Iran breaches Iron Dome in retaliatory strike on Tel Aviv’s Kirya military complex

In a significant escalation of hostilities, Iran launched a large-scale missile and drone attack late June13, targeting multiple locations in Israel, including Kirya—Israel’s central military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The strike, dubbed Operation True Promise III, marked a rare breach of Israel’s Iron Dome air defense, causing visible damage to the heavily secured compound and surrounding civilian areas .

The Iranian barrage reportedly included hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones, with several managing to evade interception and strike within Tel Aviv.

Notably, at least one projectile hit near the IDF’s General Staff and Ministry of Defense complex, known as the Kirya—often likened to Israel’s Pentagon .

Iranian state media claimed several hundred were injured, while official Israeli sources reported one civilian killed and dozens wounded, including at least 14 treated in Tel Aviv hospitals. A prominent hospital reported treating 15 injured civilians.

This attack followed Israel’s earlier Operation Rising Lion, which targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites near Natanz and Tehran, killing senior IRGC figures and nuclear scientists.

Tehran’s response marks one of the deepest direct strikes on Israeli territory since the October 2024 Israel–Iran exchanges.

Despite deploying layers of air defense—including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow systems, and U.S. military assistance—Israel confirmed that a few Iranian missiles penetrated defenses, exposing vulnerabilities in key urban and military zones.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Iran’s attack, calling it an assault on civilians and Israel’s security. He vowed a forceful response: “The regime must understand that no target in Israel—even the streets near Kirya—is beyond our reach."

Iran’s missile strike has drawn global concern as regional capitals scramble to de-escalate tensions. Analysts warn that this unprecedented deep-strike capability from Iran could shift the strategic balance and significantly heighten uncertainty in the Middle East.