Iran launched a massive barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel on Saturday night, in the first of several waves following an earlier offensive by Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. One missile struck a two-story home in the Arab Israeli city of Tamra, east of Haifa, killing four women and injuring around 10 others.
The victims were identified as Manar Khatib, her daughters Hala (20) and Shada (13), and another relative also named Manar Khatib — the wife of the father’s brother. The tragedy struck a city long known to lack proper bomb shelters or reinforced safe rooms, despite a 1990s Israeli law mandating such protection in new buildings. Enforcement, however, remains weak in many Arab communities.
The missile strike triggered sirens primarily in northern Israel and the Haifa region, as the Home Front Command issued alerts shortly after 11 p.m. Most of the country took shelter, and the military deployed air defenses in response. By 11:45 p.m., the public was given the all-clear to exit shelters, although further attacks were expected overnight.
Social media soon became a flashpoint for outrage. A video widely shared online showed a group of Jewish Israelis celebrating as missiles fell on Tamra. One man in the clip can be heard shouting, “On the village, on the village!” followed by a chant of the anti-Arab slogan, “May your village burn.” The disturbing footage sparked swift condemnation from across the political spectrum.
Labor MK Naama Lazimi denounced the video on X, writing, “There is nothing human, Jewish or Israeli in celebrating a strike on an Arab town. Shameful and disgusting.” Deputy Tel Aviv Mayor Asaf Zamir added, “These celebrations make me nauseated and ashamed.”
Ayman Odeh, head of the Hadash-Ta’al party, blamed the normalization of such hate speech on Israel’s far-right leadership, stating, “These are the voices of Netanyahu, Ben Gvir and Smotrich — the warmongers. These racists must be investigated and arrested.”
However, tensions were not one-sided. Other videos surfaced showing Arab Israelis celebrating missile launches directed at Jewish cities, highlighting the deepening societal rift amid the broader conflict.
Iran’s attack was in response to an earlier Israeli operation that struck nuclear facilities, missile bases, and key Iranian military figures. Israeli officials claimed the action was necessary as intelligence indicated Tehran was nearing “the point of no return” in developing a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian barrage reportedly involved around 200 missiles across three major waves from Friday night into Saturday morning. Iran’s media claimed hundreds of projectiles were fired, while the IDF confirmed multiple barrages but did not release exact figures.
In total, seven people were confirmed killed in the strikes: the four in Tamra and three others in Ramat Gan and Rishon Lezion, identified as Etti Cohen Engel, Yisrael Aloni, and Yevgenia Blinder. Dozens more were injured, including some critically. Magen David Adom reported several cases of acute anxiety alongside physical injuries.
The IDF has urged the public not to share footage of missile strikes or impact locations, warning that such information could aid Iranian targeting in future attacks.
With tensions at an all-time high, Israel’s military said it is bracing for continued heavy fire but emphasized that the ongoing operation aims to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat entirely.
