Jerusalem: Air raid sirens sounded and explosions were heard early Friday in the Israeli cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and surrounding areas following missile launches from Iran, an Anadolu correspondent reported. The Israeli army said it detected three waves of missiles fired from Iran within less than an hour. Sirens were activated in the Jerusalem area and the West Bank due to launches from Iran, said the Yedioth Ahronoth daily.

According to Anadolu Agency, a regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, resulting in around 1,300 deaths, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. These attacks have caused casualties, damage to infrastructure, and disruptions in global markets and aviation.