Jerusalem/Dubai, Mar 1: At least nine people were killed and nearly 28 others injured after an Iranian missile struck the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, as Tehran widened retaliatory attacks across the Middle East following the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US–Israeli strikes.
Israel’s emergency service said a residential building where civilians were sheltering was directly hit. Search-and-rescue teams, supported by helicopters, continued operations amid fears the death toll could rise. The strike marks the highest Israeli casualty count since the latest hostilities began.
“We saw destroyed homes, flames and smoke rising from residential buildings, wrecked cars, and significant chaos at the scene,” said Dror Eini, a paramedic with Magen David Adom.
The Israel Defense Forces accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilians, while officials said the circumstances of the missile impact, including reports that warning sirens did not sound, were under review.
The strike on Beit Shemesh came as Iran launched large-scale missile and drone attacks across Israel and several Gulf countries hosting US military bases. The attacks were described by Tehran as retaliation for the ongoing US–Israeli offensive.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said one person was killed and seven injured after debris from an intercepted drone fell near Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Dubai International Airport reported damage and four staff injured, while falling debris caused incidents at the Burj Al Arab hotel, Jebel Ali port and the Fairmont The Palm hotel.
Kuwait’s health ministry said one person was killed and 32 others injured, all foreigners. Qatar reported that 65 missiles and 12 drones were launched toward its territory, most of which were intercepted, though eight people were injured by falling debris. Oman confirmed one worker was injured after drones targeted Duqm port, while Bahrain reported airport damage. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it struck the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama.
The escalating violence has severely disrupted global travel, with thousands of flights grounded across the region in one of the most serious aviation disruptions since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Iran, a 40-day mourning period was announced for Khamenei. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the confrontation would intensify.
“The killing of Khamenei will make the confrontation more complex and dangerous,” Araghchi said. “We have no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves. If their goal is to change our regime, this is an impossible task.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would continue on Khamenei’s path and vowed that its enemies would be left “hopeless”.
Regional tensions have surged sharply as exchanges of fire continue, raising fears of a wider conflict engulfing West Asia.
