Iran launched missile strikes on Israel in retaliation for an Israeli attack on Tehran that killed top Iranian military leaders. The escalation threatens wider conflict and casts doubt on upcoming U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.

Missiles launched from Iran toward Israel lit up the Middle Eastern sky on Friday night and into Saturday morning, as air raid sirens sounded across Israel during what witnesses described as relentless waves of attacks. At least two people were killed in a residential area.

The missile barrage came in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike earlier that day on Tehran, Iran’s capital. The Israeli attack targeted Iran’s nuclear program and killed at least two high-ranking military officers, along with an unknown number of civilian women and children. The assault marked one of the most significant strikes Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq, raising fears of a broader regional conflict between the two hostile nations.

Tensions had already been running high over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear activities. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “severe punishment” in response to Israel’s actions. The timing of the attacks was especially sensitive, occurring just one day before Iran and the United States were scheduled to resume nuclear negotiations in Oman. The U.S. seeks to dismantle Iran’s nuclear fuel enrichment efforts, while Tehran demands the lifting of sanctions that have severely impacted its economy.

Following its offensive, Israel announced it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the interceptions were happening outside Israeli airspace. Meanwhile, Iraq reported that more than 100 Iranian drones had flown through its skies, and Jordan said it had intercepted several missiles and drones to prevent them from landing on its territory.

Israel’s attack targeted multiple Iranian sites, including the country’s main nuclear enrichment facility, where black smoke was seen rising. Later, Israel confirmed the destruction of several radar systems and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran.

Iranian state television reported that Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Revolutionary Guard, was killed, a major blow to Iran’s leadership. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, was also confirmed dead. Additional top military officials and scientists are believed to have died as well.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel had informed the United States in advance of its plans. “They knew about the attack. What will they do now? I leave that to President Trump,” he stated. In a video address, Netanyahu revealed that the operation had been in preparation since November 2024.

The fate of upcoming U.S.-Iran nuclear talks is now uncertain. President Donald Trump, according to American media, warned Iran to “make a deal” before it’s “too late,” signaling that Israel’s military action may serve as leverage in the ongoing negotiations.