Israel's defense minister warned on Saturday that "Tehran will burn" if Iran continues its missile attacks, as both countries traded heavy fire in a dramatic escalation following Israel's surprise airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The Israeli strikes, carried out Friday, killed nine senior nuclear scientists and top military leaders, according to the Israeli military. Iran's U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 were injured. In response, Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel overnight and into Saturday morning, triggering explosions across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Health officials confirmed three deaths and at least 70 injuries in Israel. Buildings were damaged in Rishon Lezion and Ramat Gan, with missile debris causing additional fires across the country. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, after a high-level military briefing, declared that Iran would face devastating consequences if it continued its attacks. "If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn," he warned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the Israeli strikes, saying they were aimed at neutralizing threats to Israel's survival. He also urged Iranians to rise up against their leaders, stating that Israel would welcome regime change, even if it was not directly seeking it. The escalation comes just days before scheduled nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran in Oman. Iran's Foreign Ministry called the negotiations "meaningless" in light of the Israeli attacks but stopped short of confirming their cancellation. Iranian state TV aired footage of air defense systems engaging targets over cities including Tehran, Khorramabad, and Kermanshah, suggesting possible ongoing Israeli strikes. Footage from Tabriz showed smoke rising over the city, and state media reported a fire at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for additional overnight strikes targeting Iranian air defenses and missile infrastructure, including at least two nuclear sites: Natanz and Isfahan. A senior Israeli military official said the damage to those facilities was extensive and may take "more than a few weeks" to repair. UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi confirmed the above-ground structures at Natanz were destroyed, though the underground centrifuge facility appeared intact. Among those killed in Friday's Israeli strikes were key Iranian military figures: Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Gen. Hossein Salami, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Iran confirmed the deaths of two additional top officials on Saturday and appointed Gen. Majid Mousavi as the new commander of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division. Meanwhile, the US confirmed it had deployed regional air defenses to intercept Iranian projectiles. Israeli authorities have closed Ben Gurion International Airport until further notice. US President Donald Trump weighed in on the crisis, urging Iran to "make a deal before there is nothing left," warning that Israeli retaliation "will only get worse." The sharp escalation has prompted global concern, with calls for de-escalation and warnings of a wider regional conflict as both nations signal that the confrontation may not yet be over. — Agencies
