Anti-missile batteries fire interception missiles toward incoming ballistic missiles launched from Lebanon, as seen in northern Israel, during the war with Iran and Hezbollah and ongoing missile fire toward Israel, March 16, 2026. (Photo by Ayal Margolin/Flash90)
Home Front Command distributed warning messages to residents and instructed people in affected areas to move into protected spaces when alerted.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Ten missile barrages were launched from Iran toward Israel on Sunday night, prompting interception efforts by the Israel Defense Forces and triggering emergency restrictions across the country after a day of mounting tensions linked to Israeli strikes in Beirut.
The military said it detected the launches and was operating to intercept the incoming missiles.
Home Front Command distributed warning messages to residents and instructed people in affected areas to move into protected spaces when alerted.
The launches came after Iranian officials publicly warned that Israel would face retaliation following airstrikes against Hezbollah facilities in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district.
In a statement posted on X, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s foreign policy and national security committee, declared: “We will give a decisive and painful response to the Zionist regime’s attack on the suburbs … Watch the sky of the occupied territories tonight.”
Another senior Iranian official, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who serves as speaker of parliament and Iran’s lead negotiator, said American assets in the region should now be considered “legitimate targets.”
Addressing negotiations, Ghalibaf wrote on X: “They are neither committed to a ceasefire nor believe in dialogue, and through the naval blockade and violation of agreements regarding Lebanon they showed that they only understand the language of power.”
According to Channel 12 News, Israeli defense officials had anticipated the possibility of an Iranian response.
The report said intelligence assessments pointed to prior Iranian warnings that any Israeli attack on Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut would be met with missile fire from Tehran.
Earlier Sunday, the IDF announced strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs. The military said the operation followed Hezbollah fire directed toward northern Israel.
Reuters reported that Israel had largely refrained from attacking Beirut’s southern suburbs after a ceasefire announced by the United States on April 16, except for two strikes carried out last month. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon has continued despite the truce.
Separately, Haim Bibas, chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, said all municipalities would shift to limited operations beginning at 10 p.m. Schools and other educational activities were canceled, outdoor gatherings were restricted to 200 people, and indoor events were capped at 500 participants if a standard protected shelter could be reached within the required protection time.
Proposed coalition would also need Shas support, despite its endorsement of Netanyahu.
The agency last estimated Iran held over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity.
59% of Democratic voters said they want 'someone else' to lead Senate Democrats versus 22%…
Yisrael Ganz, who chairs the Yesha Council umbrella group, thanked the Binyamin Regional Council’s security…
Before Oct. 7, Israeli tech company MIA Dynamics built civilian electric four-wheelers, then transformed its…
According to a report released last month by the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), new…