Iran-Israel War Enters Day 5 as Missiles Strike Capitals

Tehran and Tel Aviv Hit by Rocket Attacks, Evacuations Begin as Fears of Wider Regional War Intensify

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The fifth day of the escalating Israel-Iran war brought with it a sharp intensification of deadly attacks, as missiles, drones, and incendiary rhetoric flew across borders and capitals.

Both Tehran and Tel Aviv were rocked by airstrikes and retaliatory bombardments on Tuesday, plunging the region into a deepening crisis.

Iran launched a fresh barrage of 30 missiles targeting central Israel, striking multiple sites in Tel Aviv, Herzliya, and Jerusalem.

Sirens blared across densely populated areas as Israeli air defense systems intercepted many of the missiles, but some slipped through. A direct hit on a building in Tel Aviv left 10 civilians injured, five of them seriously, according to Israel’s emergency medical service, Magen David Adom.

Israel carried out new airstrikes deep inside Iranian territory. One of the most significant blows for Tehran was the reported killing of Ali Shadmani, a senior commander described as Iran’s wartime chief-of-staff and close adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israeli officials declared Shadmani’s elimination a major tactical victory, even as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed revenge.

Within hours, the IRGC claimed responsibility for launching coordinated missile and drone strikes on Israeli intelligence infrastructure in Tel Aviv, including the Aman military intelligence directorate and Mossad facilities.

While Israel has not officially confirmed the hits, large explosions were reported in central Tel Aviv. Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News Agencydeclared the operation a success, asserting it overcame Israel’s “highly advanced” air defense systems.

As fear rippled through Iran, thousands of residents began evacuating Tehran.

The situation was exacerbated by a stark warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged all civilians to “immediately evacuate Tehran,” declaring: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.” Trump blamed Iran for failing to re-enter a nuclear deal and warned of further consequences if escalation continued.

Back in Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued an equally ominous threat to Iran’s leadership, warning that Supreme Leader Khamenei could face the same fate as Saddam Hussein if he continued to “launch missiles at Israeli civilians and commit war crimes.”

Speaking to the Israeli press, Katz said: “We will not tolerate attacks on our cities. The Iranian regime must learn from history.”

The human toll of the conflict continues to rise sharply.

Since Friday, Israeli authorities say 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile strikes.

On the other side, Iranian officials claim at least 224 deaths and over 1,000 injuries due to Israel’s relentless air campaign on military and nuclear sites, including Kashan in Isfahan and strategic installations in western Iran.

Palestinians in Israel denied shelter

As missiles fell on Tel Aviv, another crisis emerged in the mixed city of Jaffa, where Palestinian citizens of Israel reported being denied access to bomb shelters.

Residents of Yehuda Hayamit Street told UK-based news website Middle East Eye that an underground shelter previously open to all was suddenly locked—access codes changed after a dozen Palestinians used it during recent air raids.

Nasir Ktelat, a 63-year-old with health problems, said that residents from older buildings had always been allowed to seek refuge in the shelter. “Now they’ve locked us out. It’s discrimination, plain and simple—even in a time of war,” he said.

The episode has sparked outrage among Palestinian communities and human rights advocates, highlighting systemic inequalities even amid shared threats from Iranian missiles.

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