Iran Launches Missile and Drone Attacks on Tel Aviv in Revenge for Killing of Security Chief Ali Larijani
By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com
March 18, 2026 — Tel Aviv, Israel / Tehran, Iran
In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran, Tehran unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones targeting central Israel—including the metropolitan area of Tel Aviv—overnight into early Wednesday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) explicitly described the assault as “revenge for the blood of martyr Dr. Ali Larijani,” Iran’s powerful national security chief, who was confirmed killed in an Israeli airstrike less than 24 hours earlier.
The strikes, which Iran’s state television labeled as a “decisive response,” involved advanced Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles equipped with multiple warheads, including cluster munitions designed to saturate defenses and inflict widespread area damage. Israeli air defenses, including the Iron Dome and Arrow systems, intercepted many projectiles, but several penetrated, causing explosions across central Israel. At least two people—an elderly couple—were killed in Ramat Gan, a suburb adjacent to Tel Aviv, with shrapnel injuries reported in surrounding areas. Property damage was significant: a Tel Aviv train station sustained hits disrupting rail services, fires erupted in residential zones, and videos from the scene showed rocket trails lighting up the night sky over Netanya and other coastal cities.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service confirmed the fatalities from severe shrapnel wounds, while additional reports noted dozens injured and widespread panic as sirens blared across the region. Eyewitness accounts described cluster bomblets scattering over neighborhoods, creating secondary explosions and forcing residents into shelters for hours.
The attack comes amid a cascade of high-profile Israeli assassinations targeting Iran’s leadership. On Tuesday, Israel announced it had eliminated Ali Larijani—secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and widely regarded as Iran’s de facto leader since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the opening day of the conflict on February 28. Larijani, a veteran politician and former parliament speaker known for his pragmatic streak in past nuclear negotiations, was struck in a precision airstrike alongside his son, an aide, and Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Iran confirmed the deaths hours later, with state media hailing Larijani as a “martyr in the trench of service.”
The IRGC statement read on Iranian television declared the missile salvo had struck over 100 military and security targets in Israel’s heartland, claiming many evaded interception. “This is exact revenge for the martyrs Larijani and Soleimani,” the statement said, vowing further operations if provocations continued. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to international outlets, insisted the regime’s structure remained intact and accused the United States of bearing ultimate responsibility for the regional conflagration now in its third week.
In a separate but related development overnight, Israeli forces claimed to have targeted—and possibly killed—Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an airstrike on Tehran. Defense Minister Israel Katz promised “more surprises” in the campaign to dismantle Iran’s command apparatus, though confirmation of Khatib’s fate remained pending from Iranian sources. This would mark the third major leadership strike in as many days, further decapitating Tehran’s security apparatus amid unrelenting pressure.
The retaliation triggered immediate regional ripple effects. Gulf states—Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia—activated defenses to intercept Iranian drones and missiles headed toward or overflying their territories, underscoring the conflict’s spillover. Oil markets reacted sharply, with prices climbing on fears of broader disruptions.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office condemned the attack as “barbaric” and vowed a forceful response. Sirens continued intermittently into the morning, with civil defense authorities urging residents to remain vigilant. The strikes disrupted daily life in Tel Aviv: schools closed, public transport halted in affected zones, and emergency crews combed debris for survivors.
Analysts warn this tit-for-tat cycle—assassinations met with missile barrages—risks spiraling into even deadlier exchanges. Larijani’s death removes a potential moderate voice who might have facilitated back-channel de-escalation, leaving hardliners in Tehran with greater sway. Meanwhile, Israel’s strategy of leadership targeting aims to weaken Iran’s ability to coordinate proxy forces like Hezbollah, which has intensified operations in Lebanon in solidarity.
As funerals for Larijani and Soleimani prepare in Tehran, and smoke still lingers over Ramat Gan, the war shows no signs of abating. With U.S. involvement deepening—including recent bunker-buster strikes on Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz—and allies divided, the path to any ceasefire appears increasingly remote.
Juba Global News Network is monitoring developments from both sides of the conflict and will provide updates as the situation evolves. Stay informed at JubaGlobal.com.
Reporting contributed by correspondents in Tel Aviv, Tehran, and regional security analysts. Visual verification from multiple international sources and eyewitness footage.
