UPDATE WITH IRANIAN MISSILES DESTROYING BUILDINGS; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE
By Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL (AA) - Iran on early Saturday launched new waves of missiles targeting large areas of Israel, according to Israeli media reports.
Hebrew media, including Channel 12, reported that "four areas in Tel Aviv witnessed the fall of missiles," noting that "great damage was caused as a result of the fall of one of the Iranian missiles in Tel Aviv."
Israel's Home Front confirmed that an Iranian missile “completely destroyed” a building in Tel Aviv.
*** The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said explosions were heard in large areas of Israel after the latest wave of missile strikes, some of them for the first time in the north, center, and south of the country.
*** The missile strikes resulted in the destruction of private homes in the center of the country, reported Yedioth Ahronoth.
According to Haaretz, nine buildings in Ramat Gan were “completely destroyed” as a result of direct hits by Iranian missiles, with a large number of residents evacuated from the targeted areas.
The Israeli fire authority said in a statement that it is "working to extinguish a fire that broke out in a building in the center of Tel Aviv as a result of an Iranian missile falling on it," without giving any specific information.
Earlier, the Israeli army said that it detected a fresh wave of missiles fired from Iran toward Israel.
Missile alerts were triggered across the country, and warning sirens sounded, along with alerts on mobile applications to report attacks.
"In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the State of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted. Rescue and rescue forces are operating in several areas across the country where reports of falls have been received," the Israeli army said on X.
In occupied East Jerusalem, loud explosions were heard in the sky.
In an earlier statement, the Israeli army said that Israel's air defense systems were activated immediately upon detection of the attack.
In addition, an Anadolu correspondent reported that loud explosions were heard in Jordanian airspace as Iranian missiles were intercepted and destroyed.