US assists in shooting down Iranian missiles targeting Israel

The United States military has helped shoot down Iranian missiles fired toward Israel, two US officials told Reuters on Friday, as reported by BBC.

One official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the US had used ground-based air defence systems to intercept the incoming Iranian projectiles. 

Another official told AFP on condition of anonymity, "I can confirm that the US is assisting in shooting down missiles targeting Israel". No detail was given on the extent of the US role.

No fighter jets or warships were deployed for the operation at this stage, the official added, though the exact locations of the intercepts were not disclosed.

The US maintains a significant military presence in the Middle East, with nearly 40,000 troops, advanced missile defence systems, fighter aircraft, and naval assets stationed across the region.

This marks a critical shift in US involvement, following earlier rounds of Iranian drone and missile attacks where American forces used fighter jets and ship-launched interceptors to help defend Israeli airspace.

Iran says missiles penetrated Israeli defences

Meanwhile, Iranian state media agency IRNA reported that Iran’s counter strikes began “without notice,” broadcasting footage it said showed missile after missile breaching Israeli defences and detonating on key targets.

“Huge fireballs lit up the night sky in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,” IRNA reported, adding that Israel's Ministry of Defence had been struck. It also claimed that Israeli air defence batteries had been neutralized before high-value sites were hit.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)  issued a brief statement asserting that dozens of Israeli military sites and airbases were being targeted in "pinpoint strikes," with more details promised later.

Early Friday night, Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes on multiple locations inside Iran, including near Tehran, as part of its ongoing "Operation Rising Lion."

In anticipation of a strong Iranian response, Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz declared a state of emergency across the country.

Israeli intelligence and military forces reportedly conducted precision strikes that killed top Iranian military leaders — including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, and Major General Hossein Salami, Chief Commander of the IRGC — in coordinated attacks within Tehran.

Ayatollah Khamenei swiftly appointed replacements, naming Major General Mohammad Pakpour as the new IRGC commander.

Khamenei vows strong retaliation against Israel

Hours before the Iranian missile launch, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the nation in a televised speech, vowing that Israel would not escape unscathed.

“We will take strong action, and we will show no leniency,” he said. “Life will undoubtedly turn bleak for them.”

Escalation shows no signs of slowing

With both nations locked in an unprecedented cycle of violence, the situation remains volatile and fast-moving. This marks one of the most dangerous confrontations between the two arch-foes in decades, with global powers now directly involved.

As missile exchanges continue and fears of further escalation mount, the world holds its breath.

Israeli attacks could inadvertently push Iran to pursue nuclear weapons, warns US-based nuclear expert Jim Walsh. While expecting immediate back-and-forth firings, Walsh emphasizes that the critical concern is whether Iranian authorities, after two decades of restraint, will now decide to cross the nuclear threshold in response to the recent strikes.

"For 20 years, they’ve refused to cross that line," Walsh told Al Jazeera. He believes there's strong evidence that Israel's recent actions will achieve "the exact opposite of what it wanted, which is Iran is going to decide to go for the bomb."

Walsh cautions that such a development would spell disaster not just for the Middle East, but globally. He explained that Iran, lacking a conventional air force, and unable to rely on proxies like Hezbollah in this scenario or launch a direct invasion, primarily possesses missiles. Thus, being "forced into this position by the [Israeli] attack," a decision to pursue nuclear weapons becomes a potent, and alarming, option. "That is just bad news all around, for the region and globally," he concluded.