Daijiworld Media Network - Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Jun 14: In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Iran has reportedly struck the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) headquarters in Tel Aviv, breaching the Iron Dome defence system in what appears to be a significant security lapse.

A video verified by The Times shows a missile hitting central Tel Aviv’s Kirya district, home to military facilities including the IDF headquarters. The 19-second clip captures outgoing interceptors before a fireball strikes the area near Marganit Tower, sending shockwaves across the city.

The Iranian strike came in retaliation to two rounds of Israeli airstrikes within 24 hours, which targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. On Friday, Israel had declared a state of emergency, anticipating Iranian retaliation after its "preemptive" operations.

As Iran responded, explosions rang out across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, triggering sirens and panic. The IDF confirmed that “all of Israel is under fire” and urged civilians to seek shelter, especially in northern Israel, which witnessed multiple missile alerts.

In a statement on X, IDF International Spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani blamed Iran for fuelling the crisis: “Iran and Iran alone is responsible for the current tensions in the Middle East... Their drive to achieve nuclear weapons and wipe Israel off the map is what led us here.”

He defended Israel’s actions as “precise strikes on terror targets,” while accusing Iran of firing “indiscriminately toward the civilian population.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Israel’s earlier airstrikes a “grave mistake,” vowing retribution. “The Zionist regime has committed a reckless act... The Iranian nation won’t let the blood of its martyrs go unavenged,” he declared, asserting that Iran’s armed forces and its people are united and ready for further confrontation.

As tensions spiral, global powers are closely monitoring the situation, with fears mounting over a broader regional conflict.