Iran Claims Missile Strike Hit Israeli Military Intelligence Center

 TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Monday it struck an Israeli military intelligence hub in Tel Aviv during a barrage of ballistic missiles, marking a new escalation in a conflict that has entered its fifth day.

According to Iranian state media and an IRGC statement, the strikes targeted the headquarters of Israel’s military intelligence and a planning center linked to the Mossad intelligence agency. The IRGC said the site was hit despite Israel’s advanced air defense systems and showed signs of fire.

Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that approximately 20 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran on June 17 but did not comment on specific damage or targets. Israel's emergency service, Magen David Adom, reported five people were lightly injured after a missile landed in a central parking area, igniting a bus and causing property damage.

Firefighters extinguish flames at the scene of an Iranian missile strike in central Israel on June 17. (Photo: AP)

Unverified footage published by Israeli outlets showed plumes of smoke over parts of central Israel, including Herzliya, where Mossad’s main offices are located. Social media accounts such as DD Geopolitics suggested multiple strikes in Glilot, a military zone north of Tel Aviv, though these reports remain unconfirmed.

Iranian officials said a new type of missile was used in the attack, but did not provide specifications.

The missile exchange follows an Israeli offensive launched on June 13, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” which targeted nuclear scientists and senior IRGC commanders in Iran. In response, Iran initiated “True Promise 3,” a retaliatory campaign involving direct missile fire into Israeli territory.

On Sunday, the IDF claimed it had destroyed one-third of Iran’s large-scale missile launchers — around 120 batteries — stationed across the country. Military experts, however, urged caution, noting that such assessments have yet to be independently verified and that Iran’s ballistic missile force remains a significant threat.

“The repeated missile strikes appear to be testing the limits of Israel’s missile defense systems,” said Trita Parsi, vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. “Iran may now be hitting more with fewer missiles.”

The sustained exchange between Iran and Israel has raised concerns of a broader regional conflict, with analysts warning that ongoing escalation could overwhelm even robust defense systems and draw in other regional actors.