Iran claims it confused Israel’s defenses in Monday’s missile strike

On Monday, Iran launched a significant missile strike targeting Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa, resulting in the destruction of residential buildings, damage to infrastructure such as a power plant near Haifa’s port, and casualties with at least five dead and over 100 wounded. The attacks were reportedly in retaliation for Israel’s earlier airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile facilities, which killed key Iranian military leaders and caused substantial damage. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have employed a “new method” that confused Israel’s missile defense systems into targeting each other, achieving successful hits despite Israel’s advanced technology. Israel has not officially commented on the missile strikes but has previously acknowledged vulnerabilities in its defense systems. The conflict has escalated rapidly, with Israel continuing to target Iranian military and Revolutionary Guard command centers, resulting in heavy Iranian casualties—over 220 killed and more than 1,200 injured, mostly civilians according to Iranian sources. Iran has vowed major retaliation, warning of opening “the gates of hell.”