Millions in Israel Seek Shelter from Attacks
The Middle East conflict has entered a more dangerous phase as millions of Israelis took shelter from a wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks. The strikes are retaliation for the killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei, with air raid sirens sounding across the country and Israeli airstrikes rocking Tehran.
The killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei marks a violent escalation in a decades-long shadow war between Iran and Israel. This covert conflict has been characterized by cyberattacks, assassinations of nuclear scientists, and proxy battles across the Middle East, with Iran supporting groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The current direct military exchange follows a series of tit-for-tat strikes in 2024 and a 12-day war in June 2025. The operation that killed Khamenei was reportedly the result of months of intelligence gathering by the CIA, which tracked his movements and identified a key meeting of senior officials. This intelligence was then shared with Israel, leading to the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump stated the objective was to neutralize threats posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and to support the Iranian people in overthrowing the regime. In the wake of Khamenei's death, Iran has established a three-member interim leadership council to manage the country. This council consists of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi from the Guardian Council. The ultimate decision on a successor lies with the 88-member Assembly of Experts, a body of senior clerics. The Iranian retaliation has involved a significant deployment of its diverse missile arsenal, which is considered the largest in the Middle East. This includes short-range ballistic missiles like the Fateh variants and medium-range systems such as the Shahab-3 and the solid-fueled Sejjil, capable of reaching Israel and parts of Europe. Iran has also utilized its extensive fleet of drones, including the Shahed and Mohajer series. Israel's defense against these attacks relies on a sophisticated, multi-layered air defense network. This system includes the short-range Iron Dome, the mid-range David's Sling, and the long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 systems, designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes. A newer addition is the "Iron Beam," a laser-based system intended to counter smaller threats like drones at a lower cost. The conflict has immediate and significant global economic consequences. A primary concern is the potential disruption to oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. The attacks have already led to volatility in crude oil prices and threaten to increase global inflation and slow economic growth.
