Israel confirms damage to army bases in Iranian missile strikes

Israeli army has confirmed that several of its airbases were struck during Iran's massive ballistic missile assault on the US-backed country, signalling a significant escalation in the already volatile Middle Eastern tensions.

According to Israeli media, authorities confirmed on Wednesday that some airbases were struck, resulting in damage to office buildings and maintenance areas.

Israel said its air force continued its strikes on Lebanon and besieged Gaza without interruption.

On Tuesday night, Iran fired approximately 200 ballistic missiles at Israeli targets, triggering a wave of air defence responses from Israel and US.

Satellite images released on Wednesday suggest the Iranian strikes inflicted damage on Israeli bases.

Photos of Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel — home to the advanced F-35 fighter jets — show a large hole in the roof of a hangar and debris scattered around the site. It remains unclear whether any aircraft were present at the time.

Moreover investigations by independent investigative collective Bellingcat revealed that multiple warheads landed near key Israeli airbases, including Nevatim in the south and Tel Nof in central Israel.

Footage from Tel Nof also suggested possible secondary explosions, since fuel or ammunition may have been hit.

In northern Tel Aviv, warheads reportedly fell close to Mossad headquarters, though they failed to cause significant damage. One video shows a large crater around 500 yards from the intelligence agency’s offices.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have used its Fattah missiles, describing them as capable of reaching Mach 15 and posing a new challenge to Israeli missile defence systems. However, Israel's military dismissed these claims.

Nevertheless, Israeli authorities played down the overall impact of the strikes, claiming that a significant number of missiles were intercepted with the assistance of the ally United States.

In a video statement, Israeli military chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi vowed retaliation, stating, "Iran fired about 200 missiles at the State of Israel… We will respond. We know how to locate important targets; we know how to strike accurately and powerfully."

Near-hypersonic speeds

While the attack caused limited damage, it still presented a test for Israel's air defence systems. The Iron Dome, effective against short-range rockets from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, faces new challenges with ballistic missiles from Iran.

These missiles briefly enter space before descending at near-hypersonic speeds, making them more difficult to intercept. Israel's Arrow defence system, designed for such threats, has fewer interceptors than the Iron Dome.

As tensions rise, Israel is reportedly preparing for a retaliatory strike against Iranian targets, with military and political leaders weighing their options.

Halevi reaffirmed Israel's capability to "reach and strike any point in the Middle East," sending a clear warning to its adversaries.

But Iran, which says the missile strikes were in response to Israeli assassinations of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iranian officials, again warned of severe consequences should Tel Aviv decide to attack it.