DUBAI — Israel unleashed airstrikes across Iran for a third day Sunday and threatened even greater force as some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses to strike buildings in the heart of the country. Planned talks on Iran’s nuclear program, which could provide an offramp, were canceled.

Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel on Friday night in retaliation for Israel's surprise attack early Friday. Israel struck at the heart of the Iran's nuclear program, killing several nuclear scientists as well as high-ranking military leaders, according to Israeli officials.

Onlookers gathered on Saturday at a central Tel Aviv residential building next door to Israel’s defense headquarters that was damaged after it took a hit from what appeared to be shrapnel from an overnight missile barrage from Iran.

The attack was a stiff challenge for Israel’s air-defense system, which has intercepted projectiles fired from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran since the start of the war Oct. 7, 2023. They have ranged from short-range rockets to medium-range missiles to attack drones to ballistic missiles like those fired Friday night.

"Another barrage of dozens of rockets was launched" towards Israel, the statement adds. The IDF says that the explosions people are hearing "originate from interceptions or impacts". We've been hearing from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who says Iran “will inflict heavy blows” after Israel “launched war”.