Iranian ballistic missiles struck Israel overnight in a dramatic escalation, causing damage on a scale not seen since the war began and wounding scores of people, CBS News correspondents report.
The southern city of Arad was among the hardest hit. Emergency crews found apartment walls sheared away, bedrooms with blown‑out windows, and a bus on the sidewalk shredded by blast damage. One missile left a large crater in a residential area; officials said it was fortunate the warhead did not hit directly atop apartment blocks. Nearly 200 people were reported injured in Arad; one person was injured in nearby Dimona. Residents who had sheltered said the strikes sounded different and that it was a miracle so many survived.
The strikes came as Israel continues operations across Lebanon and Gaza. Israeli forces said they destroyed a key bridge in southern Lebanon as they battled Hezbollah, the Iran‑backed militia; more than a million people in Lebanon have fled fighting there. The Pentagon has described daily U.S. and allied airstrikes as growing in scale; U.S. officials say American aircraft have flown about 8,000 combat missions striking roughly 7,800 targets since the conflict began more than three weeks ago.
Iran’s barrage included a long‑range strike on the U.S.‑UK base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — roughly 2,000 miles away — a move analysts said underscored Tehran’s claim of expanded reach. The attacks follow escalating threats between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz: President Trump warned Iran that if it did not fully open the strait, the U.S. would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants; Iran replied it would shut the waterway indefinitely if that were attempted.
CBS correspondents noted the broader regional risks as Iran and Iran‑backed groups respond to Israel’s campaign, and as civilians on all sides continue to be displaced and wounded. Charlie D’Agata reported from Tel Aviv; Jericka Duncan contributed.