Iran fires rockets at Israel: sirens wail over Haifa!

Iran fires rockets at Israel: sirens wail over Haifa!

In a dramatic escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, Tehran has again fired rockets into Israeli territory. Both the Iranian news agency Tasnim, which has close ties to the Revolutionary Guards, and the Israeli military confirmed the shelling. The alarming events led to sirens blaring in many of Israel's northern cities, including the coastal city of Haifa. Residents were urged to seek shelter as loud explosions were heard in the area. According to reports, there were also unconfirmed reports of rocket strikes in Israel, as Antenne Unna reports.

The Israeli military responded immediately to the threat and has already attacked military targets in Tehran. Eyewitnesses reported several detonations in the north of the Iranian capital, while Iranian media reported attacks in various parts of the country. On Friday morning, Israel launched attacks on strategically important targets in the Islamic Republic, which apparently include nuclear facilities and military positions. Iran, on the other hand, sees the Israeli air strikes as a declaration of war and has already fired thousands of rockets and drones at Israel, which represents a new dimension to the conflict.

Dangerous dynamics of the conflict

The recent rocket fire is not an isolated incident. Iran is seen as a significant threat by many Israeli politicians. According to a survey, the majority of Israelis strongly believe in the danger posed by Tehran. After all, Iran supports militant groups in the region that act against Israel. Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels and also Hamas benefit from Iranian support, which further inflames the situation. A look at military strategies reveals that Iran's proxy organizations have been weakened since October 2023.

Israel used airstrikes and targeted killings to reduce Hezbollah's influence, while the war in Gaza weakened Hamas. These circumstances have improved the military-strategic conditions for a strike against Iran, which is seen by many as an important area of ​​action for the Israeli government.

Nuclear threat in focus

A central concern of Israeli politics is the Iranian nuclear program. Experts estimate that Iran has enough weapons-grade uranium for at least 15 nuclear bombs. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly accused Tehran of violating its commitments to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. According to Israeli assessments, a possible nuclear weapon in the hands of Iran would not only destabilize the region, but also pose an existential threat to Israel.

The Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also sees the recent military actions as an opportunity to benefit domestically and stabilize their own coalition. Given the increased threat from Iran, Netanyahu enjoys broad popular support. This escalation could also lead to a decrease in international criticism of Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. However, the pressure on the Israeli prime minister will remain, especially since a conference on the establishment of a Palestinian state has been postponed indefinitely.

It still remains to be seen how the situation will develop further. The international community is looking with concern to the Middle East, where geopolitical tensions could worsen further, and the next steps 'from both sides' will be followed with great attention.

We'll stay tuned for the latest developments. In the meantime, you can continue reading what Spiegel and Tagesschau report on the conflict.