TEL AVIV, June 16. /TASS/. Overnight, the Israeli military recorded two waves of missile attacks launched from Iran, involving a total of 65 missiles, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.
"Sixty-five missiles and dozens of UAVs were fired. Our air and naval defense systems successfully intercepted the majority of them," Defrin stated during a briefing. "Unfortunately, eight civilians were killed and dozens wounded in the attacks," he added.
Meanwhile, the army spokesman once again opined that Iran is targeting peaceful neighborhoods on purpose. "This is the face of the Iranian terrorist regime. We attack military and nuclear capabilities that are designed to destroy the State of Israel, and they shoot at civilian populated areas to harm people. That is why we launched this operation - to eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel, namely the nuclear threat and the missile threat," Defrin stated.
Overnight into June 13, Israel kicked off Operation Rising Lion aimed against Iran’s nuclear program. The Israel Defense Forces said that 200 fighter jets attacked more than 100 targets in Iran, including nuclear facilities.
On the evening of June 13, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that Iran retaliated by attacking dozens of targets in Israel with missiles, including military facilities and air bases, striking, in particular, the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. Israel said some targets were hit but most of the missiles were intercepted.