Israel Kills Another Top Iranian Commander; Iran Responds with Missile Attack
On the night of June 17, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared war on Israel, stating on X (formerly Twitter), "The war begins. We will give a strong response to terrorist Israel. No mercy will be shown."
Following this, Iran launched 25 missiles at Israel in retaliation.
According to Iranian media, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), confirmed the use of the Fateh missile on June 18. This marks the first time the Fateh-1 hypersonic missile has been used in the ongoing conflict. The missile reportedly travels at five times the speed of sound.
The IRGC stated that these Fateh missiles penetrated Israel’s air defense system and repeatedly targeted secure military installations. However, the exact damage caused to Israel remains unconfirmed.
Casualty Report
Meanwhile, a Washington-based human rights group claimed that 585 people have died in Iran, and 1,326 have been injured due to the ongoing conflict.
The Iranian government has not released updated casualty figures. The last official update came on June 16, stating 224 Iranian deaths and 1,277 injuries.