June 20, 2025: At least 17 people were injured in ballistic missile strikes launched by Iran targeting the Israeli city of Haifa, according to medics cited by The Times of Israel.
Israel’s national emergency response service, Magen David Adom (MDA), reported that among the injured were a man in his 40s and a 16-year-old boy, both in serious condition due to shrapnel wounds. A 54-year-old sustained moderate injuries, while 14 others were reported to be lightly hurt. All were taken to a hospital for treatment.
According to Israeli defense sources, approximately 25 ballistic missiles were fired by Iran in the latest wave of attacks. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that missile impacts were recorded not only in Haifa but also in central and southern parts of Israel.
In retaliation, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted multiple airstrikes inside Iran. According to the IDF, fighter jets struck the headquarters of Iran’s Internal Security and special security units in Tehran. Additional airstrikes targeted Iranian missile systems and radar installations in Isfahan and Tehran, which the IDF claimed were being used to target Israeli aircraft.
“The IAF continues its mission to maintain aerial superiority in Iranian airspace,” the IDF stated in a post on X. “These strikes expand operational freedom and suppress Iranian military capabilities in western and central Iran.”
Iranian state media later confirmed the deaths of several high-ranking officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, the IRGC’s intelligence chief, his deputy Hassan Mohaqiq, and another officer, Mohsen Bagheri, were all reportedly killed in the Israeli strikes on Tehran.
In a further development, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly evacuated to an underground bunker in northeastern Tehran within hours of the Israeli offensive beginning.
The ongoing exchange marks a dangerous escalation in hostilities between the two regional powers, raising concerns about broader conflict in the Middle East