Dhaka, June 16 (V7N) — The Middle East is on the brink of a wider conflict as Israel and Iran continue to exchange missile and drone attacks for the third consecutive day, with no sign of de-escalation. The latest round of violence began early Friday when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple Iranian nuclear and military installations, including sites in the capital, Tehran.

Iran retaliated with a massive barrage of missiles and drones targeting key Israeli installations, escalating the conflict into one of the most intense regional confrontations in recent history.

According to Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera, citing regional analysts, Iran intensified its offensive from Saturday night by deploying hypersonic missiles—overwhelming Israel’s famed air defense network. The sustained attacks have reportedly caused significant damage to Israeli infrastructure, particularly in coastal cities like Yam, where dozens of buildings have been severely damaged or destroyed. Rescue workers are still pulling survivors from the rubble.

An official Israeli government statement confirmed that at least 13 people have been killed so far, including children, with 380 injured, nine of them critically. Authorities revealed that more than 200 missiles and drones have been launched by Iran since the hostilities began, striking at least 22 locations across the country.

Security analysts describe the current damage as “extensive and unprecedented,” marking the first time Israel has faced a full-scale confrontation with a militarily capable state power in the region since the Yom Kippur War of 1973.

One of the key revelations from this conflict has been the strain on Israel’s renowned air defense systems. According to Mohammed Saleum, a researcher at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Israel’s Iron Dome—designed primarily to intercept short-range rockets—is ill-suited to counter ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles, the types Iran is now deploying.

Although Israel possesses more advanced missile defense systems, including the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 for long-range threats, and David’s Sling for medium-range interceptions, analysts caution that no system is infallible against a sustained, multidirectional missile onslaught.

“Israel’s air defense system is highly advanced and integrated, but under extreme pressure, it can falter—and we’ve seen that happen in the past 48 hours,” Saleum said. He further noted that while there is substantial intelligence about Israel’s missile arsenal, uncertainty over the scale and sophistication of Iran’s stockpile could give Tehran a strategic advantage in the psychological and tactical dimensions of the conflict.

This alarming escalation has brought renewed global attention to the volatile dynamics of the Middle East, with international observers warning of the risk of a wider war unless immediate diplomatic interventions are made.

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