Blasts heard over Jerusalem as Iran launches fresh missile barrage

Jerusalem: Multiple explosions were heard over Jerusalem on Saturday after air raid sirens sounded across the city, as Israel reported a fresh barrage of missiles launched from Iran.

Journalists on the ground reported several loud blasts echoing over the capital shortly after the sirens were activated. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it had detected additional waves of missiles fired toward Israeli territory.

“An additional barrage of missiles was launched towards the State of Israel. The public is requested to continue to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and stay in protected spaces until official notice,” the military said in a statement.

Israel’s national emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), said it had not received immediate reports of missile impacts or casualties following the interceptions.

Meanwhile, Iran signaled that its military response had formally begun. In a statement posted on X by Iran’s mission in India, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that the “first wave of extensive missile and drone strikes” toward what it referred to as the “occupied territories” had commenced.

The statement described the action as retaliation for what it called “brutal aggression” by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran, adding that further details would be announced later.

Videos circulating online, purportedly from northern Israel, appeared to show Israeli air defence systems intercepting incoming Iranian missiles in the night sky. The footage has not been independently verified.

The latest exchange marks a major escalation, with both sides openly acknowledging missile strikes and countermeasures. Authorities in Israel have urged residents to remain in shelters and comply strictly with safety instructions as interception operations continue.