Update: Israel Reports Casualties; Iran's Hypersonic Missiles Strike Haifa
Iranian Hypersonic Missiles Reportedly Strike Haifa
In an escalation of tensions, Iran attacks Israel with rockets. Israeli air defenses struggle to intercept all projectiles, resulting in casualties and damages in several cities.
According to reports, at least three individuals were killed and 74 injured during the Iranian attacks on Israel. Two women and a man were among the fatalities, with one woman suffering facial injuries. The attacks hit four locations in the center of the country, including Haifa in northern Israel.
Tehran launched a new rocket attack on Israel overnight, with Jerusalem witnessing active air defense and loud explosions. Haifa experienced several fires, with a power plant near the port reportedly being hit. According to the British security company Ambrey, two hypersonic missiles struck the city, as per video footage.
Israel's military has announced that residents can leave the shelters, and rescue teams are deployed nationwide following the attacks. Previously, the Israeli Air Force had attacked launch sites for ground-to-ground missiles inside Iran to prevent another attack by the arch-enemy.
The onslaught on both sides has resulted in significant casualties. More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds more injured in Israel by Iranian attacks. In Iran, at least 224 people have been killed and nearly 1,300 injured since the start of Israel's major offensive on Friday night, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.
The conflict has seen the deployment of Iran's hypersonic missiles, marking a strategic advancement in the regional arms race and posing new challenges for Israel's defensive capabilities. Despite the Iron Dome's continued effectiveness against many conventional and some advanced threats, the recent attacks have demonstrated its limitations.
Context
Recent developments in the conflict between Israel and Iran showcase a significant escalation involving advanced missile technologies, including hypersonic weapons. Iran reportedly launched two salvos totaling around 100 ballistic missiles at Israel, with some reports citing hundreds of missiles, including hypersonic variants. While most missiles were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome and with U.S. assistance, several sites in Tel Aviv were hit, resulting in at least 21 injuries, two of them serious. Israel’s previous and concurrent strikes targeted Iranian military command, nuclear facilities, and key officials, prompting Iran to retaliate and use its most advanced missile arsenal, including the hypersonic Fattah-1 missile, which features a maneuverable reentry vehicle capable of evading missile defense systems like Israel's Iron Dome. Despite the technological edge of hypersonic weapons, Israel's defensive systems have managed to intercept a significant portion of the incoming projectiles, but not all. As of June 16, 2025, Iran has not launched a third wave of attacks, though the conflict remains volatile.
- Israel
- Iran
- Wars and Conflicts
The European Union, expressing concern over the intensifying conflicts in the Middle East, has issued a statement urging both Israel and Iran to exercise restraint in their ongoing war-and-conflicts. In the realm of politics, the international community is closely monitoring the escalating tensions and their potential impact on general-news, particularly the deployment of Iran's hypersonic missiles and the limitations of Israel's defense systems.
