Day 9: Iran’s drone-missile strikes target Israeli sites
Shipping giant halts Haifa operations
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that it had launched its eighteenth round of retaliatory strikes targeting military and operational support centres in the occupied territories and Ben Gurion Airport with a large swarm of suicide and combat drones (Shahed-136) and precision-guided missiles.
“In the early hours of today,” the IRGC said, “several squadrons of Shahed-136 drones continuously carried out missions over the skies of the occupied territories, Israeli defence systems failed to intercept them and the Zionists, as usual, were forced to flee to shelters.” The statement confirmed that six of ten missiles launched struck their intended targets.
The IRGC also vowed that “combined missile-drone operations will continue relentlessly and purposefully against Israel.” The announcement came amid reports that global shipping giant Maersk had ceased operations at the port of Haifa in response to Iran's retaliatory strikes, though the Danish firm added that it had “not experienced any further disruption in its planned regional activities.”
Meanwhile, on the ninth day of hostilities, Iran’s Defence Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei Nik stated that the ministry would continue to provide “comprehensive and effective support” to the military and civilians in both defensive and punitive operations against the “criminal Zionist regime.” He condemned Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure as “war crimes under international law and basic human rights,” citing assaults on homes, children, and hospitals.
In a related development, Iran’s Emergency Services chief Jafar Miadfar told state news agency IRNA that 14 emergency workers had been wounded as Israeli forces attacked ambulances and medical centres in various region.
"Three aid facilities and eight ambulances belonging to the Emergency Department have sustained significant damage," he said.
UN raps Israeli aggression
A separate statement from United Nations Special Rapporteurs strongly condemned Israel’s recent military onslaught as a “clear violation of fundamental principles of international law” and “an unlawful act of aggression.” The UN statement emphasised that the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, including under claims of anticipatory self-defense, is prohibited.
Since June 13, Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's Health Ministry said in an updated toll on Saturday.
"As of this morning, Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of over 400 defenseless Iranians and left 3,056 others wounded by missiles and drones," Health
Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said in apost on X.