The skies over Israel have turned into a warzone as Iran unleashes wave after wave of ballistic missiles in its devastating Operation True Promise, hammering Tel Aviv and cities across the nation. Millions of Israelis are huddled in bomb shelters as sirens wail from north to south, while panicked residents flee urban centers in scenes not witnessed since the founding of the state.
During just one weekend period, 19 Iranian attack waves toward Israel were identified using ballistic missiles, with the majority — over 63% — directed at the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.1 Since the war began on February 28, a staggering 165 attack waves have been identified using ballistic missiles and UAVs, with the central region and Tel Aviv as the primary target at 38.5%.
The high concentration of attacks on the Tel Aviv area, where approximately 4 million Israelis reside, indicates a deliberate focus on population centers and Israel’s main urban and economic hubs to maximize psychological impact and civilian harm.
The toll is mounting. Since the beginning of the war, 12 civilians in Israel have been killed and more than 1,900 injured to varying degrees, with approximately 150 civilians injured in just the last 24 hours alone. More than 3,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes due to missile strikes and interception debris.1 The main cities recording impacts from Iranian missiles include Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, Beit Shemesh, and Be’er Sheva.
Iran’s arsenal is growing more terrifying. The IRGC claimed it had launched missiles with one-ton explosive warheads aimed at “the heart of Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, and the 27th Squadron base of the Israeli Air Force.”In one attack, six people were injured, one seriously, after an Iranian ballistic missile apparently using a cluster warhead struck central Israel. More than a dozen impact sites were reported across central Israel, with police officials confirming the spread indicated a cluster bomb warhead.
Although the number of missiles in each volley has decreased, the missiles themselves have increased in size and impact.4 The rate of launches has declined since early March, with analysts pointing to depletion of Iranian missile stores, but by March 5, Iran had already fired over 500 ballistic and naval missiles and almost 2,000 drones — with roughly 40% aimed at Israel and 60% at U.S. regional targets.
Despite the onslaught, Israel is fighting back with extraordinary force. Over the weekend, the Israeli Air Force attacked more than 400 targets in Iran and dropped approximately 1,465 munitions on regime military sites. In Tehran alone, more than 80 fighter jets dropped approximately 230 munitions.1 American forces have struck more than 3,000 targets during the first week alone, destroying or damaging 43 Iranian vessels and attacking three regional IRGC Navy headquarters.
Israel’s top general, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, confirmed the air force had destroyed 80% of Iran’s air defenses and 60% of its missile launchers, stating: “We are now moving to the next phase of the operation. In this phase, we will further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities.”
The wider region is ablaze. Since Hezbollah joined the war on March 2, it has carried out a total of 192 attack waves toward Israeli territory, including rockets, missiles, and UAVs.1 As the war intensifies, Brent crude surged to $119.50 per barrel, remaining well above the $100 mark after which markets start to panic.
For millions of Israelis sheltering underground, this is the defining test of their nation’s survival. But the response from Jerusalem and Washington has been clear and overwhelming. The regime that launched this ballistic fury is being systematically dismantled, target by target, missile launcher by missile launcher. Tel Aviv has been hammered — but Israel stands unbroken, and the hammer of retribution falls ever harder on Tehran.
