Military confrontations between Tehran and Tel Aviv intensified on the ninth day of the Israeli offensive against Iran, as global concerns mounted over an escalating humanitarian crisis across the region. Iran launched a wave of drone attacks across Israel, spanning from the north to the southern Arava region, while Israel carried out a series of retaliatory airstrikes on strategic Iranian sites, including nuclear facilities.
According to the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, seven Iranian drones breached Israeli airspace within a single hour. One drone struck a building in Beit She’an, causing significant structural damage, while another crashed along Highway 90 in the south. The Israeli military acknowledged that attempts to intercept the drones had failed, confirming that one had indeed landed near Beit She’an.
Tehran, for its part, announced that the drone campaign targeted “enemy territory,” with the Iranian military claiming that “dozens of drones of various types hit their designated targets with precision over the past 24 hours.”
In a direct response, the Israeli military reported the assassination of three commanders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two senior Quds Force officers, in overnight air raids that struck western and central Iran—including Tehran and Isfahan. Iranian officials confirmed that a nuclear facility in Isfahan was hit on Saturday morning but denied any leakage of hazardous materials.
Explosions echoed across Tehran, while officials confirmed that Israeli strikes had destroyed the 115 emergency medical centre in the city of Ahvaz. In Kermanshah province, three hospitals and six ambulances were also struck, resulting in the deaths of two medical personnel, according to Iran’s Deputy Health Minister.
Meanwhile, authorities in Yazd province reported the arrest of a suspected spy accused of relaying sensitive information about Iran’s air defence systems to the Israeli Mossad. In Bushehr province, security services seized dozens of small drones stored near key infrastructure.
On the political front, the United States maintained an ambiguous stance. Former President Donald Trump, speaking amid growing calls for US intervention, said his administration would withhold immediate decisions on Iran, stating: “I’m giving the Iranians a maximum of two weeks.” A Western diplomatic source indicated that Tehran is currently refusing any direct engagement with Washington in the midst of the Israeli strikes.
In a notable shift in US military posture, The Aviationist reported that two squadrons of B-2 stealth bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, en route to Guam in the Pacific Ocean. Unlike past regional conflicts involving Iran or the Houthis, the bombers were not dispatched to Diego Garcia, signalling a different strategic calculus.
In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an urgent revival of negotiations to de-escalate the conflict and prevent a broader regional war. In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Macron expressed “deep concern” about Iran’s nuclear programme and urged Tehran to provide “clear guarantees” of its peaceful intent.
Diplomatic efforts faced further hurdles as Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official describing the European proposals presented in Geneva as “unrealistic.” The official reiterated that Tehran would not negotiate over its defensive capabilities, particularly its missile programme, though it would review the proposals ahead of the next round of talks.
As both military and diplomatic tensions rise, the humanitarian cost is becoming more visible. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned that the conflict is triggering internal displacement in both Iran and Israel, cautioning that a prolonged war could create a new refugee crisis in a region already grappling with decades of instability. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stated: “Once people are forced to flee, there is no quick return – and often the consequences last for generations.”
Iran currently hosts more than 3.5 million refugees, most of them Afghan nationals. The UNHCR warned that this population could face renewed uncertainty and increased hardship if the war continues.
In a related development, internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that Iranian authorities partially restored internet service on Saturday after nearly 62 hours of disruption. However, connectivity remains limited in several areas, with access still well below normal levels due to ongoing restrictions.
