Iran missiles hit mostly civilian areas in Israel: reports

JERUSALEM, Israel,— Iran launched a series of missile strikes on Israeli cities from late Friday through early Sunday, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 300, Reuters reported, citing Israeli authorities.

The attacks hit residential neighborhoods without warning, causing widespread destruction.

Emergency teams worked through the night, using flashlights and sniffer dogs to search the debris for survivors.

Officials said at least seven people were killed overnight, including a 10-year-old boy, a young girl, and a woman in her 20s. More than 140 others were hospitalized.

In Bat Yam, a coastal city just south of Tel Aviv, an eight-story apartment building took a direct hit. Emergency services said dozens were rescued from the rubble, but fatalities were confirmed and 35 residents remained unaccounted for as of Sunday morning.

The Israeli government accused Tehran of indiscriminate targeting, stating the missiles were launched without regard for where they would land. Iran has not publicly commented on the civilian impact.

Iranian missiles are widely regarded as inaccurate and unguided, showing little concern for precision or the distinction between military and civilian targets.

Israel is known for issuing prior warnings to civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza and Lebanon, before targeting military positions. The practice has been widely observed by international monitors and is aimed at minimizing civilian casualties.

Iran has openly declared its intent to eliminate Israel and its people, repeatedly stating its goal of erasing the Jewish state from the map.

Muslim clerics promote the belief that Jews are condemned in the Quran as pigs and apes, often pointing to verses in Surat al-Maida where those who violated the Sabbath are described as being transformed by God into such animals.

There exists a widely circulated Islamic hadith often cited in the Islamic world. It refers explicitly to a violent, apocalyptic vision in which Muslims are portrayed as engaging in a final war against Jews. The text, attributed to the “Prophet” Muhammad, contains language that is both shocking and unsettling:

“The Hour will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Muslims will kill them until the Jews hide behind rocks or trees. Then the rocks or trees will call out: ‘O Muslim, O servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.’”

In Shiite Islam, particularly within the Twelver branch (the largest group of Shiites), the Mahdi is a central figure of hope and future justice. They believe the Mahdi is the twelfth and final Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who was born in the 9th century but went into occultation—meaning he was hidden from the public eye by divine will.

According to Shiite belief, the Mahdi did not die but is still alive in a state of hidden existence, waiting for the right time to reappear. This return, often called the “reappearance” or “coming,” will mark the end of widespread injustice and oppression. The Mahdi is expected to bring peace, establish justice, and unite Muslims worldwide.

Shiite beliefs about the return of Imam Mahdi include the disturbing notion that his reappearance will not occur until all Jews worldwide have been eradicated.

Political analyst Henase Karim told iKurd News that Israel has every right to completely destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and all related capabilities. Karim points out that Iran openly talks about wanting to wipe Israel off the map, making Israel’s actions necessary to prevent any threat of an atomic bomb.

She added that the Iranian Islamic regime still holds onto outdated beliefs, acting as if they live in the Islamic era from 1,400 years ago, stuck in a mindset disconnected from today’s reality.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)