Iran and Israel are exchanging strikes for a fifth day, with civilians in flashpoint areas facing waves of attacks. Explosions were heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as the Israeli military said Iran had launched a new wave of missiles.
Iran launched two waves of missiles in response to the Israeli attacks, setting off air raid alerts in parts of central and northern Israel in the early hours. Iranian media reported that preparations are underway for what they call the largest and most intense missile attack on Israeli soil.
On the other hand, Israel’s military said, it conducted several extensive strikes on military targets in western Iran. Israel’s military claimed that it had eliminated Ali Shadmani, Iran’s wartime chief of staff and a close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an overnight strike. In Iran, at least 224 people have been killed since the conflict has began while 24 people have been killed in Israel.
In a related development, China today accused US President Donald Trump of fanning the flames of the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel with his remarks.
Earlier, Trump had warned residents of Tehran to immediately evacuate the Iranian capital. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East.
