Major blasts shake Tel Aviv as Iran launches missile barrage

Published April 1st, 2026 - 03:16 GMT
Major blasts shake Tel Aviv as Iran launches missile barrage
Israeli security forces and first responders work at the site of an impact in a residential neighbourhood of Tel Aviv following an Iranian strike on April 1, 2026. AFP
Highlights
The Israeli military reported that 48 soldiers were wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing total casualties from the ongoing ground campaign to 309.

ALBAWABA- A series of powerful explosions rocked central Israel on Wednesday after Iran launched roughly 10 ballistic missiles in rapid succession toward the country’s heartland, according to Israeli Army Radio, marking one of the most intense barrages in recent weeks.

Air-raid sirens were activated across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Jerusalem, and communities near Gaza, as Israel’s Home Front Command urged residents to seek immediate shelter.

Interceptor systems failed to engage with the incoming culster-headed missiles, with several explosions heard as air defenses responded. Israeli media reported fires and structural damage caused by falling debris in Rosh HaAyin, east of Tel Aviv. Emergency services were deployed rapidly, with no immediate fatalities confirmed.

The escalation extended northward as Hezbollah launched a coordinated missile salvo toward northern and central Israel, in what Israeli sources described as a retaliatory move. The attacks coincided with intensified Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon. 

The Israeli military reported that 48 soldiers were wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing total casualties from the ongoing ground campaign to 309. Officials described heavy, close-range fighting with Hezbollah positions along the border.

Meanwhile, the conflict widened further as joint US-Israeli airstrikes targeted civilian infrastructure inside Iran. Iranian state media confirmed that three bridges in Kermanshah Province were hit, in what U.S. officials allegedly said was an effort to disrupt military logistics and supply routes. Tehran reported limited civilian impact but signaled it would respond, while US and Israeli officials emphasized the precision of the strikes.

The developments underscore a rapidly expanding, multi-front confrontation involving direct Iranian missile attacks, Hezbollah operations from Lebanon, and US-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. Despite successful interceptions in several instances, military forces remain exposed to continued risk.