Israel and Iran Exchange Strikes for Eighth Straight Day, Dozens Injured in Escalating Conflict

(The Post News)- Israel-Iran clashes hit eighth consecutive day on Friday as two nations exchanged fierce cross-border attacks, wounding dozens and raising alarms of an expanded regional war.

The Israeli military verified conducting airstrikes against Iranian bases in Tehran, Tabriz, and Kermanshah. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles against major Israeli cities such as Haifa and Beersheba, which resulted in nationwide alerts and mobilization for emergencies.

Israel Launches Major Airstrikes on Iran, Tensions Escalate

In what was one of the worst Iranian attacks to date, a barrage of missiles struck Haifa Bay, wounding at least 31 individuals, Rambam Medical Center said. Hospital officials report that one patient — a 16-year-old boy — is still serious. A 54-year-old man had shrapnel injuries and is stable.

Israel’s emergency services also reported at least five people with light injuries when a missile struck Beersheba. In addition, dramatic video posted on social media shows a building in Haifa partially collapsed and black clouds of smoke rising over the northern coastal city.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that “alerts were triggered in different locations” following what it described as a volley of Iranian missile attacks. While the IDF issues routine localized alerts routinely, the extensive range of Friday’s warnings indicate the growing ferocity and scale of the war.

Seconds before the missiles struck, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a spine-chilling social media tweet that stated that “The Zionist enemy is getting his comeuppance now,” exacerbating the already strained relations between the nations.

While Israeli authorities have confirmed the deaths of up to 24 civilians since the fighting heightened, the number of casualties on the Iranian side is unconfirmed. However, the Washington-based Center for Human Rights in Iran has recorded 639 fatalities in Iran since combat commenced — a figure not verified by external observers.

As the strikes persist, pressure is building on the world powers to act. In America, President Donald Trump’s suggested two-week window for negotiations has come under fire. “Too much time,” scoffed Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav during a live interview with CNN’s Nic Robertson from Friday’s missile strike site. “We want a ceasefire, and we want to negotiate now — today, not next week.

International diplomatic efforts are toiling in the background, but up to now, Jerusalem and Tehran appear entrenched, with no prospect of an end to ratcheting down.

When the eighth day closed to the sound of sirens still echoing through Israeli cities and Iranian skies ablaze with fire in response, there is a growing sharp fear that the conflict could spill over the borders, igniting a larger war in the Middle East.