israel after a pause of around 29 hours, and the first since the United States bombed Iran's nuclear facilities.
Shortly after the Iranian attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its air force struck and destroyed the missile launchers in Iran that carried out the latest strike targeting Israel.
Hours before the missile strike and following the US bombing, Israel closed its airspace in an apparent precautionary measure, the Israel Airports Authority announced.
The IDF's Home Front Command also announced additional emergency rules for the public, including bans on educational activities, gatherings and workplaces, except for essential sectors.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement following the US attack in Iran that it was carried out in full operational coordination with Israel.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on Sunday confirmed the attack, saying that the fresh wave of attacks targeted Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and a biological research center, among others.
In a statement published on its official news outlet Sepah News, it also announced the beginning of its 20th wave of strikes against targets inside Israel.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said the new wave of attacks featured a combination of long-range solid- and liquid-fuel missiles equipped with "devastating" warheads and employing new tactics to render Israel's air defense ineffective.
It added the strikes targeted backup bases as well as different layers of the command and control centers.
On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on different areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing several senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks. As of Saturday, more than 400 Iranians have been killed and over 3,000 wounded, according to Iran's Health Ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians were killed by Iranian missile strikes, according to local authorities.
