TEL AVIV, Israel — Iranian missile attacks killed at least five people in central Israel early Monday, as the war with Israel entered its fourth day and the Israeli military claimed it had achieved full air superiority over the Iranian capital.
The Israeli Defense Forces announced that its fighter jets now operate freely from western Iran to Tehran after systematically dismantling key components of Iran’s air defenses and missile infrastructure. More than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers — a third of Iran’s arsenal — have been destroyed in aerial missions overnight, the military said.
“Now we can say that we have achieved full air supremacy in the Tehran airspace,” Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin declared on Monday.
In a sign of Iran’s resolve to continue retaliating, its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had fired over 100 missiles in the latest round, targeting multiple locations across central Israel. Among the sites hit were residential buildings in the city of Petah Tikva and near Tel Aviv, where sirens wailed before dawn and plumes of black smoke followed deafening explosions. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service confirmed that two women and two men in their 70s, along with another unidentified civilian, were killed in the strikes. At least 87 others were wounded.
One of the Iranian missiles reportedly fell near the U.S. consulate in Tel Aviv. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee confirmed no American personnel were harmed and said the damage was limited.
In Petah Tikva, a missile tore through an apartment building, shattering concrete walls and windows and leaving several families displaced. Among the survivors was 60-year-old Yoram Suki, who rushed his family to a bomb shelter after hearing the warning sirens. When they emerged, their home was gone. Still, Suki stood firm in support of Israel’s military operation. “It’s totally worth it,” he said. “This is for the sake of our children and grandchildren.”
Israeli paramedics described chaotic scenes of destruction. Dr. Gal Rosen, an MDA paramedic, said he rescued a 4-day-old baby from the rubble as fires consumed what remained of the structure.
Despite the rising civilian toll, the Israeli government has continued its campaign, targeting not only Iran’s missile sites but also strategic locations including oil refineries, government buildings, and suspected nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered conditional de-escalation on Sunday, suggesting Tehran would halt strikes if Israel did the same. But with the Israeli air force broadening its target range, the IRGC responded with a warning of “more forceful, severe, precise and destructive” retaliation in future barrages.
Iran’s health ministry said 1,277 people had been wounded since Israeli attacks began Friday, and state media reported at least 224 dead. However, rights groups like Human Rights Activists, based in Washington, say the actual death toll could exceed 400, including nearly 200 civilians.
Israel defends its campaign as a necessary preemptive action to cripple Iran’s nuclear capabilities and military leadership. “We are eliminating those who pose a direct threat to our existence,” said a senior Israeli defense official. While Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, recent uranium enrichment levels suggest Tehran could build multiple weapons within months if it made the decision.
In a chilling escalation on the espionage front, Iranian state-run television reported that authorities on Monday executed Dr. Esmail Fekri, a physician accused of passing sensitive military information to Israel’s Mossad. Fekri, imprisoned since 2023, was reportedly involved in facilitating Mossad’s efforts to place explosive drones and precision-guided munitions inside Iran ahead of Israel’s first wave of attacks.
As the toll mounts and the battle for regional dominance intensifies, both Iran and Israel show no signs of backing down — raising fears that the conflict may soon draw in additional powers and spiral further out of control.
