NEW: Iranian Retaliatory Strike Hits Tel Aviv

It took longer than expected, but Iran finally gained enough control over its missile system to launch an attack on Israel. “Dozens” of ballistic missiles got fired in two separate volleys from Iranian territory, and some of them managed to get past the Israeli defense systems. The volleys came after Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei warned that their responses would “not be half-measured.” While Fox News broadcast live, Trey Yingst and his crew saw an impact in the center of Tel Aviv:

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says in a statement that Israel initiated a war and said it will not be allowed to do “hit and run” attacks without grave consequences.

“The Zionist regime (Israel) will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured,” Khamenei says in a statement.

Very intense incoming missile strikes in Tel Aviv @TreyYingst and crew taking cover as incoming missile attack overwhelms iron dome pic.twitter.com/HOrbWMcgYP

— Wyatt Dobrovich (@WyattDobrovich) June 13, 2025

Unlike the Israeli strikes in Iran, which focused on military targets and nuclear scientists, Iran apparently aimed deliberately for population centers. Israel made clear that the IDF would feel free to respond in kind against Iranian political leadership and economic infrastructure:

Israel warned Iran it would attack its oil fields if it struck Israeli civilian areas.

Iran just hit Tel Aviv.

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) June 13, 2025

⚠️ Israeli government source: “By targeting our civilian areas with missiles, Iran has crossed a clear red line. Israel will respond firmly and at a time of its choosing.” – N12 #IsraelUnderFire

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) June 13, 2025

“Dozens” have turned into more than 150, according to Israeli officials, and it’s not over yet. Iranian state media claims they have shot down an IDF fighter and captured its pilot. They are crediting their air defenses, but their anti-aircraft systems had previously been either inadequate or non-existent, so it might be a claim meant more for domestic PR than reality. 

The hit on Tel Aviv is certainly for real in at least one instance:

Another photo from Tel Aviv, showing the impact site of a missile launched by the Islamic Republic. pic.twitter.com/M2xsZEBiUX

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 13, 2025

Missiles have gotten through the ABM defenses in other areas too:

Iranian missile attack on Israel: impacts in Gush Dan, at least five lightly to moderately wounded.

Photo: Avshalom Sassoni pic.twitter.com/RXPKtYUxF0

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) June 13, 2025

All of this is very worrisome, especially given Iran’s ballistic missile inventory, reportedly in the thousands. They will send up as much as possible in an attempt to overwhelm the ABM defenses in Israel and the region, but even that is a poor substitute for the IDF. As Bret Baier points out in the video below, this is essentially the only offensive capacity that the Iranian military has left, now that its proxies are demolished. The IDF, on the other hand, can project power into Iran itself and has practically no impediments at all in choosing strategic targets and eliminating them at will — as they proved over the last 24 hours. 

That’s why this is essentially unavoidable:

Israeli Defense Minister: The Islamic Republic of Iran has crossed red lines and will pay a heavy price

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) June 13, 2025

This raises the question as to why Israel didn’t just pre-emptively take out Khamenei and the political leadership in the first wave of their operations. Presumably, the US may have wanted to keep a regime leader alive in order to negotiate, but the Iranians are not really interested in negotiations, as they proved over the last 61 days. It might have been better to cut the head off the snake as it slept; it will be tougher to get to them now that the war has started. 

Of course, if Israel can withstand the attacks long enough to destroy the nuclear facilities and enough military infrastructure to degrade or deplete Iran’s ballistic missile program, that may be enough. And if that happens, the snake might end up doing an ouroboros on its own.

Here’s the video of the report from Trey Yingst while the missiles began approaching Tel Aviv. I’ll add update as events warrant. 

Update: The US is participating in the ABM defense of Israel. The THAAD system is getting a workout:

American THAAD special anti-ballistic missile battery systems carried out successful interceptions during the Iranian attack on Israel on Friday night, Army Radio reported.https://t.co/Lx8D3uEYVI

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) June 13, 2025

Trump had made clear that the US would actively take part in these defenses, but it’s good to note nonetheless.