Israel Launches Airstrikes on Tehran After Iranian Missiles Hit Israel
Israel targets Tehran infrastructure after Iranian missile attacks.
The Israeli military announced early Friday that it launched a wave of airstrikes targeting "infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime" across Tehran, hours after Iran fired multiple missile salvos at Israel. The strikes followed overnight Iranian attacks that triggered air raid sirens and explosions over Jerusalem, as reported by AFP journalists hearing loud blasts during the barrages. This escalation marks a direct intensification since Israel's campaign began on February 28 alongside U.S. forces.
The Israeli statement, issued without specifics on targets, came in response to Iran's late-Thursday missile launches, which Netanyahu had anticipated after his Thursday press conference boasting of war gains. The prime minister declared Iran "decimated," claiming its air defenses useless, navy sunk, air force nearly destroyed, and nuclear enrichment along with ballistic missile production halted. These assertions, made amid U.S. intelligence resignations alleging Israeli pressure on President Trump, underscore Israel's aggressive posture despite calls for restraint on sites like South Pars gas field.
Iran's retaliatory strikes have jolted Gulf energy hubs, hitting Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG facility—slashing exports 17% and costing $20 billion yearly—and Saudi Arabia's Yanbu refinery, while drones targeted Kuwait refineries and Abu Dhabi gas operations. A vessel burned off UAE shores and another damaged near Qatar, highlighting maritime perils amid Strait of Hormuz tensions, through which 20% of global oil flows. Brent crude spiked above $119/barrel, up 60% since war's start, doubling European gas prices.
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Netanyahu's optimism contrasts with Iran's resilience under new leadership—the supreme leader's son—retaining drone and missile capabilities despite top commanders' deaths. Thursday's "more than a dozen" launches forced Israeli shelters from Haifa to Galilee, echoing patterns of tit-for-tat since U.N. Security Council pleas for de-escalation. Gulf states, via Bahrain's ambassador, demanded Iran halt assaults during closed-door sessions.
The Nowruz timing amplified strikes' impact, clashing with Persian New Year festivities and Dubai's Eid al-Fitr observances, where explosions interrupted prayers. BCB's PSL caution and Nifty's drop to 23,000 reflect global ripples, with CLSA eyeing 22,161 support amid oil volatility.
As Tehran reels and sirens persist, Netanyahu's "we are winning" narrative faces tests from Iran's asymmetric responses, risking broader Arab involvement and economic shocks. Diplomatic off-ramps narrow, with Trump's South Pars mediation unproven amid surging stakes.
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