A missile strike hit central Tel Aviv on Sunday, landing close to the city’s central market and major hotels, as Iran’s ongoing attacks on Israel entered their sixteenth day.
Air raid sirens sounded shortly after 13:00 across central Israel as air defence systems were activated, but the strike was not prevented. Video footage circulating on social media shows the impact occurring in the heart of the Israeli city.
The attack underscores the mounting pressure on Tel Aviv as Iranian missile barrages continue despite Israel’s multi-layered air defence systems.
According to Israeli media reports, two men in their 50s sustained minor injuries in the latest Iranian ballistic missile attack. Emergency services responded to several impact sites in central Israel following the strike.
Cluster-type missile reported
Israeli outlets including The Times of Israel reported that one of the missiles carried a warhead containing submunitions, releasing smaller explosive bomblets over parts of southern and central Israel.
Such cluster-style munitions disperse multiple smaller explosives over a wide area, making them difficult to intercept and increasing the risk to civilians in urban environments.
Local authorities in the southern city of Eilat said earlier that Israeli air defences intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile over the area, though other projectiles reportedly continued toward central Israel.
Damage reported in Jerusalem
Meanwhile in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported that a fragment from an Iranian missile struck a residential building used by the US consul in Israel.
No serious injuries were reported in that incident, though damage was recorded.
Escalation continues
The latest strike comes as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify, with repeated missile launches targeting Israeli cities.
Iran has increasingly been accused by Israeli officials of using missiles equipped with cluster submunitions against major urban centres, a tactic that spreads explosive bomblets across large areas and raises concerns over civilian safety.
Despite Israel’s advanced missile defence systems, including the Iron Dome and Arrow interceptors, some projectiles continue to evade interception, allowing strikes to reach populated areas.
Sources: Washington Post, the Times of Israel, Reuters