Iran claims it has downed two Israeli jets – as it fires missiles in response to Friday’s attacks | World News

Iran claims it has shot down two Israeli jets and that its response to Friday night’s attacks on nuclear and military infrastructure has begun.

The reports emerged as smoke was seen rising from Tel Aviv as Iran launched missiles at the Israeli city.

Air raid sirens had been heard across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as the missiles neared Israel.

Footage has shown Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system – which uses radars to detect and intercept short-range rockets, missiles and drones – stopping Iranian missiles from striking the city.

However, video also suggests some missiles have made it through.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Army has said in a statement that its “defence forces successfully hit and destroyed two F-35 fighter jets belonging to the zionist entity, in addition to a large number of small drones”.

“The fate of the two fighter pilots remains unknown and is being investigated,” the statement added.

Follow live: Israel-Iran conflict updates

The escalation in the region comes after Israel launched a huge attack on Iran on Friday, which it says was aimed at degrading the country’s nuclear ambitions and weakening its military.

Israel was able to target key facilities and kill top generals and scientists.

It said it airstrikes were necessary before its adversary got any closer to building an atomic weapon.

As Israel braced itself for a retaliation, the IRNA state news agency in Iran confirmed this evening that the country’s response had begun.

It came as a reporter with the Iranian Tasnim news agency said missiles had been fired from Shiraz and Isfahan in Iran towards Israel.

A spokesperson for the Sheba Medical Center hospital in Tel Aviv has said nine people were treated for various injuries suffered due to the missile strikes on the city.

The hospital said the injuries range from light to moderate.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service, said earlier it had treated one person in a moderate condition and four others who were lightly hurt by shrapnel. It’s not clear if they are the same people who were treated at the Sheba Medical Center.

Sky News correspondent Mark Stone, who used to be based in Jerusalem, has said Iran’s is trying to “overwhelm the Iron Dome defence system, which has to be manually reloaded again and again”.

He added: “[The Iron Dome] can be overwhelmed. We saw a number of instances in the videos a moment ago where it was clearly overwhelmed and some of those ballistic missiles hit targets in Tel Aviv.”

Three American officials have told Sky’s US partner network NBC that the US military helped Israel down some Iranian missiles this evening.

As the barrage of missiles was fired at Israel, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote on X: “The Zionist regime (Israel) will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime.

“The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured,” he said, adding Iran will “inflict heavy blows” on Israel.

Mr Khamenei also said that Israel has initiated a war and that Tehran will not allow it to conduct “hit and run” attacks without grave consequences.

It came before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Iranians to stand up to the regime in Tehran and help Israel “clear the path for you to achieve your freedom”.

In a video released during Iran’s missile attack on Israel, Mr Netanyahu said Israel had taken out a “large portion” of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and its “most significant enrichment facility”.

“More is on the way,” he added. “The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.”

The Israeli military has told people they can now leave air raid shelters but must stay near them in case of further attacks.

The Israel Defence Forces issued instructions earlier this evening telling residents to stay in shelters and minimise movement in open areas.