Iran then kicked off its first wave of ballistic missiles toward Israel on Saturday, February 28, 2026, plunging the Middle East into a military showdown. Initial reports released by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), including intelligence released by the region, indicated about 30 ballistic missiles were identified crossing Iranian airspace, heading directly for major Israeli population centers and military installations.
Sirens Sound Nationwide
The "Red Alert" siren system activated around 8:15 p.m. local time across northern and central Israel and in the Greater Tel Aviv region. The IDF Home Front Command had sent an emergency command to all citizens with mobile alerts to "immediately enter protected spaces and remain there until further notice."
“The IDF just identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel a few minutes ago. Defensive systems are deployed to intercept the threat,” the military said in a short statement. Explosions have been heard above Jerusalem and the Galilee as Arrow-3 and David’s Sling interceptors were deployed to neutralize the incoming long-range threats.
Retaliation over “Operation Roaring Lion”
The missile barrage was Iran’s direct response to the massive joint military offensive by Israel and the United States earlier today. Commonly called Operation Roaring Lion (Israel) and Operation Shield of Judah (USA), the combined strikes targeted IRGC command centers, missile manufacturing hubs, and government buildings in Tehran.
The Iranian state media, which had promised earlier a “crushing response,” cheered the launch. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the "first wave of punishment" had been unleashed on the "Zionist regime" after Tehran was struck and high-ranking officials had reportedly been eliminated.
Coordination with Proxies
The news is compounded by reports of the simultaneous launch of attacks by Iranian-aligned forces in the region. Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq have allegedly lobbed a mix of drones and cruise missiles to overwhelm Israel’s multi-layered air defense umbrella.
"We now have a coordinated multi-front attack," the Israeli defense official said. "But our systems are at 100 percent readiness and we are doing our best to be in full cooperation with U.S. CENTCOM to monitor these threats before they reach Israeli soil."
Global Markets in Turmoil
After news of the ballistic missile launch broke, world oil prices surged more than 8% in after-hours trading ahead of what could be a prolonged conflict that may shut down the Strait of Hormuz. International airlines such as Air India and Indigo have canceled all flights in the region because airspaces over Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel remain closed to civilian traffic.
As the first wave of missiles are in operation, the next several hours will be pivotal in determining the depth of casualties, as well as whether a response on the part of the Israelis and Americans inside Iranian territory could occur.
