- Jerusalem blasts Iranian missile bases as Tehran warns Europe
By WatchmanPost International Desk
JERUSALEM — As the conflict between Israel, the U.S., and Iran entered its seventh day, over 80 Israeli jets dropped 230 munitions on Iranian targets. In response, Tehran launched fresh missile salvos at Israel, expanded its attacks across the Gulf, and issued a stern warning to European nations against intervening.
Precision strikes on missile infrastructure
According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) continued its offensive overnight Saturday, neutralizing key missile infrastructure and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) assets.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed striking a major subterranean facility used for the production and storage of ballistic missiles. The military described the site as a hub where “hundreds of soldiers from the Iranian terror regime’s armed forces operated,” noting the complex contained reinforced bunkers and high-level military headquarters.
Other confirmed targets included:
- Imam Hossein University: The IRGC military academy, which the IDF claims served as an assembly complex and emergency asset during the current hostilities.
- Production Facilities: Sites dedicated to manufacturing missile components and mobile launchers across the country.
- Command & Control: A central IRGC Air Force command center in Tehran responsible for Iran’s national air defense “picture.”
Chaos at Mehrabad International Airport
Social media footage earlier captured massive explosions and fires at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport. The IDF later confirmed it had targeted the facility, destroying 16 aircraft belonging to the IRGC Quds Force.
”Mehrabad Airport served as a central hub for arming and funding the regime’s terrorist proxies, including Hezbollah,” the military stated. The IDF alleged that aircraft loaded with weapons and cash frequently departed from the airport to supply proxies across the Middle East. During the strike, several Iranian fighter jets were also destroyed after being identified as threats to Israeli aircraft operating in the area.
Tehran counterattacks
Despite the intensity of the Israeli strikes, Tehran maintained a steady rhythm of ballistic missile launches. Throughout the night, sirens echoed across Jerusalem, Beersheba, and northern Israel, forcing millions into reinforced shelters.
At approximately 6:20 a.m., the IDF detected a fifth wave of missiles since midnight, triggering alerts in Tel Aviv and central Israel. While the frequency of the attacks was high, the volume of missiles per salvo remained relatively low, and the majority were intercepted by defense systems. No injuries or direct impacts were reported.
Shorter warning times
Friday evening’s attacks saw a notable shift in alert patterns. Residents in central Israel reported significantly shorter windows between the initial mobile alerts and the sounding of physical sirens—sometimes as little as one to three minutes, compared to the usual four to eight.
The IDF Home Front Command clarified on Saturday that this was not due to a technical failure or, as some unverified reports suggested, damage to U.S. radar systems.
”The detection of launches is influenced by a variety of operational factors,” the military explained. “It is not always possible to provide a long preparation time… warnings are issued based on the specific stage of flight the missile has reached.”
Regional spillover and threats to Europe
The conflict has increasingly destabilized the wider Gulf region. On Saturday morning, explosions were reported in Dubai and Manama, Bahrain, as Iran targeted nations hosting U.S. military assets.
In Saudi Arabia, officials confirmed the interception of a missile fired toward an airbase near Riyadh. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman warned that such actions “undermine regional security” and urged Tehran to “exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation.”
The diplomatic tension reached a new high as Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi issued a direct threat to the West. In an interview with France 24, he warned that any European Union member state assisting the U.S. or Israel would be considered a “legitimate target” for Iranian retaliation.
