Iran Claims Control Of Israeli Skies, Missiles Over Tel Aviv: Has The Tehran-Tel Aviv War Crossed The Point Of No Return?

New Delhi: The standoff between Iran and Israel has entered a dangerously volatile phase, as both sides continue to exchange missile fire amid an intensifying regional crisis. Over the past 24 hours, Iran has reportedly launched nine separate missile strikes, with each wave bringing new levels of risk and uncertainty to the region.

According to Israel’s military, the latest barrage included around 30 missiles fired in a single wave during the early hours of Tuesday. While the majority were intercepted, a few breached Israel’s defense systems and struck targets near Herzliya, where Iran claims a military facility was located.

The Israeli military maintains that 200 Iranian launch sites have been destroyed in recent days, significantly reducing Iran’s firing capabilities. Missile numbers have dropped – from over 200 on Saturday night to around 30 by Tuesday – but Israeli officials warn that even fewer rockets can still cause serious damage.

However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a counterclaim. In an official statement circulated by Iranian media, the IRGC declared that its Fatah missiles had successfully bypassed Israel’s layered defense systems, achieving what it called “complete control” over Israeli skies.

The statement described Israel’s population as “defenseless” and aimed to signal Iran’s strategic reach and military capability.

In Israel, explosions were reported across major cities including Tel Aviv, and fires were seen breaking out in urban areas. While strict media censorship has clouded the full extent of the damage, social media videos have shown long-range Iranian missiles evading interceptor systems and hitting targets.

In one video shared by an Israeli Telegram channel, viewers were urged to count the number of Israeli interceptor missiles – many of which failed to stop the incoming Iranian projectiles.

At least 24 Israelis have been killed since missile exchanges began on Friday, though the latest wave has not produced confirmed casualty reports yet.

The Iranian response is being conducted under “Operation True Promise III”, a multi-phase campaign launched in response to what Tehran describes as unprovoked Israeli aggression. The campaign was triggered by Israeli strikes that reportedly killed senior Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Iranian military officials say the current strikes are only preliminary and that a more extensive “punitive” response is still to come.

Back in Iran, Israeli counterstrikes have triggered panic in the capital. Explosions were reported in Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz and Bushehr as air defense systems were activated across multiple cities.

A development occurred in Tehran’s District 18, a densely populated neighbourhood with around 400,000 residents, where Israeli forces issued another evacuation alert – this time in the middle of the night. The area is located near the Mehrabad domestic airport, which has remained closed since Friday.

Worsening the crisis, internet outages – likely caused by cyberattacks – have made it difficult for many residents to receive evacuation orders. Those who fled to other cities are now grappling with food shortages and a lack of shelter, sparking widespread fear and uncertainty.

Despite Iranian claims of military success, the humanitarian toll is mounting on both sides. Videos circulating online have shown Palestinians in the West Bank cheering as Iranian missiles streak across the sky toward Israeli cities, reflecting the broader regional resonance of the conflict.

Meanwhile, some Israeli citizens have expressed frustration at the government’s “Home Command” for failing to sound alarms in time to reach bunkers.

In a televised address, Major General Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi, Iran’s newly appointed military chief, warned that the most significant retaliatory phase was still ahead.

He described earlier waves of missile strikes as deterrents and promised that “punitive operations” would continue until Israel faces consequences for its actions.

As both nations brace for what may come next, the region watches closely, knowing that every missile launch and every interception could either escalate the confrontation or push it toward an uncontrollable breaking point.