Hamas’s political bureau member Izzat al-Risheq said Iran demonstrated “a remarkable ability to absorb the first blow and regain the initiative” in its fight against Israel.
“We are facing a battle of wills, not just calculations, and Iran is demonstrating a high degree of will and preparedness,” he said in a statement on Telegram:
“The equations are changing, and anyone who thinks that the fire will only consume one party has not read history well,” the Hamas official added.
Israeli authorities confirmed that at least eight people were killed, over 200 injured, and 35 remain missing following a large-scale Iranian retaliation strike on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa.
The strikes, which Iran says were in retaliation for earlier Israeli actions, targeted both military and strategic locations, causing significant damage and chaos.
Emergency services are continuing rescue operations, while hospitals remain overwhelmed with casualties.
The Israeli military confirmed that Iranian missiles struck parts of northern Israel. Tehran stated that cities including Haifa and Tel Aviv were targeted using Kheibar, Badr, and Emad missiles.
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The situation remains volatile, with Israeli airspace facing incursions by enemy aircraft, according to the Israeli military, and reports suggesting critical infrastructure may have been damaged.
Earlier, Iranian media said air defences were activated Saturday over Tehran and six other provinces, on the second day of Israel’s air campaign against the Islamic republic.
News agency Tasnim said air defences were responding to “hostile targets” over Tehran and in the provinces of Hormozgan in the country’s south, Kermanshah and Lorestan in the west, Qom in the centre, East Azerbaijan in the northwest, and Khuzestan in the southwest. State TV reported air defence activity in the same areas.
Another news agency, Fars, shared images of what it said was the “destruction of two Israeli aircraft in Tehran”.
Iran and Israel targeted each other with missiles and airstrikes early on Saturday after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime enemy.
Iran says attacks against Israel will continue, senior Iranian military officials were quoted as saying.
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