Israeli warplanes launched extensive overnight strikes Friday against Iranian military targets in Tehran and central Iran, marking an escalation in the two-week military campaign involving Israeli and U.S. forces, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The operation included a major assault on Mehrabad Airport in Iran’s capital, where Israeli forces destroyed 16 aircraft belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Military officials said these planes were being used to transport weapons to Hezbollah forces.
An IDF spokesperson described the airport as “a central hub for arming and financing the regime’s terror proxies in the Middle East.”
During the same night, Israeli fighter aircraft launched additional strikes across multiple Iranian military locations, releasing approximately 230 bombs throughout the mission. The IDF reported that one target was a subterranean facility where ballistic missiles were stored and produced, with hundreds of Iranian military personnel stationed there.
Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israeli territory, forcing citizens nationwide to seek shelter as warning sirens sounded across the country.
Data from Ynet indicates that Iran has fired over 200 missiles at Israel since hostilities began. Initial attacks included approximately 80 missiles on day one and around 60 on day two, before decreasing to under 20 missiles daily. Lebanon has contributed roughly 200 additional projectiles to the attacks.
The report also noted that 42 drones were launched from Iran toward Israel, with another 43 originating from Lebanon. These attacks on Israeli territory have displaced approximately 3,100 residents from their homes.
President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that no agreement would be reached with Tehran unless Iran accepts “unconditional surrender.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. military is sending specialized anti-drone systems to the Middle East to counter Iranian drone attacks. These systems were previously field-tested during the Ukraine conflict and, as American officials described, received their “baptism of fire” in that theater.
