Jerusalem: Israel witnessed an unprecedented military escalation this morning, after Iran launched successive waves of missiles and drones toward several Israeli areas, leading to a state of comprehensive alert within the home front.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Israeli Home Front Command announced that air raid sirens sounded in large areas of southern Israel. Channel 12 confirmed that the sirens continued for an hour, the longest since the start of the war with Iran, amid heavy smoke rising in more than one area.

Channel 13 reported that explosions and missile interceptions were heard in the center of the country, without the sirens being activated in some locations. Hebrew media confirmed that an Israeli plane was forced to change course before landing at Ben Gurion Airport due to the missile fire.

Haaretz indicated that the continuous explosions and air raid sirens paralyzed traffic throughout the country for more than 20 minutes, while the mayor of Ashdod announced that a rocket had fallen on a road adjacent to the city.

In a related update, an Israeli military spokesperson announced that missile launches from Iranian territory had been detected, confirming that air defense systems were working to intercept them. He urged citizens to adhere to instructions and seek shelter in protected areas immediately upon hearing the alert.

Israel’s Channel 7 highlighted that the Iranian army disrupted Israeli defenses by distributing strikes in stages, starting in the north and then targeting Tel Aviv and Ashkelon. The channel also reported that approximately 11,000 people were evacuated from their homes to hotels, while nearly 4,000 others sought refuge with relatives. The number of compensation claims filed for damages also rose to 36,465.