Israel launches fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, explosions rock capital

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Israel has launched a fresh barrage of strikes targeting the Iranian capital, with multiple explosions reported across Tehran early Friday in what the military described as the beginning of a “wide-scale wave” of attacks on Iranian infrastructure .

The Israel Defense Forces announced the operation in a Telegram post, stating they had “just begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran.”

Within minutes, successive explosions were heard in several parts of the Iranian capital, according to reports from Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground.

The strikes mark the 14th day of the escalating conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran, which has already claimed thousands of lives and sent shockwaves through global energy markets .

The new wave of attacks on Tehran comes as the conflict continues to widen across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s air defense systems intercepted nearly 50 drones entering the kingdom’s airspace within a span of a few hours early Friday, representing an unusually high level of aerial threats for the Gulf state.

Targets included areas near the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, key oil infrastructure, and military bases hosting American troops .

Meanwhile, in a dramatic expansion of the conflict’s reach, explosions were also reported in central Dubai, where an AFP correspondent reported feeling a building shake and hearing a powerful blast.

Debris from a successful interception caused minor damage to a building façade in the emirate, though no injuries were reported .

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes have killed dozens more, including five children among nine people killed in an attack on the village of Arki near Sidon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry .

The military escalation follows a day of defiant statements from all parties to the conflict. Iran’s newly installed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first public comments since replacing his assassinated father, calling for bases hosting U.S. forces in the region to close or face continued attacks.

“I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs,” Khamenei said in a statement read out by a television presenter, his first appearance since being lightly wounded in initial strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first news conference since the conflict began, defending the military assault and issuing a veiled threat.

“We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime,” Netanyahu said via video-link, adding that while he could not guarantee the Iranian people would overthrow their rulers, “we can definitely help, and we are helping.”