IDF Strikes 600 Iranian Targets and Destroys 150 Ballistic Missiles in Expanding Campaign

Three days into Operation Roaring Lion, the scope of Israel’s campaign against Iran is coming into sharp focus.

The Israel Defense Forces reported Monday that it has struck 600 Iranian targets using approximately 2,500 bombs since the launch of operations early Saturday morning. More than 1,000 aerial sorties have been carried out, destroying hundreds of ballistic missiles, around 150 missile launchers, and some 200 air defense systems.

The pace, military officials say, is accelerating.

According to the IDF, Israeli air superiority now stretches from Tehran westward, significantly expanding operational freedom in Iranian airspace. What began as a concentrated effort to neutralize ballistic missile threats has evolved into a broader campaign aimed at degrading the regime’s military infrastructure and leadership networks.

Among the targets struck were approximately 20 senior leadership compounds, including the headquarters of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in Tehran. Two senior intelligence officials were reportedly killed in that strike, including Sayed Yahya Hamidi, described as deputy intelligence minister for “Israel affairs,” and Jalal Pour Hossein, head of the ministry’s espionage division.

The IDF stated that Hamidi oversaw Iranian terrorist activities targeting Jews, Western officials, and regime opponents both inside Iran and abroad.

Military sources also indicated that several hundred regime operatives have been eliminated. An Israeli source suggested that between 1,000 and 1,500 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may have been killed, though the army has not officially confirmed those figures.

Strikes have reportedly extended to Iranian regime forces near the Kurdish region along the Iran-Iraq border an area historically hostile to Tehran’s leadership. While the IDF declined to comment directly, officials did not deny the reports.

The campaign has significantly reduced Iran’s missile-launch capacity. Whereas earlier salvos originated from across the country, missile launches are now concentrated in fewer, more coordinated locations. Most recent barrages have ranged between nine and 30 missiles at a time.

Military officials indicated that Iran appears to have intended to fire larger volleys at Israel but may have diverted missile resources toward other regional targets in an effort to pressure the United States into pushing for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to absorb missile fire.

Nineteen Israelis were wounded Monday after a ballistic missile directly struck Beersheba, destroying several homes. All were transported to Soroka Medical Center, with one in moderate condition and 18 lightly injured.

In Beit Shemesh, where a devastating strike Sunday claimed nine lives, the IDF revealed that most individuals who were inside a protected safe room survived, sustaining fewer injuries than those outside. Rescue teams were credited with saving numerous lives under extraordinarily difficult conditions.

An initial investigation found that the missile’s trajectory may have shifted unexpectedly, contributing to the direct hit.

Despite the ongoing threat, Home Front Command reported fewer warning sirens by Monday afternoon, though officials cautioned that the situation remains fluid. Decisions regarding the reopening of Ben-Gurion Airport and broader airspace remain under review.

Operation Roaring Lion, according to Israeli leadership, is designed to dismantle existential threats posed by Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and nuclear ambitions, while weakening the regime’s grip on power.

Military planners hope the sustained pressure could create conditions that empower the Iranian people who have protested for years under harsh repression to determine their own future.

As regional tensions remain high, Israel’s message is clear the Jewish state will act decisively to defend its citizens and secure long-term safety.

Israel stands firm in protecting its people and confronting those who threaten its existence. Share this update and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed during these historic days.