Iran Launches New Missile Barrage as Israel-Iran Conflict Enters Third Day
Iran launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles targeting Israel on Sunday evening, just hours after loud explosions were reported in Tehran. The intensifying conflict, now in its third day, shows no signs of abating, even as U.S. President Donald Trump issued mixed signals—suggesting peace may come “soon,” while also hinting at possible American involvement in the fighting.
The latest attack lit up the skies over the Israeli port city of Haifa, shortly after Iran’s military warned Israeli civilians to evacuate areas near critical infrastructure. Israel’s National Emergency Service reported at least seven people injured in Haifa, and Reuters confirmed multiple projectiles had struck the area, with explosions following on impact.
Meanwhile, Tehran itself came under fire earlier in the day, as residents described powerful blasts rocking various parts of the city. Missile strikes were reported in the northern neighborhoods of Niavaran and Tajrish, as well as near Valiasr and Hafte Tir squares in central Tehran. Israeli airstrikes also hit targets in other Iranian cities, including Shiraz and Isfahan—where a key military base belonging to the Defence Ministry was damaged. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for what it called its longest-range operation yet, targeting an aerial refueling aircraft at Mashhad Airport in eastern Iran.
Reporting from the Iranian capital, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi noted the unprecedented scale of the conflict. “Iran has not seen a war of this magnitude since the end of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988,” he said. “While there were Israeli strikes in the past year, nothing compares to the intensity of what has been happening since Friday.” He added that although the Iranian government announced metro stations, schools, and mosques would be opened as shelters, many of these sites do not appear to be structurally safe for that purpose.
Iranian authorities reported that at least 138 people have been killed since Israel began its offensive on Friday, including 60 deaths on Saturday—half of them children—after an Israeli missile brought down a 14-story residential tower in Tehran. No casualties had been confirmed yet from Sunday’s attacks.
In Israel, officials said that several Iranian missiles were launched on Sunday, most of which were intercepted by air defense systems. However, rescue crews continued searching for survivors amid the wreckage from previous strikes, particularly in Bat Yam—a coastal town just south of Tel Aviv—where over 60 buildings were damaged. Speaking from a balcony overlooking the devastation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation: “Iran will pay a heavy price for the murder of civilians, women, and children.”
Overnight, Iranian missiles also hit the port city of Haifa and nearby Tamra, where four women were killed. Since the conflict erupted on Thursday, Israeli authorities report at least 13 people dead and 380 wounded.
Al Jazeera: Israel Faces ‘Unprecedented’ Challenge in Conflict with Iran
Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh described the scale of Iran’s counterattacks as “extensive and unprecedented,” noting that this marks a significant turning point in regional warfare. “This is the first time Israel has faced a confrontation with a regional state possessing a capable and organized military force—certainly the first such engagement since the 1973 war against Egypt,” she said.
In northern Israel, the port city of Haifa saw critical infrastructure targeted. “Oil and gas pipelines were damaged in Haifa,” Odeh reported, “though operations at the city’s oil refineries continue.”
The conflict erupted on Friday with a surprise Israeli strike that killed multiple high-ranking members of Iran’s military leadership, including several nuclear scientists, and inflicted damage on nuclear facilities. Since then, Israel has expanded its offensive, increasingly targeting civilian neighborhoods and key sectors such as energy, escalating both humanitarian concerns and risks to the global economy.
Diplomatic Maneuvering Amid Escalating Israel-Iran Conflict
U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Sunday, saying any form of attack on American interests would trigger an overwhelming military response. “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Despite the warning, Trump also struck a more conciliatory tone, claiming that peace could be achieved “soon” and hinting that diplomatic efforts were underway. “We can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict,” he said, adding that several high-level meetings were taking place behind the scenes.
The U.S. president reiterated that Iran could bring an end to the war by agreeing to strict limitations on its nuclear program—a long-standing point of contention. While Iran insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, many Western governments suspect Tehran of pursuing the capability to develop nuclear weapons.
In an interview with ABC News, Trump said he would be “open” to having Russian President Vladimir Putin serve as a mediator. “He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk,” Trump said.
This marks the first indication of direct U.S. diplomatic involvement in the ongoing conflict. In recent days, Washington has scaled back its diplomatic footprint in several countries across the region, anticipating Iranian retaliation and further Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure.
While both Israel and Iran continue to exchange heavy fire, the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough appears distant. Nonetheless, hopes for de-escalation are expected to be a key topic at the upcoming G7 summit, which begins Monday in Canada.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran does not intend to expand the conflict to neighboring countries unless it is forced to respond to external threats. He reiterated Iran’s opposition to nuclear weapons but defended its right to peaceful nuclear development. Araghchi also revealed that Iran had been prepared to offer significant assurances during a now-canceled sixth round of talks with the U.S.—talks he said were derailed by Israeli interference.
The U.S. and Iran had previously engaged in five rounds of negotiations since April in an effort to revive or replace the 2015 nuclear agreement that Trump unilaterally withdrew from during his first term.
Araghchi went further, accusing the United States of complicity in Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian territory. “We have well-documented and solid evidence showing that American military bases and assets in the region supported these attacks by the Zionist regime,” he claimed. He also pointed to Trump’s own public statements as evidence of U.S. involvement, asserting that the strikes could not have occurred without American weapons, intelligence, and authorization.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm this coordination in an interview with Fox News, stating that he had informed Trump of the planned strikes in advance. Describing the level of cooperation with the U.S. as “unprecedented,” Netanyahu said Israeli intelligence was sharing “every bit of information” with Washington. He also suggested that the current conflict could lead to regime change in Iran.
While Trump has denied direct U.S. involvement in the Israeli attacks, he has warned Iran against retaliating against American assets. However, he stopped short of ruling out more direct U.S. engagement in the conflict beyond the intelligence and military support already being provided to Israel.