Israeli Military Admits Air Defense Systems Failed to Intercept Iranian Missiles

According to Saednews, quoting Yedioth Ahronoth, the spokesperson of the Israeli army announced that the regime's air defense systems were damaged and failed to intercept Iranian missiles.

This statement came after the failure of warning sirens to go off during the missile strikes triggered fear, panic, and public outrage among Israelis.

Yedioth Ahronoth also reported widespread disruptions to phone lines and power in Haifa, as Israeli authorities launched investigations into the matter.

The Israeli army spokesperson admitted that the successful strike by Iranian missiles on sensitive areas in Haifa was due to defects in the missile defense and interception systems, clarifying that the warning system itself had not malfunctioned.

According to the report, just before the Iranian missiles landed, no sirens were activated, and the missile defense systems, after failing to intercept the attacks, ended up misfiring and hitting various areas of Haifa.

Hours after the United States joined Israel's war against Iran, Iran's armed forces announced the launch of the “20th wave” of Operation True Promise 3 using long-range “Kheibar” missiles with destructive warheads, solid and liquid fuel, and new tactics specifically designed to bypass Israel’s defense systems.

The strikes reportedly targeted Ben Gurion Airport, the “Israeli Biological Research Center,” as well as various army command, support, and control bases.

Arab sources reported that Iran also targeted Haifa’s industrial zone — including areas near the container port, petrochemical plants, refineries, power stations, and other key infrastructure — leading to widespread fires and smoke.

This region is not only economically vital but also serves as a critical artery for Israel’s military and economic logistics.

It is said that some of the Iranian missiles that struck Israel this morning were launched from eastern Iran, nearly 2,000 kilometers from the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to i24 News, Iran’s missile attack on Haifa triggered mass panic, causing over 2,000 Israelis to flee the port city and wait for ships to evacuate them to foreign countries. However, maritime routes have been warned due to possible retaliatory attacks by Yemen’s Ansarullah on ships in response to U.S. cooperation with Israel and the bombardment of Iran’s nuclear sites.

Nonetheless, Israeli authorities have censored images of the attack. Foreign media reporters stated that Israel's military censorship office only allows publication of a very limited number of sites hit by Iranian missiles.

As IRNA previously reported, the United States joined the Israeli war against Iran in the early hours of Sunday (June 22) by attacking Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

In response, Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi issued a statement affirming that, under the UN Charter and its provisions permitting self-defense, Iran reserves all options to protect its sovereignty, interests, and people.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization also released a statement declaring that the country's nuclear sites had been attacked in a brutal and illegal move, violating international law — especially the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) — and asserting that Iran will not allow its peaceful nuclear development to be halted.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also announced the start of the 20th wave of combined missile-drone strikes targeting military and industrial centers linked to Israel’s defense industry in Haifa and Tel Aviv.