Israel-Iran war: Iran launches fresh missile barrage at Israel; blasts heard in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem

Iran launched a new wave of missile strikes targeting Israel early Saturday, intensifying a rapidly escalating conflict in the region. The Iranian state broadcaster confirmed the offensive, saying, "A new round of Iranian missile attacks on the Zionist regime begins from Tehran and Kermanshah," a city in western Iran.The Israeli military immediately issued warnings, urging residents across the country to seek shelter. “Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles from Iran toward the state of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.The IDF added that the Israeli Air Force was “operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat.”AFP reported hearing multiple explosions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as air raid sirens blared and missile defence systems were activated. The renewed assault follows a series of tit-for-tat strikes between the two regional powers that now threaten to spiral into full-scale war.