Iran claims its missiles hit Netanyahu’s Tel Aviv office, Israeli silence fuels uncertainty

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted key Israeli government and military installations during a new wave of missile strikes.

These included the prime minister’s office in Tel Aviv, air force-related facilities, and security locations in Haifa and east Jerusalem.

In a statement, the IRGC described Netanyahu as the “criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime” and claimed that both his office and the headquarters linked to Israel’s air force command were hit.

Israeli authorities have issued no confirmation of any strike on the prime minister’s office.

Israeli air defences activated amid missile barrage

Israel acknowledged incoming Iranian fire but stopped short of addressing Tehran’s claims.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had detected missiles launched from Iran and confirmed that air defence systems were operating to intercept the threat.

Fresh explosions were reported over Jerusalem, with AFP journalists hearing blasts after the military warned of additional launches.

The Israeli government has so far remained silent on whether senior political or military sites sustained damage.

Iran's leadership crisis after Khamenei’s death

The strikes followed a dramatic escalation triggered by joint US–Israeli attacks that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the weekend.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which reports directly to the supreme leader, has framed its missile campaign as lawful self-defence.

Iranian state media claimed that Netanyahu’s fate was now “uncertain”, a statement that has further heightened speculation amid the absence of Israeli clarification.

Tehran has said it has launched ten successive waves of missile and drone attacks since Saturday, targeting Israeli territory and US military facilities across the region.

Hezbollah opens new front in Lebanon

The conflict widened further on Monday as Hezbollah, a key Iranian ally, joined the fighting.

The group launched missiles and drones towards Israel in what it described as retaliation for Khamenei’s killing.

Israel responded with extensive airstrikes on Hezbollah-held areas in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s suburbs.

Lebanon’s state news agency reported at least 31 people killed and 149 injured in the initial toll, signalling the human cost of a rapidly expanding war.

Iran has also confirmed strikes on targets in Gulf states and a British base in Cyprus, underlining the regional reach of the confrontation.

Iran claims Israeli sites ‘severely hit’

The Revolutionary Guards said Israeli targets were “severely hit” during what they described as the tenth phase of retaliatory operations.

Tehran has consistently portrayed its campaign as measured and phased, warning that further attacks will follow.

While some Iranians reportedly welcomed Khamenei’s death after decades of authoritarian rule, the country’s conservative clerical establishment has shown no signs of loosening its grip on power.

Instead, the leadership has doubled down on military retaliation, signalling that de-escalation remains unlikely.

What is Kheibar Shekan missile?

Iranian officials have indicated that advanced missile systems, including the Kheibar Shekan missile, form part of the current assault.

The name translates as “Castle Buster” or “Fortress Buster”.

An Iranian Kheibar Shekan missile system in the Sacred Defence Week parade in Tehran, September 22, 2022. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Fars Media Corporation/M. Sadegh Nikgostar

The solid-fuel, medium-range ballistic missile was unveiled in February 2022 as part of Iran’s push to modernise its strike capabilities.

Classified as a third-generation system within the Revolutionary Guards’ long-range arsenal, it reflects a shift away from heavier liquid-fuel missiles towards lighter, more mobile platforms designed to evade layered air defences.

Iranian state-linked reports say the missile was developed by specialists within the IRGC Aerospace Force and can be launched from multiple platforms, including modified commercial vehicles.

Tehran has previously described it as capable of striking targets across Israel and US facilities in West Asia from Iranian territory.