Iranian missiles struck Israel’s cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa before dawn on Monday, killing at least eight people, injuring over 100, and damaging critical infrastructure in what marks a dangerous escalation in the conflict between the two countries. The Israeli government has vowed retaliation, with Defence Minister Israel Katz warning that residents of Tehran would “pay the price, and soon.”

The missile barrage—part of a broader wave of Iranian strikes—saw seven of nearly 100 projectiles penetrate Israeli air defenses, according to military officials. Several residential buildings were destroyed in Tel Aviv, with debris littering the streets near the U.S. Embassy branch, where minor damage was reported but no injuries occurred. In Haifa, fires broke out at a local power station, and search-and-rescue teams rushed to respond to dozens of injuries.

Israel’s military reported that it had achieved aerial superiority over Iran and destroyed more than one-third of the Islamic Republic’s surface-to-surface missile launchers. The Israeli Defense Forces also claimed responsibility for killing four senior Iranian intelligence officials, including the head of the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence unit, in a targeted airstrike.

As tensions soared, Iran’s parliament announced it was preparing legislation to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), although the process could take several weeks. While Tehran reaffirmed its opposition to developing weapons of mass destruction, the move further stoked fears of a broader regional crisis. Israel, widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, has never signed the treaty.

In response to Israel’s air campaign, Iran accused Tel Aviv of killing hundreds of civilians and destroying critical infrastructure. Iran’s health ministry reported that at least 224 people have been killed since Friday, with 90 percent of the casualties being civilians. One Iranian hospital, Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, was reportedly hit during Israeli strikes, resulting in extensive material damage.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed that their missile attack used a new method that triggered interference within Israel’s multi-layered defense systems, allowing more warheads to hit their targets. This assertion was not immediately confirmed by Israeli officials.

Back in Tel Aviv, residents described scenes of chaos and fear. Guydo Tetelbaun, a 31-year-old chef, said that he had just taken cover in a shelter when the door blew off from the impact of a nearby explosion. “It’s terrifying because it’s so unknown. This could be the beginning of a long time like this, or it could get worse, or hopefully better—but it’s the unknown that’s the scariest,” he said.

The strikes came as world leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) gathered in Canada to discuss the mounting crisis. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was hopeful that a deal could be reached, but also acknowledged the possibility that “sometimes they have to fight it out.” Trump denied that the U.S. was directly involved in the conflict, while warning Tehran not to target American interests.

Markets reacted cautiously on Monday. Oil prices, which spiked by 7 percent on Friday, edged slightly lower as it became clear that no major production or export infrastructure had been affected. Stock and currency markets in Asia also showed little movement, though investor nerves remain high.

Since the outbreak of hostilities last week, at least 24 civilians in Israel have died in Iranian missile strikes, while Israel’s air campaign has claimed hundreds of lives in Iran, including civilians. Iran’s government says it has arrested dozens of alleged saboteurs linked to Israel, marking what many observers describe as the country’s worst internal security crisis since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Despite the rising toll and heightened rhetoric, diplomatic efforts have so far failed to halt the violence. With Israel promising to escalate its campaign in the coming days and Iran showing no signs of backing down, the region remains poised on the edge of further conflict.