Iran has escalated its confrontation with Israel to a terrifying new level, unleashing ballistic missiles fitted with cluster warheads over Tel Aviv while swarms of armed drones probe Israeli air defences across the country, military officials say.

Residents in the Gush Dan area describe a night of “continuous thunder,” as sirens wailed and at least one missile burst high above the city, scattering dozens of bomblets across multiple neighbourhoods. Dash‑cam and rooftop videos show rapid chains of small explosions ripping through car parks, playgrounds and apartment courtyards, leaving streets pockmarked and vehicles burning. Emergency services report dozens of wounded, many hit by shrapnel as they raced for shelters.

The Israel Defense Forces say most of the incoming missiles and drones were intercepted by Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Patriot batteries, but admit that cluster submunitions “complicated the defensive picture,” with fragments raining down even where the main warheads were destroyed. In the north and south, residents filmed black silhouettes of Iranian‑made drones being chased by Israeli jets, with at least some managing to drop munitions near military sites before being shot down.

Tehran is openly celebrating the assault, calling it a “multi‑axis saturation strike” meant to punish Israel for attacks on Iranian missile bases and senior commanders. Human rights groups, however, warn that firing cluster munitions into one of the most densely populated urban areas in the region is almost certain to violate international humanitarian law.

As smoke still lingers over Tel Aviv and social media fills with images of shredded streets and buzzing drones, a chilled question hangs over the region: has Iran’s bid to overwhelm Israel’s defences just redrawn the rules of this war—or pushed both sides to a point where restraint is no longer on the table?